Well I am successfully entering the world of parenting with a thrifty mindset! Of the few things I've bought so far, I've not paid full price for a SINGLE ONE! If you are in the same boat as me, check out Babyguru.ca. It is a store in Ontario going out of business and have some pretty nice sales going on right now. From them, I have purchased (all brand new!) a JJ Cole BundleMe for $25, a Bumbo BabySitter for $32.97, and a JJ Cole Diaper Bag "System" for $41.97! All these things are available in stores here but even with the $17 shipping, I'm still saving a wad o' cash. I'm so proud of myself! I LOVE that diaper bag!
A co-worker and his wife also sold me their gently used Arm's Reach Mini Co-Sleeper at a fair price and highly recommend it for the first few months. This means I won't have to get out of bed for nighttime feedings - wahoo! It harnesses right to the bed so it will never topple, and even has storage pockets and a section for linens and diapers. This lovely couple also threw in some unused baby socks, an awesome Joe Fresh snowsuit their kiddo wore once, and a beautiful Baby Gap cable knit sweater one-piece in a toffee colour. I am so blessed.
Beyond that, Julie and her hubby have decided to bless me with the Fisher-Price Baby Glider, a gift someone in their church blessed them with for Piper (who wasn't the biggest fan). Once I am done with this piece, I will definitely "pay it forward."
Of course, my mom has a lot of things saved up from my brother that will come out of storage during spring cleaning - hopefully a lot of unisex Osh Kosh outfits from the '90s will make an appearance. It'll be cool to see what's in there.
Now, I'm on to looking at big ticket items like crib/change table sets and stroller/car seat sets. Elyshia, a new blog friend, has just posted about her own stroller dilemma and her friends commented with some great advice. But for those of you who read this and have babes, please leave me your product reviews, pros and cons, on here. There's so much to research that I'd much rather go based on the recommendations of people I know and trust than consumer magazines and such.
Thanks!
Good for you! You sound like you are having fun! ;-) We love our stroller/car seat combo. It's easy to use, light weight (which was a bonus for me when I'm alone) and an all in one system that comes in handy. This is what we have: http://www.evenflo.com/product.aspx?id=127&pfid=10.
ReplyDeleteI think there are some really good and affordable car seat/stroller combos out there (Graco has some good ones). We found a few we liked, but since we live in the endownment lands, we figured we needed a heavy-duty stroller that could withstand those bumpy paths, etc. We got an UppaBaby. It comes with a stroller bassinet, regular seat (it can face forwards or backwards), rain cover, sunshade and a huge basket for the bottom. It also folds up really easily, and its wheels don't pop or need to have air added. We really love it so far.
ReplyDeleteWe also looked at the Mountain Buggy (a popular one here in the Kits area). It's a bit pricey but also good for rugged paths. It doesn't come with very many accessories, though. Jeremy consulted Consumer's Report, and all of these were recommended. Happy shopping!
Oops, I spelled "endowment" wrong. Just had to point that out so you didn't think I was getting "soft" on my editing during mat leave. Ha! :-)
ReplyDeleteActually, I didn't even notice - bad editor!
ReplyDelete