Baby Showers

How to get the most out of registry?

I've spent the last several weeks pouring over my registry, making sure all the items have good reviews and are generally necessities.  However, this week, I've seen several posts from people who had registries, but ended up getting pretty much clothes and blankets.  Now I'm wondering what the point of having a registry is if people won't even really look at it.

If people are not going to be buying stuff I put on the registry, then I'd like to start buying stuff now (plus, I'm just dying to start buying baby stuff!!!).  I just don't want to wait until like a month or two before baby gets here to start spending big bucks on baby items.

Anyone have any advice on how to get the most out of your registry and still spread baby purchases over several months? 

 

 

 

                                                                                          BFP #1 3/2/12, T born 11/7/12
                                                                                             BFP #2  7/2/14, CP 7/6/14
                             BFP #3 8/28/14, MMC 10/2/14 @ 9wks - misoprostol 10/6/14, D&C 11/3/14 for retained tissue
                                   BFP #4 12/25/14, EDD 9/7/15 - please stick baby, you are so loved and wanted!!!!!                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                               
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Re: How to get the most out of registry?

  • Expect nothing. Don't plan on relying on others to get you what you want. Use your registry for your own planning, and if someone else buys off of it, awesome. Put everything you want on it, and as you buy items a little at a time, take them off. I would only buy the items you're going to use in the first three months at first. And if there are any items that you think you must have that item exactly, you won't take any substitutes, than get that as well, because stock can change quickly. Then, after your shower you'll get a coupon to use for completion, and you'll get a discount for the rest of the items that you buy off of it. Finish it off at that time.
    Nathaniel David 3/22/11 #2 due 12/16/12
  • Accept that a registry is simply a guideline for people who choose to look at it.  Not everyone will.  Everyone gets to decide how to spend their own money; no one gets to decide how other people spend their own money.
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  • A registry is a list of suggestions. A perk of having one is the completion coupon you can get after your shower, to help you finish buying stuff. You can either start buying stuff now, and removing it from your registry, or waiting. There's no way to guarantee anyone will buy you anything, as your child is your responsibility to buy for.
    Baby Birthday Ticker Ticker
  • imageMelRC117:

    Put the money then aside each month so it doesn't seem like you are blowing such a huge chunk at once.  Even withdrawal it from your account in cash if you need to.  I would not buy a little at a time...wait for completion coupons.  Plus, you also have plenty of time to wait for sales and deals.  I just bought my travel system 2 weeks ago $100 off retail.  Some people think that's late for such an essential like a car seat, but really, what is it doing now?  Sitting assembled in the corner of my living room anyways.  I just got my crib together last weekend and the bedding in.  View the registry maybe more as a checklist for yourself.  Registry or no registry you would have had to research items for safety and whether or not they are all necessary anyways.

    This.   

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  • Another option is to purchase things on sale and then DON'T OPEN THEM, allowing for returns
    Image and video hosting by TinyPic Little Man (4 years old---holy cow)
    He's the single greatest thing I've done in my life and reminds me daily of how fun (and funny) life can be.  He's turned out pretty swell for having such a heartless and evil mother.  
  • imageMelRC117:

    Put the money then aside each month so it doesn't seem like you are blowing such a huge chunk at once.  Even withdrawal it from your account in cash if you need to.  I would not buy a little at a time...wait for completion coupons.  Plus, you also have plenty of time to wait for sales and deals.  I just bought my travel system 2 weeks ago $100 off retail.  Some people think that's late for such an essential like a car seat, but really, what is it doing now?  Sitting assembled in the corner of my living room anyways.  I just got my crib together last weekend and the bedding in.  View the registry maybe more as a checklist for yourself.  Registry or no registry you would have had to research items for safety and whether or not they are all necessary anyways.

    This, remember a registry is just for suggestions!! 

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  • I like the comments above, definitely register for everything you want and if you don't get those items then at least you will have a discount coupon to purchase them and save.

    One thing we ran into after setting up our register was that a lot of great sales and deals came up and our shower isn't for another month! We decided that we would purchase big ticket items (our friends probably won't spend several hundred on us, most of them have small children and bills too!) if we got a great coupon or it was marked down really, really cheap. We are also buying things like diapers, etc. when we get really great coupons in the mail, etc. if they expire soon. Just make sure you keep all of your receipts!

    We wouldn't have purchased anything unless it was on sale and marked down a lot for the original price (usually way more than the 10-15% completion coupon). If those opportunities arise, I would go for it!

    Baby Birthday Ticker Ticker
  • kjskjskjskjs member

    Buy what you want now and don't assume anyone will use your registry and if they do that's great otherwise at least you're prepared.

     I've seen others say to buy the big ticket items and things but save the receipt and keep them on your registry and if someone happens to get you the item you could always exchange one of them for other things you need.

    imageimage
    imageimageimage
  • Just assume your registry is for your eyes only. People are going to buy you what they want. My hubby's cousin was talking to him while shopping ad told him, quote "i found something on her registry, but I like a different one better, I am going to get that one instead." end Quote!

    Now it happens that she only bought a different pattern for a bath tub so I did not care, but that just shows you, you cant expect people to buy like you would.

    We put aside 4200 every pay check we got from our BFP to now, and then when my shower came and went I was able to inventory everything and buy what I needed, and the rest is left over for maternity leave.

    A PP said buy for 3 months, my mom advised me to buy for 6 so thats what we did, but we are also expecting a big baby, so 3-6 month clothes for winter will most likely fit him at 3 or 4 months old...

    Good Luck! and have fun!


