2nd Trimester

Anyone see anything wrong w craigslist? WWYD

I have bought many many things off craigslist.  My house I am in, my car, my kitchen table and fridge and the list just goes on and on.  I am always very careful and have had nothing but good experiences.  Well I began looking for a crib on there because the stroller I want is very expensive and I want to take the heat off of a couple other needed items.  I found a great one that converts to a toddler bed and then a twin bed, so it would be used for many years and it only costs $100 including mattress if wanted.  Well DH for some reason doesn't want to do it now.  I've been talking about it with him for a few months and he's been fine.  He has suddenly changed his mind and wants a new one, but I really don't want to spend all that money if we don't have to.  I am not working anymore and I'm cutting back on lots of things.  I wouldn't be too concerned and try to win him back over, but in my area I don't find many cribs and then to find a really good one is even more slim.  I want to jump on this opportunity.   WWYD??? 
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Re: Anyone see anything wrong w craigslist? WWYD

  • I love Craigslist.  And looked on there for a crib.  Although I have not found one that I like for the right price so I think we are going with one at Babys R Us.  We too have not found much on there.  I don't see anything wrong as long as you know that it is not a recalled crib. I would have to see it first before I commit to buying.  The one thing I couldn't do is buy a used mattress.  That is just yucky to me and I am not a germ freak or anything.
  • I would be worried about the safety of the crib- just because you know it's not new and who knows what has happened between then and now. But honestly if I went, checked it out, and felt comfortable, I'd do it. BUT I would definately buy a new mattress. You never really know what's been going on with it...and God forbid, bed bugs!! Get the crib, and a new mattress.
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  • I LOVE craigslist. I have bought and sold many items on there. However there are some things that DH will not buy from there. I wanted to buy a 'lightly' used juicer and DH said it was gross.

    Maybe your DH just wants your LO to have a new bed. It is safer to buy a new one, or get one from someone you know rather than a stranger. I know you said you are careful, but there have been many problems with cribs lately and I would want to know my baby is sleeping in something that is 100% safe, that way I can sleep at night too :)

    Maybe you can find a used on from a friend, just let people know you are looking and ask them to pass the word around. That is how I got my brand new crib for DD. A friend's sister had a friend who had to move all of a sudden and she was not going to take her crib, so I bought it for $100. It was put up, but the baby never slept in it.

    GL

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  • We definetely couldnt have things that were as nice if we didnt depend on craigslist for items. Our sofa is gorgeous and it came from there. We are looking at dressers, changing tables, etc from there right now. Luckily someone is giving us a crib or else we would be buying that on there too. I see nothing wrong with it- many of the recalls are because people dont know how to properly put together furniture so as long as you have the manuals and put things together properly, you should be fine. *Im sure that I will get some  neg. feedback from that comment*
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  • I'd ask them for the make/model and make sure it's not had recalls.  I also would not reuse a crib mattress. 

    I had a good friend who got her whole nursery furniture set at a garage sale, it was from pottery barn kids and she paid like 1/5 of what it would've been brand new and it was in like new condition.  I'd go for it if it seems to be a good crib you like.

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  • Thanks for the advice guys! I definitely wasn't going to take the mattress. Just saying it came with it. I would put the word out to friends, but we moved to a different state over the summer. I'm here and don't know anyone. Very lonely lol. But I will talk to DH again and see if I can get him to fold =D
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  • I think Craigslist is great but a crib and a carseat are the 2 things I wouldn't want to buy used. To me they're just too important for the safety of my kid to not buy new. You don't know the wear and tear its had or its general history. To me it was worth investing in new and using for all my kids (probably only 2). Rather than convert the crib into a bed for DS, we're giving that to the baby and buying him a regular bed. #2 will get the crib and then the convertible bed. Its cheaper to buy a bed than a crib.

    I'm all for saving money and buying gently used items but a crib just isn't on that list for me. 

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  • I would never ever buy a used crib, craigslist or not. You have no idea the history of the crib and quite frankly people will say anything to sell something and make money. Used mattresses are disgusting honestly anyway, and you can buy a Graco Lauren (Laura? can't remember) or an Ikea crib along with many other reputable brands for that cost.
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  • I love Craigslist. But the only two baby things I absolutely would not buy on craigslist are a crib and a carseat. You just can't know how safe it is. 

     Maybe keep an eye out for a used version of your pricey stroller? There are TONS of strollers on our local craigslist.  

    You can get a safe, new crib for $100 from ikea, or the graco we're looking at is less than $150.  

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  • I don't really know how I stand...but the crib I bought new from JCPenny is now like $118.

