Bargain Hunting in 2008

More people are hunting for bargains this year due to increased gas prices, decreased home values, and other economic concerns. Parents in particular, are trying to see just how far they can make a dollar stretch to cover household expenses.

Even though the rewards and blessings of raising children are endless, there is literally a price to pay. Fortunately, there are ways to save money if you diligently integrate them into your daily life. One way to track baby or child costs is to do it online at: www.babycenter.com, click on “tools” (located on the left-hand side), and enter your information.

One downside to bargain hunting is that it can be addicting if you don’t set limits and boundaries. You shouldn’t always buy something just because it’s on sale. It’s best to live within your personal budget and determine needs versus wants. Just like many other things in life…moderation is key.

Keep in mind that while some people consider bargain hunting a hobby, it is not for everyone. It requires time, planning, and organization.

The must-have book every parent should own is Baby Bargains, by Denise and Alan Fields. The authors are consumer advocated who have been featured on Oprah, The Today Show, Good Morning America, and Dateline NBC. Toddler Bargains is another one of their best-selling books.

According to the Fields, Baby Bargains “actually answers the big question about having a baby: How am I going to afford all this? With the average cost of a baby topping $6000 for just the first year alone, you need creative solutions and innovative ideas to navigate the consumer maze that confronts all parents-to-be.”

New York Times called it “The Bible for new parents!” For more information visit their web site at: www.windsorpeak.com.

Here are some ways that I incorporate bargaining into my lifestyle, places I like to shop, and some of my favorite baby items. I will not list them all, so if you have an inquiry please feel free to post a comment. I will respond the best I can, based on my own experience.

Crib
My husband and I searched in many stores and online for a good quality, reasonably priced crib to be used for Ethan and our future babies. After reading many reviews and talking to other parents we discovered the brand, Million Dollar Baby (www.milliondollarbaby.com). They also have toddler beds, dressers, changing tables, and cradles in many styles and colors. We bought the 3-in-1 convertible crib - brand new from a local consignment store and love it! My only complaint is that the teething rail has minimal coverage. Luckily, the paint Ethan managed to consume is non-toxic. I highly suggest buying the Leachco Easy Teether Crib Rail Cover online, which is available in several different colors to solve the problem. It’s worth every penny.

Dresser/Changing Table
One way to save money is to purchase an all-in-one dresser and changing table. An even better way to save money is to purchase a regular dresser, at the appropriate height and put the changing pad on top. Again, after searching numerous stores I came across a sofa table at a local furniture store. I would have never guessed it could transform into such a wonderful dresser/changing table. It is called Coastal Way Black by Broyhill and also comes in white. If you’re interested you can view it under living room tables at: www.broyhillfurniture.com.

Rocker
If there is one thing you should splurge on it should be a nice comfy chair, since this is where you will spend most of your time with your baby. Even though Ethan is over a year old we still use it all the time for reading, cuddling, nursing, and rocking. We used a regular old rocking chair until one day my husband said, “Hunny, we need to think about getting a glider-rocker since Ethan and I barely fit in the one we have.” I immediately opened my trusty Baby Bargains book and looked up the ratings. We spent several days checking them out in different stores and settled on one that met our needs and was within our budget. We purchased a Best Chair glider-rocker and a matching ottoman, which received an “A” rating. We chose from over 100 fabrics and several colors of wood to match our baby furniture. Delivery took about 4-6 weeks. For a store near you visit: www.bestchair.com or www.usababy.com. This is definitely one of our favorite baby items!

Clothing
My tip for clothing is to buy baby items as needed, since sizes fluctuate and seasons change. Keep tags on and wash once the clothes fit and keep all receipts together. It’s nice to trade clothes with friends, family or a church group since babies grow like weeds.

Here are some of my favorite places to buy baby clothing (and other items):

• Department stores – Macys, Sears, JCPenney, Nordstrom

• Specialty chains – Old Navy, Gap, The Children’s Place

• Discount stores – Wal-Mart, Target

• Baby Superstore – Babies R Us

• Warehouse Club – Costco

• Outlets – Gap, Carter’s, Oshkosh

• The Web – www.amazon.com, www.babycenter.com, and some of the stores listed above

• Consignment stores – Most of these stores carry name brand clothes in great condition. I’ve even found clothes at my local store that were brand new with tags on them for much cheaper than the retail price.

