Tuesday, March 29, 2011

To buy or not to buy, that is the question.

Here's a question for all of you "experienced" parents out there. What items do you recommend buying new, what items would you buy used off of Craigslist or some other venue, what items would you borrow and what items would you skip? Here's my list of what we've purchased new/plan on purchasing new:

  • Crib & mattress (actually I purchased two cribs, but that was not my fault!)

  • Car seat

  • Breast milk pump

  • Stroller
Here's my list of things I've purchased used:

  • Bumbo seat & tray
  • Ergo baby carrier
  • $5 worth of baby clothes (in which Lance promptly told me that I had to stop buying clothes for the baby. My frugal husband is going to take all the fun away)

  • Dresser/changing table

  • The cutest Pottery Barn baby bedding
Here's my list of things a friend offered to let us borrow:

  • Activity mat

  • Exersaucer

  • Bouncy seat
Here is my list of things I'm skipping:

  • Diaper Genie

  • Separate changing table (our nursery is not large)

  • Full size swing

  • Jogging stroller (I hate running and I don't think that it's worth the extra money or storage space to get one that Lance might use)

How do I not let my house get overcome by unneeded baby gear and avoid debt by buying unneeded baby items? Let's hear it folks!

2 comments:

*carrie* said...

This looks like a good list, Kara. How did you end up with two cribs?!

I would also add a pack-and-play somewhere on this list. It's so convenient when you visit the grandparents, etc.

That is so awesome your friend is letting you borrow some gear. We've borrowed an Exersaucer both times around.

Are you planning to use the Bumbo as your high chair? FYI, Nathan's thighs were so chunky that by the time he could sit up in it, he didn't fit! So we never used it with him, and only used it 2-3 times with Natalie!

:)g said...

You'll find out you need a ton of stuff eventually but no way you need it right away. High chair is months away. Bouncy seat is what you need like day 1.

Here are my two cents:
1. Get the lightest stroller you can.
2. Get the lightest weight baby carrier carseat you can.

(notice a theme?)

Also, spend more on the stroller, not as much on the stuff that you don't need that long. But, should you decide to want a hand-me-down Peg Perego, I happen to have one that you may have even helped pay for. And an uber pricey jogging stroller that I dont jog with.

And the big one: at least one NEW COOL BABY GAP outfit per season. Just one is all I needed, then the hand-me-downs were just fine.