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Pregnancy

Talk about every stage of pregnancy, from early symptoms to preparing for birth.

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Original poster

Baby on a budget

93 replies

Missus84 · 03/01/2010 19:42

I'm not sure if this is the right section, but here goes

I'm pregnant with my first baby, and am mildly concerned about finances. We're on a very limited budget and live in a tiny flat, so I don't want to buy (or acquire) anything unnecessary. I know everyone says babies don't need to cost much, but I'd like to know what they definitely do need!

So, my questions are - what really are essentials? Where can we cut corners/save money? And, where are good places to find things second hand (and what, if anything, should we definitely buy new)?

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Beanigan · 03/01/2010 19:56

We're not made of money either and were also in a small flat so this is what we did.....
Both sets of our parents offered to buy something so one bought a cot and the other a pram. We more or less borrowed everything else.

You'll need;

A cot (eventually) - 2nd hand but buy a new mattress. Cot sheets and blankets (can borrow these).
A pram/buggy (again 2nd hand)
A car seat (new if you can afford it otherwise be sure it's not been in an accident)
You'll get tons of clothes as presents so just buy a pack of sleepsuits & vests. You'll need nappies (or you could go washable ones).
Cotton Wool.
Breast feed - then you save on all those bottles, sterilisers etc.

Think that's about it!

You do not need a baby bath, changing mat (towel will do), moses basket (can sleep in your bed or can sleep in the carrycot bit of the pram), silly things like top and tail bowls. Furniture you can make room in your current furniture for clothes etc. So many other things you won't need believe me....

cheesesarnie · 03/01/2010 19:59

our 3rd dc was an ebay baby.nothing was new i dont think.everything had been passed on or brought second hand.

Beanigan · 03/01/2010 19:59

Oh forgot to say, these days you get £190 maternity grant from the government. For my 2nd pregnancy (am 33 weeks now) we've ONLY spent this for bits and bobs like pads, nappies etc. This will go a long way for all your little essentials.

Original poster

Missus84 · 03/01/2010 20:03

Thanks, that's great!

The carseat was something I was wondering about actually. We don't drive/have a car, but do we need to have a carseat for the infrequent occasions we take a taxi?

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Original poster

Missus84 · 03/01/2010 20:04

And yes, I think the maternity grant is going to be our budget

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MumNWLondon · 03/01/2010 20:05

You need:

a cot - you may be able to get second hand(baby can sleep in it from the beginning - if it doesn't fit in your room and you want the baby in with you try and borrow a crib or moses basket)
a car seat (if you have car)
a buggy that lies flat - this will save you buying a pram and then a buggy later and will take up less space than a pram - might be able to get 2nd hand

a changing mat
a changing bag (although you might have a suitable rucksack already?)
nappies
muslin squares
baby gros (buy cheap from supermarket)
body suit vests (buy cheap from supermarket)
coat/snow suit depending on season

you don't need: a baby bath, a changing station, a bouncy chair, baby listener, moses basket (see above), baby towels (assuming you have towels you could use)

if you are breastfeeding you need breast pads and feeding bras (although wait to buy until baby 2 weeks old to be sure of buying right size, just buy a couple of night time feeding camisoles to get you through the first few weeks)

you don't really need a sling but i really found it useful.

charlottensid · 03/01/2010 20:09

Hi
We are skint too and so are now on a big save to try and get some money together by May!!

I keep looking on www.freecycle.org and ebay for things. Also been stocking up when Sainsburys do the half price on baby products.

Good luck and thanks for starting this thread! Hopefully it will be really helpful!!

MumNWLondon · 03/01/2010 20:11

re: car seat i don't think you actually need in a taxi (legally) but it wouldn't be very safe - this might be something to try and borrow/buy 2nd hand.

i'd recommend buggy rather than pram. you only use the carrycot bit for around 4 months anyway and more expensive and takes up space.

also re: the cot sheets - just buy a couple of fitted bottom ones - we got 2 grobags as presents and we never used any of the top sheets or blankets. cellular cot blanket quite useful though to use as swaddling blanket at the start. pram cellular blankets useful on buggy.

Beasknees · 03/01/2010 20:13

i'd say something to lie in
something to sit/be in
something to travel in

if you have many friends or know other people with young families you will inevitably get loads of clothes - used or new.

i bought a pkt of babygros and vests and a snow suit from primark for next to nothing and was given everything else from friends - a sling from a work colleague, my sister found a buggy being thrown out, which just needed a bit of a clean, and some neighbours gave me a carseat.

muslins are great if you have a baby that possets a lot, changing bag not essential - youinevitably have a bag you can use, and a changing mat is easier to wipe clean than continually washing towels.

good luck and have fun

bexaa · 03/01/2010 20:14

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

Original poster

Missus84 · 03/01/2010 20:15

God I didn't even know there was such a thing as baby towels I assumed normal towels would be fine.

I was thinking about not getting a pram at all - we're in a second floor flat with a narrow stairwell and I think I'd struggle to get it up the stairs. Plus, no storage space. Could we manage with just a sling for the first few months at least and then just get one of those little fold up pushchairs? DP thinks we might regret not having something to put the baby down in when we're out.

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CuppaTeaJanice · 03/01/2010 20:17

Go to the NCT (National Childbirth Trust) website, and find out when their next Nearly New Sale is in your area. They are fantastic for picking up bargains of baby clothing and equipment at ridiculously cheap prices.

