What to buy second hand?

[TTCVickster]

We are expecting our first baby but as a teacher the maternity pay is awful so we will need to save a fair bit to cover maternity. It’s early on but we will need to save throughout. My question is what is ok to buy second hand and where do you buy second hand things from? My friends haven’t had children yet so there aren’t really any hand me downs coming our way. A Pram is a particular worry as I have a Toyota Aygo (in finance so can’t be changed) and the only one google tells me will fit is the Bugaboo Bee which looks super expensive.

I second the advice not to buy too much ahead of time. Obviously you'll need some clothes, somewhere for the baby to sleep and appropriate feeding kit to start with, but most things you can get as you go along. You're likely to meet other mums when on maternity leave and you'll probably discover all kinds of groups where you can get 2nd hand bits.

We didn't buy a full size cot until the baby was about 5 months, as up until then they slept in a crib in our room. Similarly, we didn't buy a separate moses basket but used the pram carry cot in the house as well. So you can space out some purchases which also helps if you can carry on saving bits here and there.

I'd also wait on buying things that the baby may or may not like e.g. bouncy chair, sling until they are here and you see what will work for your baby and their needs.

Finally, I'd say that being on maternity leave, especially the first 6 months, is surprisingly cheap! I probably only spent about £10 a week on a couple of baby groups/coffee and cake as we were mostly camped out on the sofa or out walking with the pram!

As others have said, you want to get a new mattress and car seat. Highchairs can be very difficult to clean, and get food trapped in all sorts of little crevices - so unless they are all plastic like the Ikea one I wouldn't buy 2nd hand - and the Ikea one is so cheap there's no need to anyway.

With clothes, anything cotton liks babygros, vests, tops and T shirts have a tendency to shrink and go shorter and wider after repeated washing / drying. I'd be cautious about paying much for that sort of thing 2nd hand. We've been passed loads down and they've usually shrunk enough length wise the sizes are then out, so for example what says it is a 3-6 month baby gro is baggy but only long enough for 0 to 3 months old. Trousers, dresses, cardigans / jumpers and coats all last better and are generally fine.

Congratulations!

I also have an Aygo and we have a mamas and papas sola2. The carry cot fits in the back seat and the rest in the boot. We got it as a bundle with car seat, isofix base etc. There are often offers in their Huddersfield factory outlet or if you attend a parents to be event.

Don't buy mattresses or car seats second hand but everything else is fair game.

Don't buy loads of clothes, you will get more than you can imagine in gifts! Get some basic vests and sleepsuits - so comfy for baby and easy to get on and off!

Aldi do the cheapest disposable nappies that I have found and they are actually really good quality - I prefer them to other brands. No need to buy pamper etc. Don't stock up on loads of nappies as you don't know how quickly your little one will change sizes. We have just gone into size 2 at 13 weeks but we needed size 0 initially. My nephew went into 2s at 6 weeks.

The other thing to consider may be reusable nappies - they do work out cheaper long term for many of you get birth to potty training ones, but it's a large expense initially.

We used a basic Moses basket for our little one, rather than super fancy cribs etc, mainly due to space but it's worked absolutely fine and they will not be in it forever!

Facebook marketplace and eBay is where I got most of our second hand bits but also check if there are any nct second hand sales near you too.

We started changing our spending habits before the money dropped so it wasn't so much of a shock (and we saved more in those 'practice months' for the tighter months

're. The buggy, do think outside the box a bit. On paper I can't fit much in my Micra, but I had a play with my sister's massive pram and if I put one of the back seats down I can fit a huge frame longways, carrycot on top, baby on back seat and dog in the other side of the boot!

Most things! Recommendation is a new mattress for cots/Moses baskets if you buy second hand. As for a buggy, a reclining umbrella buggy is a lot smaller than full pushchair - I used a sling mostly at first (we bought a pushchair which didn't fit in the car! so had to buy another) and buggies are cheap - £40 from Argos.

Please remember you don't need much, seriously! Vests come in packs of 7, that's plenty, 6 sleep suits in 0-3 and perhaps 3 in newborn (not everyone needs them and they last 2 weeks tops), muslin cloths, a safe place for them to sleep, a bag (any doesn't need to be a baby bag) a foldable changing mat, and one for home, chest of drawers (doesn't need to be a changing table) nappies and wipes. Seriously! I moved 6000 miles when dd was a newborn so only had what fitted in two seat cases for both of us plus the pram which didn't fit in the car dh had bought ahead of our arrival. We had no money. People get lists of what they need from commercial orgs and it's rubbish. Ok I breastfed, we couldn't afford formula, but the sink is a perfect baby bath and she slept with us

I was a rebel...had a second hand car seat and cot mattress from SIL, if you know where they came from it's less of an issue. I know I'll be demonised for not getting a new mattress but I couldn't bring myself to throw out a perfectly good one. Now both of my kids have used it and it still looks brand new.

Supermarket baby events are good. I got a great Moses basket that was used for 7 months and cheap changing mats that are still great
If the highchair cover comes off just scrub it in the sink with soap and water.
I didn’t buy a new cot mattress as I knew it came from an immaculate house and was only used two afternoons a week. DS didn’t use the cot until he was 7 months and then only for a week or two as he decided he preferred sleeping in bed with me. So I second not buying anything until you need it but don’t turn away anything people are giving you even if you’re not going to use it for ages!

Everything except mattresses and car seats.

Bugaboo Bee’s are fairly cheap on eBay. I wouldn’t bother with expensive baby clothes either, they’re only in them two minutes. My DS is three months old and has already outgrown 0-3 AND 3-6...

