| I never dreamed that baby items were so expensive. | | | | The one place that really gets you in the pocketbook |
| When I had my first boy it was a real wake up call | | | | is the baby shoe store. It is hard to believe that a |
| when we started shopping for clothes and other | | | | tiny pair of sneakers cost almost as much as my |
| necessary items. Here are a few great tips for new | | | | adult size ones. And to make things worse their feet |
| parents on how you can save lots of money and still | | | | grow so darn fast it seems like you are there every |
| give your new baby everything he/she needs. | | | | month. |
| The first thing to decide is if you can buy it used or | | | | Do not buy the cheapest crib you can find. A really |
| new. We bought a beautiful used Graco stroller w/ | | | | good crib should have a quality mattress and be |
| the car seat for under a hundred dollars. the same | | | | sturdy. This is where looking for a top brand used |
| stroller car seat was over $200 new. | | | | crib is the best way to go. If you are on a budget |
| I truly believe that most things like high chairs, cribs, | | | | and want to buy something new you will end up |
| baby seats and other high ticket items can be found | | | | putting your baby in a piece of junk with a inferior |
| used. Think about it. Most baby stuff is only used for | | | | mattress. |
| a short period of time and are usually in good shape. | | | | There are always people selling cribs. Do a Google |
| Check out craigslist for private sellers and check and | | | | search for the best rated cribs and baby mattresses |
| see if there are any local used baby stores in your | | | | and start looking for used ones for sale. |
| area. | | | | And finally baby toys. If you have a lot of friends |
| When we had our second child we needed a double | | | | and family around you will never run out of toys. We |
| stroller and found another great Graco with the car | | | | had so many toys in our garage that I had to tell my |
| seats and saved over $150. | | | | family members to stop buying them. |
| Baby clothes are easy to find if you have friends and | | | | Always look for safe toys and be careful when |
| family with older kids. Many people put baby clothes | | | | buying used toys to make sure there are no loose |
| in boxes and store them. Just ask. | | | | parts or sharp edges. |
| Always look for sales on baby clothes. They are | | | | Good luck with your little bundle of joy and |
| everywhere. Remember, it really does not make | | | | remember you can raise a great baby without going |
| sense to spend lots of money on clothes that may | | | | broke if you just look around before you buy. |
| only get used for a few months. | | | | |