Also ebay (esp good for clothing bundles), local boot fairs, school fetes, jumble sales etc. The only things you really need to get new are a car seat (unless you know it has never been in a crash), cot mattress (ideally) and toiletry/nappy-type stuff.

Also make sure you're getting all the grants, benefits, tax credits etc that you're entitled to. www.moneysavingexpert.com has more info.

LadyPops · 03/01/2010 20:18

Do you have a childrens centre locally? If you do, pop in and see what they have in their library. Ours has car seats, baby gyms, swings, baby bouncy chairs, bumbos - all sorts of stuff - you can borrow free for 2 weeks.

You need an absoluet fraction of what books/ magazines tell you you need.

cheerfulvicky · 03/01/2010 20:20

Bootsales are your friend! Even though we were all 'precious firstborn' about DS, who is now 16 months, most of what he has is 2nd hand. For the things I couldn't find at the car boot, I used ebay. (Tummy tub, grobags etc). Oh, and we got the pram/buggy/carseat combo on ebay as well.

Seriously, look in your local paper or search online for carboots, they are an absolute godsend. I won't go into what you do and don't need as others on here have done it better than I could, but suffice to say whatever you need, you can find using a mixture of car boots, charity shops and ebay. It just takes a bit of forward planning, picking up the odd little bit every time you see something nice and cheap, even if the baby won't use it for weeks or months. I'm already collecting stuff for DS for next summer, when I see something nice. As you can't always predict what bargains you will stumble upon.

Good luck!

CuppaTeaJanice · 03/01/2010 20:21

I forgot to say, go along to your local childrens centre. They'll have loads of leaflets and info that will be useful to you.

For example, ours has a cloth nappy loan service and a monthly swap shop, both things that would save you money. Also lots of free activities to do once the baby is born and you want to get out and do stuff!

Original poster

Missus84 · 03/01/2010 20:21

This is all really useful btw! I'm writing a list

I only have one friend who already has a baby unfortunately, but she has promised to lend some cellular blankets and a sling. Think we will probably get one big item as a gift from each set of grandparents, so guess we will request a cot and buggy. I'll certainly hold off buying too much in the way of clothes until we see what we get in gifts.

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crumpetsolo · 03/01/2010 20:22

If you're looking for a pushchair that's light and easy to store/get up stairs, I'd recommend the Petite Star Zia. It's about £100 new, but I see them all the time on ebay. It's like a Quinny Zapp but lies flat so you can use it from birth to 3 years. We had it for our travel pushchair originally but I actually prefer it to the big clunky travel system pushchair.

cheerfulvicky · 03/01/2010 20:27

I got a Maclaren triumph pushchair for £3 at a bootsale It's our backup/travel buggy. I'd suggest having a test drive of lots of buggies in your local shops (because it's loads of fun!) then go off and buy the same one 2nd hand on eBay once you are sure you like it and it suits. Or in your case, request it from said grandparents.

I think our moses basket with stand was a fiver, and I bought a new mattress for it.

God, I really envy you. I love buying baby stuff and finding bargains!

hubbabubbababba · 03/01/2010 20:28

Go to the nct sales for clothes, we have kitted out our dd so far and will continue to do so. Most of her xmas presents came from there aswell! I now actually begrudge paying full price for clothes because you can get them so cheap and in such good condition second hand. I bought a lovely 3 piece trouser, top and cardigan set that looked like it had never been worn for £2 and a jaspder conran outfit with the labels still attached that should have been £15 for £3!!! Its well worth it for baby grows and vests and they do the big stuff too like moses baskets, pushchairs.

Original poster

Missus84 · 03/01/2010 20:28

We have a children's centre on our road actually, so will check that out!

NCT don't seem to have any nearly new sales in my area (Bristol) - which I was quite suprised about.

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frogs · 03/01/2010 20:34

Lots of baby stuff comes up on freecycle, including cloth nappies.

Don't buy babywipes, get a selection of cheap flannels and chuck them in the washing machine with the nappies. Old T-shirts cut up also make good wipes.

RhinestoneCowgirl · 03/01/2010 20:36

I'm in Bristol Missus and have definitely been to NCT nearly new sales. Got DS's entire wardrobe there last year.

Do check Freecycle, I have passed on plenty of baby stuff this way and know that others do too.

mathanxiety · 03/01/2010 20:36

Cot, baby sling, fold-up and adaptable buggy (usable by baby and later as toddler), mattress and bedding for the cot. If the buggy is an umbrella type it could be lugged around in tight spaces -- big pieces of equipment are hard to get into restaurants and shop doors or fit beside a table if you're eating out, and tbh, having a baby is going to put a crimp in your getting-out-together-lifestyle.

Changing pad (I had a great washable one with vinyl on one side and towelling on the other) for use on the bed or anywhere you go with baby. A decent rucksack for the baby stuff.

Small chest of drawers might be useful for baby clothes. Get rid of clothing that's outgrown. No need for baby shoes.

Breastfeeding is dead cheap .

My DCs wore hand-me-downs and stuff I found at all kinds of sales.

Kayzr · 03/01/2010 20:39

Do not buy a nappy wrapper. It is a waste of time, space and money!

Original poster

Missus84 · 03/01/2010 20:39

Maclaren and Petite Star both look good - is it ok having the baby facing away from you though while they're little?

Good tip about the babywipes frogs - we don't have a tumble dryer or any outside space though, so I was wondering if we'd cope with washing nappies. Are some kinds quicker drying than others?

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