Pretty much anything. Theyre in and out of things so soon that you'll wince at the cost of somethings you buy that barely get used.

Things like a bouncy chair and a playgym can be expensive new and don't have to be.

Try Facebook marketplace!

Use all 10 of your KIT days if you can as they will bring in quite a bit of money. Even 1/2 a month will make a difference.

Not to contradict the very sensible advice here but we did actually get a second hand car seat, but from people we knew, so knew its history and that it has categorically not been in an accident (& was not very old/still on sale). Something to consider if you know loads of people with babies!

Check out the mum to mum markets in your area. I got loads of bits there for very good prices.

Agree with everyone else. Don't get a car seat or mattress second hand. The car seat is to do with if its been badly dropped or in an accident then it may not work as it should in another accident.
Me and my sister have shared between us but that's different as we clearly know each other very very well and we uodnt risk our nieces/nephews if there had been any incidents.

You just get what you need to as and when. With my first I luckily had a full year off, but was only on smp. No enhanced policy where I worked at all. Dh was a teacher but I earnt less than £20k. Dh was also unemployed for 4-5 months before dd arrived which hit us hard and again for about 2.5 months towards the end of my mat leave but we coped.
We saved as much as we could and cut back on everything.

It's going to be harder this time round (currently very early days) but dh is no longer a teacher and so has taken a massive pay cut to start a trainee role, I've not advanced much in salary either. But we'll do what we have to do. It'll be tough but we'll cope. My sister has already offered a lot of her things and we have some left from last time.

We’ve bought our Nursery furniture online. It’s Mamas and Papas Mia and is in immaculate condition. We paid about a fifth of what it would cost new.

Second hand I meant, not just online.

Does your school not follow the Burgundy Book? The pay for the first 5 months is pretty decent.

I'm a teacher too. The half pay period isn't too bad as it's half pay plus SMP and because tax and pension contributions have decreased it is more than half pay - for me it has worked out at about 70% of my normal pay.

Depending on your childcare situation, it may be better to just go back for the last few days in July - we'll be relying on a nursery so DP is taking the last few days off in July and DD will start nursery in September. That might be different if you have access to unpaid childcare, or a term time only place.

I have a fiat 500 and I'm due in May, a Teacher also so I'm trying to save lots too. I've just bought a quinny zapp flex plus with carrycot. I managed to get an ex display model off eBay for £200 when it retails for over £500. I also bought a maxi Cosi Pebble plus and base second hand on eBay for £100 that retails for £400. You can buy new covers for £55 but I'm going to try giving it a good wash first. Both of these fit well into my tiny boot and tiny space between the front seat and back as changing my car was not an option. I also think our mat pay is awful! I'm only in my second year of teaching and wondering how I'm going to afford my rent. Good luck OP!

The other thing to consider may be reusable nappies - they do work out cheaper long term for many of you get birth to potty training ones, but it's a large expense initially

You can buy these secondhand too so it doesn’t have to be a big outlay.
I got a bundle of 30 on eBay for £20 plus p&p.

also don’t forget that everything is gender neutral when you’re on a budget!

Absolutely everything second hand or bought as gifts from family.
Cloth nappies, Pram- second hand ebay
Bundles of clothes, second baby car seat, moses basket, toys, books, baby baths, - second hand shpock/ebay/charity shops
All immaculate, or near perfect condition all very very cheap.
Gives us more money to spend on things she enjoys or wants for birthdays and days out and just general treats or special occasions as a family
No shame in second hand!

Rubberduckies be carefully with putting objects loose in the car. In a car crash these can be come dangerous missiles. In a crash 70 mph a box of tissues will hit a child at the same force as a throwing a brick at them. I would hate to think what a loose pram could do.

I would definitely get the bugaboo bee. The second hand market for bugaboo is huge and the prices are pretty standard (also if you choose to sell it on a year or two later you’ll probably have lost £100). There are bugaboo selling groups on Facebook.

I'm a teacher in London and I got 2 weeks full pay, 2 weeks 90% pay, 9 weeks at half pay then statutory for the rest (24 weeks in total)

If you are thinking of a side sleeper cot, you can hire a bednest for about £80 and that includes a new mattress which you can keep. It might end up as cheap as a second hand one plus new mattress and they come and pick it up again so you don't need to bother ebaying it.

The only things I would buy new are a mattress and car seat. I use schpock, FB selling groups and market place and charity shops for second hand everything. We buy the odd outfit or toy when we see something really cute and can't resist! I do regret buying anything else new now I know how well baby gear keeps and how much you can save. I was also overwhelmed by how kind people are. MIL brought two suitcases on first visit filled with gifts from her friends many of who we had never met. Work colleagues desperate to get rid of baby clutter have kept DD in clothes to 11 months and I have things up to 3yo size!

I had a hyundi i10 (tiniest boot ever) only the Oyster, mamas & papas armadillo or urbo2 fit in our boot. Mum used to sell prams and generously bought us the Urbo which I love. Would have bought second hand if mum hadn't been determined to spoil first grandchild!

I chose cloth nappies and bought mid range priced new ones. I've had most of them refunded as they were faulty (just one of those things) and bought second hand. Absolutely love terry nappies and wool covers which I was set against!

My Co sleeping crib was outgrown by month 5 but I sold it and bought a second hand cot (new mattress in sale £50 I think) for £30 which is great for naps and the odd couple of hours DD doesn't spend in our bed (I was definately NOT bedsharing...ha!).

Bought a bookshelf and small set of drawers from a local charity that sells second hand or reconditioned furniture.

Buy as little as possible before your baby arrives as you don't know what you need till you know what your baby is like and what you are like as a parent. Congratulations!