we got a cheap portacot in the sales and it has been really useful- we keep it at my parents and Ella ends up using quite a bit.

Firstly congrats!  How exciting!!!! 

I havent read all the posts but I think I am the same as the others.  the only things I HAD to have new were a mattress and carseat.

Off TM I bought a cot (touchwood for $300), cariboo basinett ($80), change table ($50...and they gave me a massive bag of clothes too). 

I was given most clothes...but couldnt resist buying some.  PP online outlet store is the way to go if you do want PP.  Otherwise I found warehouse excellent for body suits...cant get enough of them.  BF good when in sale and T&T great but we dont have it here.

My other advice would be to set up a bank account now and transfer some money in each week.  We transfer $30 a fortnight in to one and that is to cover kiddie expensese.  Then you can wait till after bubs has born and you have received presents from people you never expected to and worked out what you like and dont like and go shopping there.  Shops are still open after baby arrives and internet shopping makes little parcels arrive on your doorstep....vey nice cure for baby blues.

Have you thought about getting stuff you might need 6-12 months down the track, when you are on maternity leave and only one income.

Its easy to splurge on newborn stuff when you've still got two incomes, I'm more worried about what happens when ppl and al runs out.

Tehe. Yeah I guess I should add a camera to my splurges. But it was definately worth it

Another thing I wished I had splurged on first time around was a decent puschair. I now have 5 and they are all just ok. Just think what I could have got if I put all the money into one great one.

I think if I were to start over I would borrow less the first time and buy more so at least I get decent use from it all.

*edited to fix alignment*

I have to admit I buy a lot of Pumpkin Patch clothes although I never would pay full price. Luckly we have an outlet store up the road and TM is always good for that. I can usually sell them again on TM and make some money back. For my girls who dont really grow too fast having clothes that last are important (and I dont really like the clothes from farmers)

With Keira people were so generous and leant us almost everything. By the time it got to Maddi people just assumed we already had everything so got given nothing. I spent most of my pregnancy hunting down good bargains, we got a lot of things new at really cheap prices, high chair, pram, mattresses (we built our own bed) etc.

On Tradme me I managed to get a cheap moses basket, wraps, slings, safe-t-sleep all in excellent condition.

I would try skimp on what ever I could.

I think I may be the only horrible mother that brought a second hand capsule from TM I only paid $40  and it was in excellent condition only used a few times. I trusted the seller and we have never had any problems with it.

Before you figure out what to buy, I would definetly say BORROW!!! People tend to be really generous with lending out baby gear, we borrowed alot of stuff and I love repaying the favours with our own stuff now Our baby bath and bouncer have been all over the place now lol!  I agree about the clothes, I wasted sooo much money buying clothes they either never wore, or wore for 5 minutes before they grew out of them!