How many of you did buy second hand?

[futuremum]

Hi!

Was wondering if you all bought brand new or second hand for most of your items. I bought most of them second hand apart from the cot bed and car seat which will be brand new but anything like moses basket, push chair, baby carrier are second hand. I have some colleagues who will give me stuff like baby grows and a bath but my boyfriend is moaning saying I do not give any identity to the baby, he wants everything brand new. Thing is, he does not work and my salary cannot cover the rent, car, loan and brand new stuff for baby.

So please, tell me i am not the only one to but second hand stuff because I think he wants me to feel guilty about this!!! Thanks.

 

[Yvonne]

i was quite lucky with Amy, my mum and Andy's mum wanted to help, so the only thing we paid for was the pram which was on monthly payments.

I am buying nothing new for thi one, i have kept everything from Amy, the only thing i need is a cot which again parents are going halfs for.

Babies don't last long in their stuff, so some of the things are way too over priced for the use they have.

Don't feel bad about second hand, as long as your baby has the essentials new i.e car seat, then there is nothing to worry about.

 

[BubbleOne]

OH and I have been given some clothes secondhand from a friend of the family and we brought a few more clothes at a local bootsale. All our other bits are new but like Amy's mum we are lucky enough to have been spoilt by my family. My mum has brought us the cot, baby bath, changing mat, travel cot, 2 weeks worth of nappies, toiletries. My grand parents have also brought us some stuff.
We have brought the rest new but I haven't paid full price for much. Opted for things that were in the sale!!!
I don't think it matters if things are second hand (except car seat). It's great if you have the money to buy everything new but most of us arn't that lucky!! Lol xxx

 

[petchy]

i got a cot on ebay for £10 - bargain! it had a mattress, but we bought a new one as you're not supposed to use a 2nd hand one and i wouldn't want to anyway.

bought about 25 vests, babygrows and sleepsuits as well as a cot mobile and a few other things at a local NCT nearly new sale. £14 for the lot!!

will be getting loads of hand-me-downs from a friend, among other things loads of clothes, a baby bath and bath support

will splash out on a brand new pram, as we don't have a car and this will be my "main mode of transport", so i want to get one i'm 100% happy with. not been able to find the one i want 2nd hand anywhere otherwise i would buy that used too.

think we're also buying a new carseat for when we have lifts off people. we're possibly having my friend's old car seat but not sure yet. (it was barnd new for her LO and i know it's not been in any accidents and is well looked after)

see nothing wromg in buying 2nd hand things really!

 

[lulu]

Hi, well I dont think I have bought anything brand new!

My partners friend gave us a 'job lot' of stuff including pram, cot bed, moses basket, nursery furniture etc etc for a bargain price.
My step sister had a baby in may so most of our clothes were given to us by her, the rest I have had great fun on ebay with - I do love a bargain!!!

Even things like teddy bears I have bought from charity shops!

I think it is such a waste of money to go over board spending, when at the end of the day the baby will grow so quickly, plus, the things the baby will need most, like cuddles, love, interation etc etc doesn't cost a thing!

 

i brought every thing second hand... nothing wrong with second hand. i look at it in this way... kids cost enough when they are growing up... may as well start of the cheapest way lol


love elaine

 

[newbump]

I have only bought a few clothes and blankets really which has been new, car seat, pushchair, baths, changing mats, monitor, play pen, etc i have bought from my next do neighbour, so didnt even have to go far to collect it!! also getting a second hand moses basket and more clothes from a friend as my baby gets bigger etc!!!

Nothing wrong with trying to save a bit of money for things they will remember as they get older, lets face it, unless you tell them when they are older they are not going to know where their first items came from!!!

Natalie x

 

[Layla]

i got my pram and cot brand new

but my mosses basket and clothes i got second hand, my sister and Jase sister both had boys so i got all there clothes.

 

[littlebump]

Hello!!

The only thing we've bought brand new is the cot (which was an ex-display model so bargain there!!), first batch of clothes (as we don't know what we're having we've just bought the basic white stuff from Tescos and Asda), and the mattresses and bedding. That's cost enough!!

Most of my maternity clothes were second hand from ebay.

Would love to buy everything brand new but things will be so tight when I'm off work that we opted to prioritise.

Watch out anyone buying on Ebay though - we were ripped off with our first pram - got a M&P travel system which ended up having a non M&P chassis and the woman who sold it, we later realised was just buying and selling second hand pram parts and putting them together - she made out that the pram had been used for her own children the lying witch. We attached the pram bit and now can't get it off, rendering the whole thing useless. As we stupidly paid cash, we've got no comeback. Anyway, we learned our lesson, but thought I'd warn you!!

 

[Loops]

I've turned into a bargain hunter!

The cotbed, wardrobe and drawers were new but £100 cheaper than the price in the shops. We got a new travel system (with car seat base, foot muff and travel cot thrown in) for £120. I bought most the clothes from Ebay.. I got a bundle of about 80 items which were never worn or only worn once for £15! I even found a baby bath in Ikea for £3

His mum went a little crazy in the Mothercare bedding section and my dad treated me to a rocking chair and stool (both are a huge help!)

