The Frugal Guide to Babygear
I know everyone and their mom has thrown down a post like this, but what I hate about most of those are the prices. Them: "You will just love this 500 dollar stroller." Me: That's more than I paid for my car. (Not really, but close enough).
Anyways, I've only been a mom 7ish weeks, so clearly I'm not a true expert on baby things, but I was a nanny for a couple years before that, so I guess I have a bit of experience with baby gear. Since we are a young and frugal (aka poor) family, I thought I'd share my tips on how to avoid paying ridiculous amounts for things that you will probably only use for a few months.
Basically what we have here is a cheapskate version of the aden + anais swaddle blankets that we've all heard all about. I have nothing against the aden + anais blankets. I used them everyday to swaddle 13 months old twins (per their mother's request). And if any blanket could contain squirmy walking (walking!) 1 year olds, those could. My gripe with those is the price. I ain't about to spend $32 dollars for 2 paper thin blankets. The Summer swaddle blankets are the exact (really I can tell no difference) same thing. And it only costs $12 dollars for two paper thin blankets. We have been swaddling Esther in these since she was a week old and they work great.
When I was looking for a carrier, I really wanted one that would be "ergonomically correct" for our little papoose. However, all the popular carriers like the Moby ($50) and Ergo ($120) were way more than I wanted to spend. Although I would like to get an Ergo someday (I tested it with the twins again-it is quality), throwing down a hundred bucks on a carrier just isn't in the cards for us right now. So after much research I went with this infantino carrier. I liked the fact that it could carry babies right from birth without any special inserts, and that it was good for baby's hips. Esther loves being in it and falls asleep instantly, it doesn't hurt my back at all, it is relatively easy to get on , and who doesn't love that stylish pattern?
3. A Portable Swing
They actually don't sell this swing anymore, we got ours at Kid to Kid for a mere $15. I knew that babies loved swings, so I really wanted one. We didn't have the space for a big one though. Not to mentions those things can get pricey. And guess what? the cheap ones do the same things as the expensive ones, they swing. Granted they might not have all the bells and whistles, but trust me, your babe won't care. Also they won't take up 75% of your living room. Esther loves this swing and is currently sleeping in it as I type. (We may have been gifted a baby that loves just about everything, but that's irrelevant.)
4. Skip the Crib
I know you've heard this before, and you really want to get your precious baby an adorable crib complete with bumpers from pottery barn, but don't do it. (Especially the bumpers, those things are lethal, ((for reals though))). Newborn's hate cribs. Little E sleeps in this bad boy right next to us every night.
We do plan on getting a crib eventually, but for the newborn stage, I find it unnecessary, and a waste of space. I also would have considered putting her straight into a portable crib, but we couldn't fit one in our tiniest bedroom on the planet (that's a post for another day).
5. Cloth diaper
Really, it will save you thousands. Read all about it here.
That is all my wisdom I have to offer now, perhaps I will add more to this list as the wee one grows, but just know that you don't have to spend a fortune on baby gear. Your baby won't care, and your wallet (and husband) will thank you.
**Disclaimer: I was paid for none of this, not even the links. Maybe if I was I could afford some fancy swaddle blankets.**
Comments
Post a Comment