Save or splurge?

[Mrs.flang]

What are some baby items you're either splurging or saving on?

We're going with an Ikea crib and dresser, and skipping a changing table.

Most everything else we registered for is pretty middle of the road and basic. I thought I would want a super fancy stroller but I'm not sure I can justify it.

The thing I can't decide is if we should splurge on a fancy crib mattress or not. Two of my friends that just had babies recommended a $250+ mattress. I found one way cheap on Craigslist, but I'm not sure if that skeeves me out or not. Or if we should just get a regular mid-priced mattress?

[Susie]

We splurged on the glider for the nursery, the BOB stroller, and I think we probably will splurge on a nice convertible car seat when she outgrows the infant seat.

Most everything else we went middle of the road. Graco crib, infant car seat, and snap & go stroller, half-price Chicco PNP, hand me down swings/bouncers, etc. Clothes were mostly Carter's and Gap/Old Navy. Diapers have been a mix of Pampers (more expensive, even on Amazon S&S) and Target Up & Up (cheaper).

ETA:  I vote no on a used CL mattress, whether it's for adults or a baby.

[patbutcher]

I didn't splurge on much. I got an ikea dresser and crib. Second hand strollers (city mini and BOB).

I would not get a second hand mattress but no need to spend $250 either. I got a sealy one that had great reviews for $100 from Amazon. We are going on two years using it for my daughter.

I have splurged on Aden and Anais swaddles, car seat canopy and a dream blanket.
I also splurged on the second stage car seat but saved on the bucket seat.

[bowies]

For DS we splurged on the glider, dresser (real wood, his for life) and one convertible car seat, diaper bag, photography. Everything else was pretty middle of the road. I do regret not getting a nice stroller - I'd go for the UBV or City Mini (the one where you can add a second seat).

Things I'm glad we didn't splurge on: Crib, PNP, Mamaroo, toys, baby carriers/wraps
Things I wish we had splurged on: Stroller, second convertible car seat
Things I regret splurging on: Custom baby book

Oh, and NO to buying a used crib mattress (ew). Ours was also $100 and works well.

ETA: Oh and I'm glad we didn't purchase any of the fancy schmancy diapers. DS's hiney was happy with the cheaper options.

[Mrs.flang]

Oh I forgot we're planning on a really nice glider too.

You've convinced me to skip the second hand mattress. DH was pretty much against it anyway. I think I'll just look into a more affordable new one.

[littlemisssunshine]

Apr 16, 2016 14:41:52 GMT -5 patbutcher said:

I didn't splurge on much. I got an ikea dresser and crib. Second hand strollers (city mini and BOB).

I would not get a second hand mattress but no need to spend $250 either. I got a sealy one that had great reviews for $100 from Amazon. We are going on two years using it for my daughter.

I have splurged on Aden and Anais swaddles, car seat canopy and a dream blanket.
I also splurged on the second stage car seat but saved on the bucket seat.

Do you have a link for the mattress? I'm trying to figure out which one to buy. Thanks! 

[Deleted]

We splurged on the nursery furniture - a Romina crib and dresser - and I'm really happy with it. The crib converts to a full size bed so she will have this furniture for years. We got the BOB (but 50% off on Amazon on Black Friday) and I love it already. It feels so smooth and secure even on our uneven city sidewalks.

I didn't go TOO crazy on clothes or accessories and almost everything else was a gift.

I got a Sealy mattress that got great reviews for 60 bucks.

[patbutcher]

Apr 16, 2016 15:49:09 GMT -5 littlemisssunshine said:

Apr 16, 2016 14:41:52 GMT -5 patbutcher said:

I didn't splurge on much. I got an ikea dresser and crib. Second hand strollers (city mini and BOB).

I would not get a second hand mattress but no need to spend $250 either. I got a sealy one that had great reviews for $100 from Amazon. We are going on two years using it for my daughter.