Its just all things we've spotted in different places and in fairness we did start buying quite early so over the months it doesn't seem like such a huge amount of money at once.

Nothing to feel guilty about. The more you save on one thing is extra to put towards something else (maybe even a treat for yourself, you deserve it!)

 

[lisa31]

Hi Futuremum

Everything I have is second-hand apart from a couple of bits of clothes I bought with the money I saved from stopping smoking (which by the way Im still doing!)

I have tons and tons of clothes from the car boots which I have bought and my friend has bought for me, bless her, she bought loads of it, washed it all and folded it all up for me - its mostly NEXT and M&S stuff - some of it you can tell hasnt been / hardly worn.

I went Skeggy at the weekend and bought a Tomy baby sling for £2.00 - a total bargain! - well chuffed with that.

Everytime I go shopping I always buy the buy one get one free offers on baby wipes etc.

We are getting our pram from MIL (she fosters babys) and has a pram she doesnt need anymore. Possibly borrowing a cot from my friend, and she also told me last night she has a steriliser and other bits in her attic I could have - which is great.

My D/H would like all new too, but we just cannot afford it - and like Paradysso says they will cost a fortune when they get older. I think that as long as it is clean and most importantly - safe then you have nothing to worry about.

I did read though, that you shouldnt buy second hand mattresess or car seats. With car seats it could of been involved in an accident and not be 100% solid (if you get what I mean) - thats what I read somewhere anyway, not sure if its true - I suppose its the same as not buying a second hand crash helmet for a motorcycle for the same reason.

Hope you are doing well

L x

 

[kelly_chunn]

For our 1st son we had everything brand new , but had lots of things brought us. Our 2nd son, we just used the same things coz the were hardly used. This time though, coz its a little girl, we have had to buy newer things. We have used the same pram, but got a new car seat. We did a boot sale, so wiv the money we made from that we managed to buy new things for our little girl. Second hand things are ok, along as u know where they have come from.

 

[newbump]

Yea i totally agree with you about the not getting a second hand car seat, the only reason i got mine from my next door neighbour is becasue i have known them for 10 years and have watched both their children grow up, and know i can trust her!! Otherwise would not have gone for a second hand one!!!

Happy bargin hunting everyone!!

 

[-Cat-]

We bought most things new as its our first. The main items like furniture, car seat and buggy etc were all new mainly because most of it was paid for as pressents by family members. All bedding, soft furnishings and clothes are new as I dont fancy the idea of second hand. But where we really saved ourselves and bought second hand was on all the bits and pieces which can really add up, like baby sling, bouncy chair, steraliser, travel cot etc . . . At amazing how much all the 'little things' can cost!

 

[futuremum]

It is good having the family around to help you out with the buying. Unfortunately, this is not the case for us. My family is in France and his mum will pay for one thing but she has not got a lot of money. So I feel the pressure of buying everything just in case. I am happy my colleague asked me if i wanted some stuff because if she does give the stuff to me that will save me buying. I did buy a few things from e-bay, good bargains like the wilkinet baby carrier for £13.00 instead of £40.00 and it is as new!!!

I will buy the bed and car seat brand new as well as the bedding but just that costs over £ 400!!!! So that is why I think I will keep ignoring my b/f and keep buying second hand for a while

As long as we love our little boy and that he has everything he needs, that is all that matters

 

[melhoney]

Hi, Futuremum,

I am French and all my family lives in france as well, and actually, my mum is buying quite a few things for me from over there, as some things appear to be much cheaper! (and you get to have things that nobody around you will have!)
She checks with me first on internet if I like it or not, if I need it or not, if i'm ok with the price or not and buys it for me and as she lives in the south of France, there are still car boot sales, so she enjoyes browsing there on weekends!

I have also bought stuff second-hand from here, at the NCT "nearly new sales" and 3 items from ebay, but I have realised you need to be careful on ebay, as some things are sold even more expensive than new...people being carried away by the biding game, I guess!!!

take care,

mel xx

 

[amyknight88]

practically everything ive bought has been second hand, mainly because there is no way i could even think about buying brand new, but i agree with paradiso bub will cost me loads for the rest of my life now so may as well start of cheap

Amy x

 

[marylou]

i have kept some stuff from kylie so that is 2nd hand (eg clothes, moses)
and anything else i have is mostly second hand (eg cot, pram etc)
i have bought the baby some stuff brand new but like amy there is no way i could afford everything brand new

xoxox

 

[kelly-mum-2-be]

Hiya, Sorry not been on for ages been really bus. I have now moved into a little flat that the council have put me in til i get a house...... Most of my things have been second hand as i am on my own i have not been able to afford everything brand new.. I have some lovely clothes, some things are brand new like my moses basket and baby bath and changing mat.. Hope you are all ok x x x