    Of course, it isn't a convertible, but you'll presumably have time to save up for a bed between now and when it is needed.

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  • My mom got an awesome deal on a Pali crib with changing table.  She bought it from another grandmother who had it at her house for when her grand daughter came to visit.  It was barely used and in great shape...looks better than our crib.
  • Here is a convertible crib with free mattress from Kmart for $145!  You can get free shipping if you ship to store!

     

    https://www.sweetdeals4moms.net/2011/01/walmart-graco-4-in-1-convertible-fixed.html 



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  • I love CL, but DO NOT BUY A CRIB on there. Or any safety car seat. You do not know what it has gone through personally, you do not know if there is a recall on it, and if there was were the parts installed properly. I speak from experience, when DD was coming I did the same thing. I later saw it on a recall list and called the company. They said they were no longer making the recalled part. So I lost out on $150. It is your choice, but this is my experience.
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  • I'm sorry but I do not see any problem with buying a used crib mattress. They are nothing like a regular mattress. They are waterproof and can be disinfected with some disinfectant wipes or lysol. It's not like people were having sex on it. I would be more careful buying a used crib than I would a used mattress.
  • Watch JCP for sales and extra % off coupons. Get on their email list.  I got a convertible crib, matress and changing table shipped to the store for less than $200.  I would not buy a used crib or a used car seat - you just don't know what its been through, if it has all the parts, etc.  Why compromise your child's safety for few bucks???
  • imageMommieof2soon2b3:
    I'm sorry but I do not see any problem with buying a used crib mattress. They are nothing like a regular mattress. They are waterproof and can be disinfected with some disinfectant wipes or lysol. It's not like people were having sex on it. I would be more careful buying a used crib than I would a used mattress.

    But just...ew. You never know what kind of household it came from. Mattresses are fairly inexpensive, I would buy new.

  • Is it a fixed side crib? If so, it's just a piece of wood funiture. It's easy to see if it's broken, if the slats are too far apart, or if it's a million years old and might have lead paint. It's not the same as a car seat. Cribs do not get into car accidents, and they don't have complicated parts. I really fail to see what could possibly be wrong with it.

    Also, as pp pointed out, crib mattresses are basically encased in plastic. You can see every nook and cranny, and you could see if there were bedbugs (or fleas, or whatever). It can be cleaned easily, which is a good thing since your kid is going to barf on it, or worse.

    Specifically, what are people afraid of happening? It's way grosser, IMO, to be needlessly wasteful than it is to buy a piece of used furniture and clean it. Plus, I'd rather have a used piece of good furniture than a cheapo crib from BRU. When I was crib shopping, they were almost all drop side cribs with plastic parts and cheap finishes, and I'm so glad I found a piece of real furniture instead.

  • We bought ours off of Criagslist and I just made sure they had all of the parts, asked if it was broken at all, how old it was and I checked the model # for recalls.  After all of that, I felt safe :)
  • I am a Craig's List fanatic and have already bought a changing pad with covers and cloth diapers off of there. That's just for the baby- like you, many of my household items are also Craig's List purchases!

    That being said, I agree with PPs that a crib and a car seat are two things I just wouldn't buy used. I go back and forth on the crib thing, but I would just worry I overlooked some important safety concern when checking it out. Also, I found a crib I really like for $150 (I'm getting a Bassetbaby First Choice Hampton Heights, but the Graco Sarah and Lauren are in the same price range, and I like them too). I just feel because I can get a cute crib in a similar price range I'd rather not have to worry about buying a used one.

  • The book Baby Bargains recommends NOT buying used cribs...
  • imagepook:
    The book Baby Bargains recommends NOT buying used cribs...

    Have they updated the book since drop-side cribs were banned? The edition I have (bought in 2008) was almost all drop-side cribs, and the hardware on those is the primary source of recalls. It's like the difference between a recliner and a regular chair. The recliner can have mechanical failures, but a chair either works or it doesn't.

    I doubt they would change their stance on it because of that, but it's worth considering. I think they take a pretty CYA approach with their advice. They also condemn bedsharing as totally unsafe, and IMO that's parenting advice that they don't hold exclusive rights to. It's just one book.

  • im not sure exactly what kind of crib your looking for, but walmart.com has some pretty ones with good reviews. and they have some great prices. i was looking on cl.com for a crib too but their have been so many recalls that id rather play it safe and splurge a little and know it isnt recalled, heres one i LOVE. :) goiod luck

     

    https://www.walmart.com/ip/Afg-Convertible-Crib-Cherry/10996179

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