Don't be afraid to accept "hand me downs." Sure the clothes are all used, but guess what? Do you really want to pay $10 for an outfit that might only be used three times max? Or an outfit that might be ruined by throw up, poop, etc? Probably not, so don't be afraid to nudge that friend who had children before you. Just because you put your kid in hand me downs doesn't mean they can't be cute. You are still welcomed to be selective and of course, can still mix the old with the new.
Look for promotional baby deals. Ever seen the baby specials they have at Target? Well if not, now you've heard of them! Every couple of months, department stores will have baby specials for the week to get future parents to spend a lot in one sitting and save by returning with the gift of store credit. Well, I say if you have the space and shop there anyway... Buy, Buy, Buy! Existing parents who don't plan to have other kids, don't forget to seek out trade in days, where you can also trade in your current gear to upgrade for store credit to buy things at the next level (i.e. Babies R Us).
Register. Even if you don't plan on having a shower. Oddly enough, I didn't have a baby shower because I was too far from all of my friends and family. However, it paid to create a registry because of all the freebies and coupons you get just for signing up! And, believe me, those babies bills add up fast! Our registry happened to pay off so much so that even though I didn't notify anyone about it, we still had people look us up and buy stuff from it. Even going as far as purchasing a $400 crib. Totally unexpected, but thoroughly appreciated! Disclaimer: not everyone is this lucky. ;)
Make sure you buy stuff from stores you already trust or shop from. I've kind of already mentioned this one above, but it really pays to shop at stores you already love because you will be spending a lot of time there. Also, always be aware of their return policy, you never know if Johnny really jives with that diaper brand or lotion and the last thing you want is tons of it with no usage!
Ask for recommendations. If you have friends or family who already gone through the rodeo, ask them for recommendations! There's nothing like being a first time parent, buying all this stuff and then come to find out that it was a total waste of money. I'm not saying that all things and brands work for all babies, but it helps to know what others have used to narrow down the multitudinous of choices we have in today's world.
That's all I have for now. Stay tuned for more updates, as being a new mom is tiring...