I have splurged on Aden and Anais swaddles, car seat canopy and a dream blanket.
I also splurged on the second stage car seat but saved on the bucket seat.

Do you have a link for the mattress? I'm trying to figure out which one to buy. Thanks! 

www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B004EWG4ZA/ref=mp_s_a_1_8_a_it?qid=1460843430&sr=8-8&keywords=crib+mattress

[bk1]

We didn't splurge on anything.

Second time around now.. we are going to buy a new swing (ours broke multiple times, I was too cheap) and maybe a new glider of some sort. I never had one in the nursery last time and would really like one this time. It helps that we won't be buying nearly as much stuff as before. 

[dellabear]

We bought the middle of the road IKEA crib mattress and its been just fine. I splurged on the stroller (UBV) and the convertible car seat (Britax). I also splurged on a few outfits I really liked and random small items here and there. Mostly everything else was on the cheap side. No regrets.

[Bernadine]

I feel like we're going pretty middle of the road in general. We splurged on nursery bedding, because I had trouble finding what I wanted. We're saving on the glider- I'm looking on Craigslist.

[mandapanda18]

Splurge on the comfort items, a stroller that fits you well and that you can maneuver in/out if your car easily. Buy a good convertible car seat that will last a long time rear facing. A comfortable chair to rock/nurse in is a must! Everything else can be lower end. I wouldn't buy a second hand mattress, I got one on Amazon for about $100 on sale and it still looks new, gonna use it for 2.0 this year.

[gt7301b]

Splurges- mattress, glider, Bob, and probably a city mini.

The only thing I am dead set on is a mattress with limited chemicals. The rest of the stuff I am pretty sure baby won't care that much about. Our glider was pricey too, but it is the most comfortable thing ever and I plan to use it even after baby for reading.

I bought baby a big batch of used clothes off Craig's list and our friends have given/lent us a swing/pack n play/ bath tub/ carrier/ bassinet/ toys.

[cabbagecabbage]

STM. I saved on almost everything and bought lots of used items. There is nothing I scrimped on that I wish I had bought "better." It gets pooped on and no matter what your home looks like a toy store.

Splurges: 1. convertible car seat. You use that sucker for years. Buy a very nice one and read up (I recommend Car Seats for the Littles on fb) because your size car and your size child really effects what to choose. I went basic Graco for the infant seat. You only use it for a year tops and they are all safe, so you're buying the branding more than functions.

2. The stroller. I didn't splurge much but I got the City Mini I wanted. If I had a time machine, I might even go back and go for the City Select. I used my stroller every single day and really liked it.

3. Carseat safe outerwear. I prefer a fleece suit for the first couple years.

4. Some outfits. Get the first Christmas dress you really want. Go ahead a splurge on a few things you love that are absolutely perfect. Then buy the rest used or cheap.

Eta: I wouldn't buy a used mattress. I had bedbugs once in college and once is enough. I middle of the road crib mattress is totally fine by me.

[boiler717]

I splurged on the stroller (UBV) and a car seat with a load leg (Cybex), although I did get both for about 35% off retail which is a great deal. The crib was a gifted splurge. We got a little castle glider (splurge) and wayfair rocking chair (save) and I use the cheap one more but the glider was amazing during pregnancy. Splurged on good carriers which we use all the time.

[macmars45]

Save. We went middle of the road on everything. IKEA dresser, Fred Myer shelf, hand me down rocking chairs (one for upstairs and one for downstairs), hand me down bassinet, we chose to go right to a convertible car seat (so no infant seat), just a PNP (no crib), and clothes from baby showers & friends/family who are done with kids. Also our city mini stroller was a shower gift as well as our RNP and swing. We're even going to get at least 20% off of our ergo through BBB.

I'm going to SAH for a year so we're trying to cut expenses as much as possible up front to prepare for the drop in income as much as possible.

