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LGBT Parenting
leapgirl8
member
$$ spent on kids: tell me
leapgirl8
member
There are so many products and ideas (money-saving and splurgy) out there for all ages. Between gifts, research and that Baby Bargains book, I feel like we did a pretty good job of not overspending in preparation for the twins. But we have another 18 years to go, so tell me:
1) What's one kid-related idea/product/plan that ended up saving you a lot of money?
2) What's one that seemed like it would be worth it, but was a waste in the end?
3) What's one thing you splurged on that was totally worth it?
4) What's one thing you cheaped out on and later wished you hadn't?
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Re: $$ spent on kids: tell me
I think we did a pretty good job too, in terms of research/purchases.
Our girls are only 10 mo, so my experience is limited.
1) cloth diapers. and a breast pump. We have a nice stash, but it still cost less than I think we'd spend to diaper one kid for 2.5 yrs, and we saved a ton of money since C was able to pump. We started supplementing with formula around 8 mo when we supply dropped and we've spent well over $100 in 10 weeks for just 3 bottles/day (total!). I can't imagine what we would have spent if C wasn't able to pump enough for them. So lucky.
2) I don't know. I don't think we have anything we didn't use. We were handed down a bumbo - that is useless. Of things we bought/registered for, I guess the bath sling. We didn't "need" it and I was afraid they'd fling out of it by a couple of months old.
3) Ergo. and the Bob.
4) nothing really.
hmmm, this is tough. We got used or hand-me-downs for 99% of our stuff...
1. The one thing that comes to mind is our children's museum pass. This Association allows you to buy a membership at your "home" children's museum and gain access to tons all over the country. We buy our yearly pass for $50 and it has saved us SO MUCH money - we get to check out new places for free when we are travelling and visit the ones local to us as much as we want. Considering that for a family of 5 it can cost nearly $50 for one visit to a museum, this pass is huge for us.
2. Strollers? That's probably a stretch since we do use our strollers on occasion, but they are certainly not as important as I anticipated before getting into babywearing.
3. Ergo. Also, our playroom. I dont know that I'd call it a plurge since we did it on a tight budget, but it is by far the best kid-related money we have ever spent. A place to send the toys and close the door, a place to send the children so I can eat breakfast in peace, and a great space for family time/projects/playdates. love everything about it.
4. Can't think of anything. I dont regret getting all my kid stuff inexpensively.
Blogs: Our Growing Family - CT Working Moms
1) Most of our stuff was hand me downs or thrift store/garage sale finds. Our big ticket items were baby shower gifts....
2) I cannot think of one thing I did not use and was like wow that was dumb to have. I was very minimalist in my baby purchases.
3) We never really splurged on anything.
4) There is nothing that I got cheap or free that I regret. In fact I love the fact that we spent very little on most of our baby stuff.
1) What's one kid-related idea/product/plan that ended up saving you a lot of money?
Joining the multiples groups in the area and buying at consignment. We rarely spent more than a few dollars per item of clothing until they were 4y (when the selection decreases and the kids became picky about clothes.) We also sold at consignment (still do) to recoup most of what we spent. Also bought a used pump for 1/3 of what it retailed for (bought new tubing and accessories), used it for a year and sold it for what I paid for it. We also did this with the swings and the bouncy seats.
2) What's one that seemed like it would be worth it, but was a waste in the end?
Framed backpacks. We thought we would use them when we went to crowded places and strollers would be difficult. But we found that those places were really few and far between and only ended up using them 2x before selling them.
3) What's one thing you splurged on that was totally worth it?
A nice double stroller as well as 2 nice single strollers. We had the Baby Jogger that was awesome and became our primary stroller as well as 2 Maclaren singles that were great when we were both out and about with the kids. We spent a lot of money on strollers, but they were well used.
And I don't know if it was a splurge, although it was financially a huge stretch for us - our nanny. She was with us for 3y and like a member of our family. She saved our sanity in not having to get 2 babies out of the house every morning at 7am and we rarely had to take a sick day since she could still take care of a baby with a low grade fever (that wouldn't have been allowed in daycare), and she loved them like her own.
4) What's one thing you cheaped out on and later wished you hadn't?
I can't think of anything. I am a compulsive researcher, so I researched everything we bought within an inch of its life.
1) cloth diapers and wipes. We bought our whole (or almost all) stash prior to N being born.
