Frightened by the cost of having a baby? I used to be too.



In fact I was so worried I noticed a few grey hairs.

However, seven children later, I have got bargain hunting

down to an art. The grey hairs are still there (my children

tell me) but they don’t seem to be getting any worse. My

children have everything they need (or rather that I want

them to need!) and at very little cost too. I’m going to let

you in on my secrets too.

First time Parents often want everything for their baby to

be new. This can work out quite costly. Second time round

many parents realise that the baby doesn’t know the

difference between new and nearly new and often prefer the

savings that buying secondhand can bring. However, if buying

new is a must there are still ways to find bargains.

For equipment it’s worth waiting for the sales if you can

hold out - lots of retailers sell of old stock at half

price. This is particularly true for pushchairs and prams

since manufacturers change their colour schemes each season.

Look out for end of lines where makes or styles have been

discontinued. Remember that you have the same rights in the

UK buying sale items as you do when buying full priced

items.

Brand new nursery gear can also be found on online auction

websites. Be careful to note where the item will be shipped

from as some will come from abroad and watch those postage

prices when considering your bid since hefty postage charges

can make an item more expensive than buying in a shop. Also

check with the seller if you can return unsuitable items.

You also need to be aware that any aftersales service if the

item breaks after a short time is likely to be non-existant.

Try and pay by credit card if the goods are over £100 each

as this will offer some protection.

There are plenty of websites online that also offer either

past seasons and end of line nursery equipment and clothing

but also some that just discount on current seasons stock.

Selling online usually means less overheads and so retailers

are able to pass the savings on to the customer. You will

also have far more legal protection if things go wrong

buying this way and also the chance to return any unsuitable

goods for whatever reason.

If you don’t mind buying secondhand then there are even

greater bargains to be found. As well as the above options

plenty of bargains can be found at car boot sales. Remember

to check out any equipment or toys for broken parts or sharp

edges and try and ensure the instructions are there. Also

safety recommendations may have changed since the seller

purchased the item and so it’s best to stick to items that

have been bought recently and not stored in an attic for

many years. Avoid used car seats as you can never tell if

these have been involved in an accident or dropped and it’s

also best to avoid electrical items too for safety reasons.

If you hunt around though and go often then you will find

that amongst the junk you will often find people selling

baby gear that looks as good as new.

If you choose carefully then the cost of kitting your baby

out drops dramatically. Try and work out what items you

really need by asking other mums what they found useful and

what items they bought and didn’t use much. Then armed with

your list of what you want you can set out in search of

bargains!