[PennyCandy]

Everything we bought was low to middle of the road. The only thing I wish we would have splurged on is a better glider or even a recliner. I spend so much time in the glider and while it's ok to sit in, it's not exactly right for breastfeeding and it would be nice to be able to sleep in it.

[cmarie11]

For DD, we got her furniture from Target, but splurged on super nice glider. Totally worth it. I've spent hours and hours in that chair.

This kid, I plan to splurge and buy a double BOB stroller.

For DD and the next kid, I will probably continue to buy sale/clearance Carters/Gap/ON, but I tend to splurge on special occasion outfits.

[deo]

Most of the stuff we got was middle of the road priced. I splurged on a glider chair for my 2nd because I used the heck out of the old one with my 1st. We also splurged on the strollers (Britax B-ready and a Chariot Jogger/bike trailer). I kind of regret spending full price on the Britax stroller because I don't think we got enough use out of it to make it worth the price but I have no regrets about the Chariot since I used it more than my car last summer.

I'm glad we went cheap on the PNP, I don't think I would have used any of the extra features some of the expensive ones had.

I also saved on clothes, only shopped sales and used hand-me-downs from my sister's boys.

[BeagleMama]

We've really saved on nearly everything except a new, not-grandpa-looking Lazyboy for the baby's room (it's going to be amazing). Friends and family have also already been very generous with gifts (our travel system, other baby's room furniture, etc.) and second hand clothing.

[jessnpaul]

STM - with our first we splurged on the stroller (City Mini GT) and the glider. Everything else was Graco or other mid-range brands. We got a JC Penney crib and furniture.

I did splurge on a Kate Spade diaper bag but I got it for a good price and it was a gift to myself for surviving bedrest!

With #2... really nothing. He'll get DS's hand-me-down crib + furniture. We got #1 new PBK furniture we splurged on... poor second kid gets all the old stuff ;-) I got a used RNP (but I don't even think they used it... the tags were still on it!) and we'll re-use the stroller and everything else.

[jessnpaul]

@destinationunknown do you know if the SIDS risk increases if you reuse the same crib mattress on a 2nd kid in the same family?! Because we were planning on reusing ours for #2.

[simpsongal]

I splurged first time around on the crib, mattress, glider, and some other décor. I like decorating and w/r/t the crib, I wanted one made in the USA (mostly b/c lead paint concerns), and I wanted a food grade plastic mattress (or whatever makes it $$$).

Stroller was a bit of a splurge (City mini GT), and our new convertible carseat is a Britax Frontier.

Other than that, lots of Carters, Old Navy clothes and standard things. To do it over, I wish I got a few more baby items second hand on CL (e.g., exersaucer, jumperoo, walker, etc.)

[spa]

We saved on crib, changing table (my sister gave me theirs)

Splurge: Nothing yet, but I am getting ready to get my chair, stroller. H wants a 4moms Mammaroo swing, I am on the fence because I don't think we NEED it.

Just say no to used mattresses.

ETA: I did splurge on the paint shield by Sherwin Williams... which makes me sound like a crazy mom 

www.usatoday.com/story/money/2015/10/28/sherwin-williams-develops-antibacterial-paint-paint-shield-antibacterial/74702516/

[Deleted]

I splurged on the glider, crib, and convertible car seats. Middle of the road for almost everything else. Saved on carriers (neither of my kids liked them anyways). We use the stroller (City Mini) like once a month or less so I'm glad we didn't get a fancy $$$ one. My dd liked to sit on a push-bike instead. I would not buy a used mattress from CL.

[MrsAggie]

I splurged on a solid wood dresser that is also DS's changing table. New baby will get it and will use it through the rest of childhood. I'll buy another solid wood one for DS.

I got a PNP with a changer and cuddle cove and we still use it everyday even though DS is now at the 25 lb weight limit for the changer. Oops! I got it on sale for like $130 and now that I know how useful it is, I would spend twice that amount on one.

I don't think a $250+ mattress is necessary.