Having a baby can really stretch your finances... and we all know that little surprises can sometimes come at the worst times.
Nappies, formula, accessories, buggies, and childcare can soon take a big chunk out of your paycheque - so much so that it can be a struggle to make ends meet.
However, in our experience, not enough mums and mums-to-be embrace the art of rooting out a second-hand bargain. Especially now as there are a load of great pages on Facebook where parents can swap baby items for free, or else sell them off cut-price.
Certainly, there is no shame in looking for ways to cut some corners. Having a baby is stressful enough without worrying about your finances...
1) Baby Clothes
Your baby won’t know whether they are wearing a clown suit or a babygro so spending a fortune on babywear is hard to justify. Babies grow so quickly too and soon they will not fit in those lovely designer dungarees you bought only a few weeks ago.
Some mums worry about buying clothes secondhand but as long as you run them through the washing machine before using them they should be perfect. We’ve found many great offers online - like the two large bags of girls baby clothes ranging in size from newborn to one year for €50 that were up for grabs recently. Most of the clothes were from the likes of
Next, Mamas & Papas, Benetton and
Disney so the haul was great quality. These sorts of deals crop up all the time so keep your eyes peeled.
2) Baby accessories
We recently found a baby swing and walker for only €70 online and they are both great little accessories that plenty of moms swear by. A load of moms can’t live without ‘the chair’ too... and lo and behold we found a vibrating bouncer for €20 on Donedeal.ie. Charity shops can beat these prices - with as-good-as-new stuff often cropping up for as little as €5 or €10.
3) Pushchairs and car seats
Shopping for a buggy is hard and some models can be truly extortionate (like, more than a grand extortionate!). We’ve found some great pushchair travel systems that double for infant car seats and will last you for years. We’ve discovered a
Graco Travel System on Facebook for €100 and we think it’s a steal. The latest model of this system will set you back €229 so that's a great saving. Again, make sure to have a wander around local charity shops - something you can do from the six-month mark of your pregnancy.
4) Cots
Cots can cost anything up to €600, depending on how elaborate you want to go. Simple versions from the likes of Ikea are much more affordable, but if you’re looking for something more practical in the long term there is a great selection of second-hand cots that can be converted into toddler beds when the time comes.