    Started TTC in 2006, LOTS of trying, and trying, and 7 rounds of IVF with 13 embryos, 2 perfect little boys and 5 loses....
    All finished with babies, started to make diet changes, Keto, to be MORE for my kids, lost 30 pounds, still going, and 3 months in, I had a natural cycle, and then ovulated... Hubs and I are going to see what happens now... Maybe a natural pregnancy? After everything we have been through? Or just a return to normal hormones? We shall see what the future holds!

    Baby Dust To All!!!

  • The VAST majority of gifts I received were directly from my registry.  And were the most needed items.  The rest serves as a very useful checklist.

    A few people bought similar alternative to the items I registered for, like a different hooded towel set,  but they were all suitable so I just removed the original item from my registry.  No biggie.  There was one minor disappointment: stepMIL and FIL bought a different bouncer than the one I chose.  For some reason the bouncer I chose was one that I REALLY wanted (the Bjorn) - it has a cool look and can be used as a chair through toddlerhood..  It is pricey but I was willing to spend that much for it and found it for less at amazon.  Anyway, MIL and FIL spent 1.5 HOURS at BRU and chose this particular bouncer so no way am I going to exchange it after all the thought they poured in to finding the "right" gift.  My bouncer was registered at amazon and they only looked at BRU.  Ah well.  Baby will never know. :)

  • My shower is in 3 days and 3 items have been bought off my registry. I put it together to get myself organized, if I see something on sale (cheaper than completion coupon) then I buy it because I'm not counting on anything besides cute clothes and blankets at the shower. 
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  • imagelclaws13:
    Expect nothing. Don't plan on relying on others to get you what you want. Use your registry for your own planning, and if someone else buys off of it, awesome. Put everything you want on it, and as you buy items a little at a time, take them off. I would only buy the items you're going to use in the first three months at first. And if there are any items that you think you must have that item exactly, you won't take any substitutes, than get that as well, because stock can change quickly. Then, after your shower you'll get a coupon to use for completion, and you'll get a discount for the rest of the items that you buy off of it. Finish it off at that time.

    This. We've gotten almost all of our big items ourselves and alot of smaller items off Craigslist or garage sale sites on Facebook. We're really well prepared already, and I'm only in the greatest need of diapers which my mom has been taking up stock in. The best thing is to rely on yourself to get the things you need, because if you rely on the baby shower you will most likely be disappointed.

                    image
    image
                                     http://www.pinterest.com/kate2904/
  • I had the exact opposite experience to what you describe. I think I received a couple onesies and a blanket, a very few small items. I received almost all of my large items - pack and play, high chair, bassinet, car seat, swing, etc, etc, etc. I couldn't believe it - everyone was so ridiculously generous!

    It just depends on the crowd you invite, I think. I am 31 weeks and went yesterday to buy a bunch of the little stuff. I know how you feel, I wanted to go shopping for stuff earlier to, but in the end, I am glad I waited until after my shower.

    Good luck!

     

  •  Return anything you don't want. Clothes included. Especially clothes, actually. When I asked some other mothers for suggestions on registry necessities, they ALL said "keep the receipts, keep the boxes, and return whatever you-- or baby-- does not want." If you end up getting 35 0-3month outfits, there's no WAY you'll even be able to use them, so no guest is going to feel bad if the baby isn't in "their" clothing at any time. No one will even know. (Unless they are your MIL or have hand knit something. Then dress the baby in it and take a picture to send with the ty card)

    If you're excited to make purchases now, and have the means to do it, go for it. DH and I put stuff on our registry so that we would get the completion on them, like the stroller and nursery furniture, thinking that there was no way we would get them for our shower but people would have an idea what direction we were headed... and they are all purchased after only a week or so on the registry! 

    I bet you will be surprised with generosity and thoughtfulness. As for guideline-- um, schmeidline. I suppose if someone close to you who will be over all the time and see the gift in use decided to override your choice, you may feel that you have to keep and use it. However. You have researched, you know what you would like, and hopefully what baby will love, so feel free to exchange. I think of registries as a list of what the couple actually wants, and I stick to it, only to go off of it with little extras like toys, clothes, or something cute added to the registry pick. Maybe that's just me.

    BabyFruit Ticker
  • I too am ready to start shopping, but I know it's too early and I know my friends will buy off my registry. However, to curb my shopping urges, I was given a GREAT idea by a friend.

    Most grocery stores sell gift cards to tons of other stores. Every time I go grocery shopping, I buy a $25 gift card to Buy Buy Baby (to go towards my stroller) and a $25 gift card to the grocery store. I have over $300 already. My mom is doing the same.

    This way, I can easily do my shopping when necessary without the huge financial hit, PLUS if I need to send a family member out to pick up something after they are born, I have gift cards to make it easy.

    Same goes for the grocery store. It will be easy for family members to help me with grocery shopping because I will have gift cards. Here's a gift card, can you please get me some milk and toilet paper. LOL!

    I am having fun building my stash and getting really excited about it. My mom is doing the same and planning to give them to me at my family shower. 

    Single Mother by Choice. Life didn't work out the way I planned so I did it on my own. IUI #s 1-3, unmedicated = BFN, IUI #s 4-6, 50mg Clomid, Ovidrel = BFN IVF #1: 23R, 20M, 17F. 5 day transfer 2 blasts. 2 Snowbabies BFP 6dp5dt, Beta #1 7dp5dt = 58, Beta #2 9dp5dt = 114, Beta #3 10dp5dt = 187 1st Ultrasound = 5/3, not much to see yet. 2nd Ultrasound = 5/17, TWINS!!! Hospital Bed Rest at 32 weeks due to pre-ecclampsia and severe edema. Audrey Grace, 5lbs9oz, & Lydia Louise, 6lbs, born via emergency c-section on 12/6/12 at 36w1d My IVF Journey
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