2) a nursery - he has never slept in his nursery. Totally unnecessary. Also a baby bath tub, he takes showers/baths with us. Holding him in a tub when he was an infant was scary and now as a squirmy 8 month old is impossible. A rock n play, a pack n play, a cradle, organic mattress, changing pads, the list is miles long. We used/still use diapers, blankets, the swing (not any more), car seat, and clothes. That's about it. To go back and save money... oh you bet I would.
3) strollers (3). We bought the snap n go (Two True recommendation) for the large basket, while grocery shopping = awesome City Mini - N could lay flat in it from newborn. We took him for walks almost daily when he was little. It is a great stroller and converts to a double stroller - front to back - so when we have another, we just have to buy a seat. Bob running stroller = we use it almost every day.
and our video monitor is amazing.
4) Newborn photos. I wish we had hired someone before hand. By the time he got here we were too overwhelmed and now, looking back, I don't think we have any great pictures of him as a newborn.
This. 100x this. D'oh.
yes, yes! so sad
and being a foster parent makes it so much more complicated since we didnt know if they were going to stay
Blogs: Our Growing Family - CT Working Moms
Super ditto. Super ULTRA ditto.
And ditto on the Bob, too. If you like to run, it's worth every dollar (and there are lots of dollars).
I am lucky that DW is so thoughtful about making sure we get pics taken. My BFF took some the day after he was born. Then we hired someone to do some at home the week after. Thanks, DW!
I know this thread is a little old, but figured I'd weigh in anyway...
Saving money: If I see some baby- or kid-related item I want, I always look to see if there is a comparable product marketed to adults instead. Somehow slapping the phrase "baby" or "toddler" on something increases the cost (you know, like a bottle brush for stemware costs $2 but a bottle brush for baby bottles costs $4; the pink-and-blue sound machine for babies is 2x the cost of the silver model for adults).
A waste: the Snuggle Nest we bought in desperation one evening (great concept, poor execution; used it once for about 2 hours). And breast milk bags (I never made enough to freeze). On the toddler end of things: we somehow ended up buying three of those push toys that help them learn to walk. One was a hit but the other two ended up in storage in relatively short order.
Worth-it splurge: Rock-N-Plays. A hospital-grade pump. Giant bouncy balls. Cozy Coupes. Wagon. Kitchen table for family meals.
Cheaped out on and regretted it:
-- Newborn photos (*sob*)
-- T-shirts for ME: I have these ratty white men's undershirts that I usually wear around the house, and in about 90% of the (far too few) pictures I have of myself with the kids when they were babies, I am wearing one of those nasty old white shirts. At the time I thought it made sense because they were comfortable and I was getting barfed on all the time, but in hindsight I wish I'd just sucked it up and bought a couple of decent, comfortable colored T-shirts. And made someone take pictures of me with the babies.
-- A lactation consultant
-- Infant clothes: we mostly used hand-me-downs from my SIL when the kids were little, and I have a bunch of pictures where I can't tell who is who because they're both dressed in boy's clothes.
IUI #3 gave us the best 2nd anniv. gift ever: 2 babies! (born 03/09/10)
Peanut and Little Man are getting so big! 2 years old already!
finally blogging again at This Will Be: An Adventure
this is a such a great question! a lot of the responses are still helpful although baby is already 10 months - i'll definitely be getting the museum pass this year, hopefully it gets more use than the one we had before she was born
- Cloth diapers and wipes! huge money saver, even factoring in the accessories, detergent, and laundry expenses as we live in an apartment with coin-op machines. We still add to the stash since we plan on having another soon but we could have been all set before she was even born
- one manual pump purchased in a hurry and another evenflo one that... left a bit to be desired - will rent the medela hospital grade pump next time and save a ton of time, money and hassle. I'd have also passed on our snap n go stroller and the discovery car seat. She is already too tall for the car seat so we're looking into the convertible ones now, and the stroller although great for quick runs to the grocery store is undesirable if walking any greater distance (bad handling?) - another waste was a vibrating chair, almost immediately upgraded to a swinging chair
- The City Mini stroller was definitely worth it. Smooth ride, although very small minimal storage underneath. Also maybe the bumbo chair, not exactly a splurge but its very useful, although the tray to attach to it is completely useless.
- kinda wished i'd gotten a boppy, and one of those super long wrap around maternity pillows. I made one thinking it'd be a fun project, which it was, but the one with the curve would have been better