Need to spend £175-300 in John Lewis today, help me spend it!

[Mangopassionfruit]

Hello! I’m a teacher and parents tend to club together at Xmas/end of year and get one big voucher. Last Xmas got £175 Westfield voucher that I haven’t spent and it expires in 2 weeks! Also have my summer one and a couple more John Lewis vouchers from birthdays that total to around £300.

Want to put it towards something/some things for baby but really not sure what. Does anyone have anything they got from there that’s been really good? Something bigger like car seat/buggy or smaller things both an option. There’s the Cybex Aton car seat that looks great but it’s a lot of money. Only 14 weeks so not got anything yet.

Never been in the position before where I literally have to spend so much money and worried I will end up taking easy route and buying something for myself because so overwhelmed.

Thanks so much!

A sleepyhead is a good one, but 14 weeks is so early I would wait until around 30 before buying anything.

What about treating yourself to maternity clothes or a maternity pillow?

I'd use the voucher which is about to run out to treat myself then use the summer on to buy stuff for baby next year.

www.johnlewis.com/britax-r-mer-dualfix-m-i-size-car-seat-cosmos-black/p4393185?sku=238257887&s_ppc=2dx92700046625834811&tmad=c&tmcampid=2&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIodqVkJ_u5QIVBbTtCh1HtgyVEAQYASABEgJAivD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

This would be a good investment for baby! You cant fix it to a pram so if you wanted to use it as part of a travel system it wouldn't be any good, but to be honest I only took the car seat out in the very early days. This carseat has been amazing, so easy to get baby in and out and should last years!

Or a next to me crib- I loved mine, so nice to have baby so close

I’d treat myself. There will be years of buying boring baby stuff. It is also very early.

Buy £300 of more vouchers.

I’d spend the 175 on a great winter coat with a hood if you don’t have one. It’s an investment for motherhood because you can’t use an umbrella while pushing a buggy.

A bit boring but if you don’t have one already, a cordless dyson is so useful when you have babies, we love ours. If you don’t have one already, a tumble drier also essential/preferable for drying the millions of tiny baby clothes you will constantly be washing.

On a less boring note, Rachel Jackson jewellery is lovely and not toooo expensive. Sonos speakers are great and long lasting.
Personally I wouldn’t buy baby stuff yet as it is a bit early.

Otherwise just go into the store, mooch and buy what you like, like a rich person! Happy days!

Second the sleepyhead and maybe an Ergobaby baby carrier? Bjorn bouncers are brilliant too.

If Ohio's suggestion of buying more vouchers is allowed, I'd do that, then buy stuff when you have done some research and are a little further along.

In most places the balance is valid for 12 months from the last use of the gift card, and checking the balance counts as a 'use' - might be worth asking in store if you can do that if there's nothing you want to buy immediately. Or indeed whether a smaller purchase would extend the validity period.

But a handheld Dyson would be wonderful if you don't already have one. I'd expect the shop to be very good. Reckon you could buy the vouchers online, with your vouchers. But don't waste that amount of money if you don't feel confident you'll like your purchases. It's too much to waste.

Depending on your lifestyle, I’d go for either an ergobaby carrier as mentioned above, or if you want something REALLY brilliant, either a city mini GT or a babyzen yoyo pram, which are both totally amazing - the former if you do lots of off road walking, or the latter if you live in a city and/or travel lots.

I’d spend the 175 on a great winter coat with a hood if you don’t have one. It’s an investment for motherhood because you can’t use an umbrella while pushing a buggy.

That is a pretty good suggestion!

Next2me crib is a really good shout - invaluable in the first 6 months!
Winter coat is also a good plan.
Wait for car seat / buggy until you have more of an idea what you'll need.

If you check the balance on a JL gift card it extends the use by date by a year (or more?). I’ve just done it myself.

Buy the best pillows they have. Such a worthwhile investment. The gift was for you - I agree, there’s plenty of time for baby shopping as things unfold.

I would use it to get all my Xmas shopping done and dusted and put the equivalent cash away until later in pregnancy when you will have a better idea of what you want/need

Most places ( I know the shop I work in and the mall my shop is in do this) it’s 12 months from first purchase so make a small purchase on the card then you’ll have another 12 months to spend the remainder. It should say on the back of the gift cards in the small print

A car seat is a good bet. I also love my Babyzen yoyo pram, assuming you live somewhere fairly urban and go on buses, tubes etc.

Get yourself a £1 trial subscription for Which? Magazine - it gives excellent reviews and testing of baby products so you can get a sense of what is useful, what isn't, and what will suit you best according to your priorities. It is very early days though and living without baby clutter a bit longer before they arrive is worth it too!

The only things that you are advised not to get second hand are mattresses and car seats. Everything else a child spends all of a couple of months in at best so can usually be found in great condition at a fraction of the price.

An excellent pregnancy pillow (I used the Dream Genii one) was one of my best purchases (I got this second hand) as it meant I actually got some sleep, which was golden.

Something with heirloom quality like a beautiful quilt could be a good idea. Perhaps a really nice maternity dress that feels like a treat could be a good idea too as you need to be comfortable and it's not fun feeling frumpy with everything else to contend with in pregnancy.

Maybe get something lovely and long-lasting for your first family Christmases that you wouldn't otherwise allow yourself to get?

What about a nespresso coffee machine? Can make some nice hot chocolates with the milk frother. Then when baby comes you can drink all the coffee!

If you go in store they will extend the life of the voucher for you.

At 14 weeks I wouldn’t be investing in car seats.

But to answer your question, I have bought (or we have received as presents) the following from John Lewis for DD, all of which have been great purchases:

Eric cot and sprung mattress, fitted sheets

Cot top changer (changing table that hooks over the cot)

Ergo baby Adapt carrier

Gro company sleeping bags

Light shade for DD’s room

Sleepsuits (thicker, less stretchy material than other brands so wear really well and warm).

For car seats, if you’re anywhere near Milton Keynes I can’t recommend enough the In Car Safety Centre. They sell only car seats and will sell you a really good fit for your car and be able to explain the latest safety guidelines. They will fit seats in your car and you can go back any time for advice or if you have any doubts (for example when to remove the newborn insert).

Cybex Aton carseat & Base

Sleepyhead (has been a god send for me this time round!)

Neutral baby grows and vests!

Bottles, baby bath, changing matt, steriliser, perfect prep machine if bottle feeding or breast pump if not.

Or splurge on a next to me crib...

Lots of stuff you can get without knowing the sex!

Why not use the vouchers for Xmas shopping and then put cash saved away for baby?

I wouldn't rush to buy big things like car seats and cots becsuse it takes a bit of thought to work out what is right.