Shoes
My son has always had chubby feet and difficulty fitting in most shoes. In my quest for finding some that fit I’ve discovered my two favorite brands - Pedipeds and Stride Rite. To purchase or find a store near you, check out the following web sites: www.pedipeds.com, www.babyshoesource.com, www.shoebuy.com, and www.striderite.com. There are also Stride Rite outlets that sell shoes for a fraction of the retail price. I recently found coupon codes online by doing a Google search for “shoebuy coupon codes”, which allowed me to get 20 percent off, plus another 10 percent off when I registered on their web site. I practically got two pairs of Stride-Rites for the price of one. What a deal!

Diapers/Wipes
I’ve tried many different brands of diapers, including Costco’s brand. My favorite brand is Pampers. When it comes down to cheap diapers and leaking versus higher quality and no leaking, I’d rather spend the extra money on Pampers. I use coupons and buy them on sale as much as possible. I have found Costco’s Kirkland brand to have the best deal for high quality diaper wipes.

Breastfeeding Essentials
I purchased the handheld Medela Single Deluxe Electric Breastpump. It is lightweight, compact, portable, reasonably priced, and perfect for occasional pumping. I purchased mine from Mama Rhythms at: www.mamarhythms.com. I used it for a whole year and never had any problems, but did have to purchase a larger shield for added comfort. I purchased a brand new Medela Cooler Carrier with ice pack, collection containers, and lids on eBay. After struggling to keep blankets on my shoulder when nursing in public, I discovered the Hooter Hider/Bebe Au Lait nursing cover. I purchased mine online at: www.mom4life.com because they seemed to have the best selection, but you can also get them on other web sites (including eBay). If you sign up for the Mom 4 Life newsletter you will get five percent off your order. This is one breastfeeding essential that made my life a whole lot easier!


Baby Food
A great way to save money is to make your own baby food. I don’t cook and don’t have the time or patience to make my own, so I will admit that I buy mine. I occasionally grind up bananas in a food grinder; boil, steam and freeze vegetables for finger food; and puree and freeze avocados, but that’s as far as I go. I purchase baby food at Henry’s, Target, and Wal-Mart. My favorite brand is Earth’s Best Organic Infant Foods because the vegetables and grains are organically grown, without potentially harmful pesticides or herbicides. It received an “A” rating in Baby Bargains. I occasionally buy Gerber’s Organic baby food when it’s on sale, but it’s not my first choice. I always use coupons for baby food. Go to: www.earthbest.com for more information and to print free coupons.

High Chair
My husband and I bought the Fisher-Price Space Saver High Chair from Target. It easily straps onto dining room or kitchen chairs. It also reclines and conveniently coverts to a toddler booster seat. We’ve even used it at other people’s houses. For only $50 we couldn’t be happier with it.

Car seat/Stroller
After reading the excellent reviews in Baby Bargains and talking to other mothers I decided to check out the Peg Perego Primo Viaggio travel system. It includes an infant car seat that snaps into the frame of the matching stroller. It was half of the regular retail price on eBay when it was purchased for us as a gift in 2006 by buying the 2005 model. I was proud of finding such a great bargain!

Carrier
Baby carriers are a “must-have” item for moms, especially if you have a big baby. They free up your hands, allow you to get exercise, calm a fussy baby, and help distribute your baby’s weight properly. My brother and sister-in-law bought me the Moby Wrap (www.mobywrap.com) and I used it until Ethan was 7-months-old. Once he outgrew it they told me about The ERGO Baby Carrier (www.ergobabycarrier.com). I bought it online and will continue to use it for as long as possible. These two products have definitely been money well spent.

What are some ways that you incorporate bargaining into your lifestyle, places you like to shop, and some of your favorite baby items? I would love for you to tell me by posting a comment. Thank you!