Great Expectations: Baby’s First Year

14 Tips for Saving $2,000

It’s possible to save literally thousands of dollars by following a few basic shopping rules. Here’s a quick list that takes less time to read than it takes to browse a baby store.

1. Breastfeed your baby for as long as you can. You can save your family about $40 per week, or more than $2,000 a year just in the cost of formula and bottles. Add a few thousand more if your baby turns out to be allergic to infant formula and requires anti-allergic versions. Plus, your breastfed baby will be less likely to get sick or to have diarrhea, constipation, childhood obesity, juvenile diabetes, cavities, or to need braces later on.

2. Get advice from other parents. Your friends who have kids will be great advisers. Before you buy, ask them what they liked and didn’t like about their stroller, high chair, crib, etc. They may also offer to part with their leftover baby clothes, which can save a bundle.

3. Do your homework. Check out baby books with what-to-buy sections from the library, or buy your own. Copy and print out parents’ baby-product reviews from www.ePinions, www.babybargains.com, and other Internet sites featuring candid product reviews. Search words for finding baby-product review sites online using Google.com or other search engines: comments or advice + baby products. Some big parenting sites offer product reviews from parents, too. (See in 7. Resource Guide.)

4. Browse first. Don’t buy a stroller, a car seat, or any other big-ticket baby item until you’ve taken a studious look at what different stores are offering. Pull down the products from the shelves and give them test drives. If it folds, fold it. If there are removable items, remove them to troubleshoot for potential problems. Keep a notebook and when you find an item you like, write down model names, numbers, and prices so you can comparison-shop later.

5. Postpone buying until after your baby shower. People love buying for babies. Spread the joy (and expense) by giving your relatives, friends, and your baby’s grandparents a chance to outfit you with what you need. Sign up for gift registries and, of course, save gift slips and tags so you can return or consign what you don’t need.

6. Shop consignment shops and thrift stores. Consignment shops sell used clothes and goods on behalf of clients, and then split the profits with them. Not only can you find great clothing and gear deals, you can also recycle your own kids’ unwanted or unused stuff later, saving hundreds of dollars in the process.

7. Mistrust salespeople. Don’t trust sales associates to be straight with you. When you’re ready to start buying, remember that even mild, grand-motherly shop clerks are experts at subtly (or not so subtly) guiding you toward buying more than you need. Don’t let them “upsell” you into things like expensive mattresses, matching bedding sets, pricey car seats, and video baby monitors.

8. Shop the big guys. KmartTM, Wal-MartTM, Target, and CostcoTM sometimes offer good deals on no-frills baby products. Watch for sales and specials at the big megastores for babies, too, such as Babies “R” Us^®, and the Baby Depot department sometimes found inside Burlington Coat Factory stores, but make sure you’re given more than 30 days to return products. You may be able to find supersoft, luxury baby clothing half price as the season changes in upscale stores and trendy Internet boutiques, but just remember that your baby will quickly outgrow anything you buy.

9. Know what you’re looking for. Have your shopping list down in writing before you enter one of those giant baby emporiums, or you’ll just feel dizzy and overwhelmed. The little impulse buys that you throw in at the last minute can really add up–not only in terms of money, but also as clutter that you’ll have to deal with later.

10. Buy a new, not used, crib and car seat. New safety features hit the market all the time, as do product recalls for design flaws. A used car seat could have been in an accident and have invisible cracks in the frame that could compromise its ability to protect your baby. The glue that holds used cribs together deteriorates when it’s been stored in a super-hot attic or a damp basement; screw threads weaken each time the crib is assembled and disassembled. Important pieces of hardware often get lost or bent. These two items are best bought new.

11. Buy a “convertible” car seat. It’s an illusion that infants should ride in infant seats just so you don’t have to wake up the baby when you reach your destination. They’re bulky and a huge strain to carry around. A convertible seat will be good from 5 to 40 pounds, or more. These seats can ride facing backward or forward, and will remain useful for two to three years. Babies should ride in the rear seat of cars, facing the backseat until they reach one year of age. Try to install any seat you buy in the store’s parking lot so you can exchange it right away if you don’t like it or it’s too big for the space when it’s reclined. (Be sure to read your car owner’s manual and the car seat directions. Also consider taking your car and seat to your local fire or police station to have them install it for you.)

12. Be stroller savvy. Simply because a stroller has a huge price tag doesn’t mean it’s a better baby hauler. Shop the lower end of a respected brand, such as Graco^®, and then buy extra accessories as needed. Don’t buy a stroller-car seat combo: They’re bulky and awkward, and the small car seat is only useful for a short time. When choosing the stroller, go for something that’s lightweight with a reclining back that can handle a little gravel rather than a giant baby bed on wheels.

13. Buy or rent a breast pump. A good breast pump can be had for under $200, and this is still a great deal compared with the costs of formula feeding. You may be able to rent a higher-grade pump for less upfront after the baby is born before you decide you need to own one. Pumping and storing milk will allow your partner and family to share the joy of feeding your baby. A pump can also relieve painful pressure if your breasts become too full when your baby isn’t hungry, and it can help you keep up your milk supply if you’re separated from your baby.

14. Get a comfy carrier. All your baby really longs for is to be close to you—to be nursed, rocked, carried around, and talked to. So, forget about baby toys and buy a soft baby carrier you wear on your front, instead. You can choose either a hammock-like sling or a front carrier—a little fabric baby seat with straps. Your baby will get to move around with you and feel the soothing motions of your walking, and you will have free use of your arms.