To think there’s nothing wrong with buying baby stuff second-hand?

[Sansarya]

A woman in my office is pregnant and we were having a chat about baby clothes and toys etc. I said that she could get some good bargains on eBay or at NCT Nearly New Sales, as small babies grow out of stuff so quickly.

Another woman in the office overheard our conversation and piped up to express her disgust at this. She made a face and said she’d never buy second-hand stuff for her baby (hypothetical at this point) and that she had plenty of friends and family to give presents to her baby. She is from a fairly well off family so I’m not sure she’s ever really had to worry about the cost of things and I don’t think it was nice of her to sneer.

Unless of course I’m missing something and there’s something hugely wrong with buying baby clothes from ebay or at an NNS? I got DS quite a few things from there when he was younger. Obviously it’s different when they’re older and more mobile as the clothes have more wear and tear etc, but the stuff I bought him was as good as new!

I bought everything brand new as its a first baby and I can keep everything for future babies. I did buy two things second hand Although they had not been worn and had tags on.

I could afford to buy all brand new for my children when they were babies, and even now. But if I can get a decent product in good condition for a fraction of the price, or even free, then I'm not going refuse it.
But then that's probably why I do live a comfortable lifestyle financially because I'm not afraid to look out for bargains, second clothes etc....

I bought some things new and some second hand . New mattress for cot and pram , second hand pram , new car seat , most of their clothes and toys were second hand and to some extent still are . I buy a lot of my own clothes from charity shops because I like good quality stuff and don't have the money to buy the quantity I would like of these brand new

No wibbleywee it's not judgemental. It's up to people to form their own opinions about how they do/don't should or shouldn't help the environment. If someone believes they are helping by buying 2nd hand - great. If someone believes they are keeping someone in work by buying new - great. It entirely depends on individual motives

We got a second hand pram on eBay as we just couldn't afford a new one. In really good nick and a fraction of the price of a new one. We were given a cot and a car seat though the car seat was new and we had to buy a new mattress for the cot.
I had a second hand breast pump and it was fine.
Most of DS clothes are second hand - even if we buy new they are covered in food and dribble within about 5 minutes so what is the difference?! When I buy stuff on eBay I always wash it first and you wouldn't know it was secondhand, saves us a fortune.

wibbleywee I wasn't the one you addressed, but I am judgemental about people who ignore their impact on the environment, and don't think there's anything wrong with that. I wish more people were, then we might not be in such a mess. And yes, everyone makes their own choices in the end about how they balance their responsibilities with their needs and wishes, but to not think it's an issue at all is shameful and shortsighted.

Agree with you archery.
Most stuff I buy is new.
However the truth is that manufacturing almost
anything at all is bad for the environment.
So the responsible thing to do is make the best possible use of what there is in the world already.
Noone wants to put their child in clothes with another child's poo stains. But there is a huge amount out there which is of nearly new quality - some of it completely unused. Seems ludicrous to me that some people choose to ignore this option completely but each to their own I guess.

In many cases you can get better quality for cheaper by finding 2nd hand. My son's beautiful solid oak cot bed -£300 and much prettier and hard wearing than anything I could have bought new- is a prime example.

Christelle well, thank goodness for the idiot that was ludicrous enough to buy that oak bed new in the first place eh?

I used to be like this then i twigged you can buy an entire months baby clothes for £30 on ebay where as that's one or two outfits and a pack of babygrows in mothercare or something and plus they grow like mental anyway so no point in wasting your money on new outfits and bits they'll grow out of the minute you blink. i think a few outfits new is nice but the majority 2nd hand until about 1yo when they slow down just a little bit

Pfb waiting to happen.

Stinkersmum, are you on this thread purely to deliberately misinterpret what other posters say and then make a sarcastic comment? Because you've done it at least three times now.

Sansarya No, I'm not. But those who big up 2nd hand cannot seem to help but give out sly digs to those that chose to buy new and I'm questioning them. Problem?

myusername believe it or not some of us don't already have to have had a child to work out that babies grow fast and 2nd hand is cheaper. Some people (me included) WANT to buy new regardless. Each to their own, but why dig out those that want new stuff?

If there weren't ludicrous people lacking in common sense who haven't twigged yet that buy all this brand new stuff, where would all you patronising 2nd handers get your stuff from?

I don't even have DC and i know this children require research im still gonna be wide awake at 3am feeding like everyone else wish there was a book to say how to get around that

Stinkersmum I don't think they're giving out "sly digs" about people who choose to buy new - they're referring to the woman in my OP, who sneered at the thought of buying anything from a nearly new sale.

There seem to be people on this thread who have registered those who buy new as stupid , requiring a punch unless they are on this thread , having never had anything new as a child themselves and wasteful.

It is reading as putting people down for buying new.

Again, I think the requiring a punch comment was a) not meant to be taken seriously and b) directed at the subject of the OP, not people who buy new in general.

Isn't it a dig using the words "waste of money", for example?

Thank you sansarya.
Clearly my views continue to either be misinterpreted or cause offence
(Unintentionally) so I think I'd better bow out of the debate now.

Thank you Joan.

If everyone bought second hand there'd be nothing to buy at the NCT sales.

I bought everything new, and them bought another set to have at my mums. But if d known the sort of bargains you can pick up at a baby sale I'd have thought twice about stuff like travel cots, high chairs that's for sure.

Stinkersmum, are you on this thread purely to deliberately misinterpret what other posters say and then make a sarcastic comment?

Possibly...

Of course there's nothing wrong with buying 2nd hand apart from being discusting, of course, or hand me downs, as there isn't with buying new.

And nobody should sneer at whatever choices are made by parents regarding where they get their baby stuff.

Well I have champagne taste and orange squash budget, so I like to buy the best quality for as cheaply as possible and this usually means, second hand.

Let someone else's rich grainy buy great toys, and clothes and when they get sold for pennies - still new ish, I buy.

I would rather do that than buy rubbish from dirt cheap shops.

I have done second hand equipment and maternity clothes but not baby clothes. I think I'd only go second hand for expensive stuff ie trotters, Emile et rose, Bonpoint. I don't think there is anything wrong with it, I'd just rather choose exactly what I want.

I have a very tight friend (not short of money) who refuses to buy anything at all new including car seats, mattresses etc and I think shes weird and a tightarse. You could at least treat your pfb to something chosen just for them.

There is also Freecycle.