So, if you saw my blog on “how much does it really cost to have a kid,” you’ll be quickly hot-stepping it over here to read about where can you find cheaper options! I’ve always thought “Nah, I won’t have a kid until I can afford it,” well someone recently said to me “you can never ‘afford’ to have a kid, you just do the best you can do when it gets here.” After adding up the budget basic options for a newborn and the top of the range boujee models and found you can spend from $1645 through to an eye-watering $11,800 and that’s before you even get around to buying nappies, clothes or anything remotely useful! Fear not, here is a list of where you can suss some cheap or second-hand items! Something you should do at the start of your pregnancy is write a list (that will be ever-changing as you go) and when you see items on sale, grab it, though do remember you will likely get quite a bit of stuff if you have a baby shower.
Let’s get creative, ready, set, 9 months, and go!
Let’s start with Vinnies, Salvation Army, or Red Cross. Second hand stores are amazing for finding steals for your kids and newborns! You can oftentimes find stuff still with tags from parents given/bought stuff their baby never fit. Quick wash and you’ve saved yourself some dollars.
Kmart! – we can’t go past Kmart for some budget wares! Considering this kid of yours is going to fly through clothes faster than you can keep up with the washing, Kmart has some great options for clothes, toys, furniture, decorations etc.
Gumtree – Hello second hand (and sometimes even new!) People get given things, buy things then realise they don’t need it, bub has outgrown it, whatever the reason there are tons of great buys on here! I probably wouldn’t buy a second-hand car seat or capsule for safety reasons, but that is just my personal opinion which you may or may not agree with. So cribs are a great one here to get second-hand! You can always purchase a new mattress for it and it could be good as new! Here is a prime example: the Kaylula Suva cot, $1400 brand new, or $500-$700 on gumtree! Literally half price! This is just one example. If you aren’t fussed on the “brand new” appeal, reusable nappies can set you back $300-$800 for a starter set of 22 nappies, good ol gumtree will see you sporting a set of 20 nappies for $150! Deadset half price and let’s be honest, bub gonna be getting through them nappies like nobodies business. What else can we get on gummy? well, almost anything: drawers, glider chairs, clothes, high chair, stroller (I personally would want a new one but again, that’s just me), changing table, baby bath, toys, baby carriers. The sky is the limit, if you’re happy with second-hand you can get almost anything on here, after all, who wants to pay $200 for a freakin OiOi nappy bag!
Parenting groups! Did someone say happy exchange! There are tons of plunket type groups to meet other mumma’s who quite likely are in the same boat as you and trying to source goods for their bub.
Speaking of which, Facebook marketplace. There are so many “buy, swap, sell” pages tailored right down to your very suburb almost! Jump on good ol Facie and you may even find good socialisation or playgroups for bub to join, coffee dates for mum’s to decompress and have fun together. Get mingling Mumma!
Ikea – Ok, this place is downright a cult if you ask me 🤣. If you can get past them making you hike 10 miles past all of their wares trying to legit remodel every room in your house and get to the baby section, this place does have a lot of good options for decking out bub’s room. Ikea also has a lot of great displays where you can directly copy to “get the look” if you love how they have styled a room.
Back to Facebook – chuck up a post for friends and family. Everyone either has a kid, knows someone with a kid, or even parents who kept stuff from when they had you (there are some seriously cute double-take pictures of mum as a bub now as an adult with her own bub in the same outfit) so get socialising and see who has what you can inherit.
Aldi – Weirdly enough, take note of their catalogues, or get their app for your phone. Aldi often has baby stuff, sales, or even strollers every now and again.
Kogan, Catch, or GreysOnline – These three are a great place for cheap prices for brand new stuff for bub, cribs, strollers, glider chairs, you name it. Probably more so for furniture and the likes than nappies or clothes though.
Local markets – Glebe or Eumundi anyone! There are tons of markets happening all the time and these can be a great place to find organic options for bub in the areas of food, baby wash, clothes, bedding, swaddle blankets.
Spotlight! Are you a creative Mumma? Nobody said you can’t create your own clothes, wraps, swaddle blankets, baby carrier yourself. Plenty of patterns there and helpful advice if you need to get started and more material you can shake a baby at (please, nobody shake your baby to test this). Not to mention, when bub is getting around on their knees, you can be the crafty Mumma who sews the funky knee pads on (look, I didn’t say it would be a fashionable alternative).
Local hire groups – you know bub is only going to be using some items for so long, it may be a more financially viable option to hire certain items rather than purchasing them.
Amazon – We’re often completely shafted down here in Australia when it comes to prices, sometimes it is cheaper to order internationally, cop the shipping and you’re still better off than buying from our big stores.
Groupon, scoopon etc – These sites can be good for baby items on sale sometimes, and you might even spot a good deal for date night for you and baby daddy.
TJ Maxx – Again, great for decor, clothes, bits and pieces.
Yard/Garage sales – These can be great places to get blankets, toys, drawers, the sky is almost the limit with this, you might find tons, you might find nothing.
Etsy – can be pricy as this is boutique-style shopping but damn there is some cute sh!t on here so you may want to splurge a bit.
