Furniture

I wasn't sure whether to put this here or in the pregnancy one but I figure it's not about pregnancy as such.

I'm trying to work out a budget and trying to work out how much money we have to spend on our bubba and how much we could possibly save before it arrives etc..

Then I had a thought. At what stage did you ladies start buying furniture? (I don't plan on doing it right now, that would be silly since I'm only 4 and 1/2 weeks) But most places generally have specials around xmas and new years and this would be a perfect opportunity to potentially save a nice amount of money but I'm wondering if it would be too soon to go spending up large so to speak.

And where is the best place to go for funiture type stuff. The only places I know is baby factory and baby city. Are there any others? And which is generally cheaper?

it highly varies between all of them - there's also farmers, Kmart, warehouse etc as well. Some places have good deals - you buy em, then the next week somewhere else has the same, but better, for cheaper.

We got all excited and put our buggy and cot down on layby for Paris when i was 8 week along. i thought it was a bit early, but meant that by the time we finished paying it off 3 months later.. it was perfect because i wasn't going out and having try and suss things out wheni was tired and getting larger and really couldn't be bothered.

I will say though - that we just thought "ooh good deal!" and got it.. and regretted it on the part of the buggy. however i did not have all the great opinions of the ladies here to help so had no clue. With the cot, we got a portacot with the idea that we'd get a normal cot once paris was too big, but it turned out that once she was too big for the basniette part, it was the middle of summer and the portacot was much cooler, and then she was into a big-girl bed soon after. Really though, am wishing we got the convertable cot sooner.. we got it for Ayja a few months back and she'll only use it for a couple of years - baby factory has a good range. HAven't beent o baby city much but think they have things that are a little more $$$

I spose it also depends on what you want to get.. whether you want the wole package with bath on a stand, change table, matching drawers, lol all that. or whether you are going minimalist. We had a buggy, a cot, a bouncer and a $14 bright pink baby bath from Farmers. ooh and a playgym. and that was all we needed.
You'll quickly get to be more of a bargain hunter than you ever have before.

So if you want, then buy, figure out exactly what you want, how long you're going to use it for, and when the sales are on at xmas you can just go get it without being swayed by all these great prices on things you don't need.

I'm buying as I go along (still TTC) as I don't want to want for anything when we go down to one wage. I get ideas and advice thru reading posts on here, talking to friends and work colleges etc.

I'd say do your homework when looking to buy these big ticket items, look around for the good deals. And buying around New Years/Christmas is a brilliant idea with all the sales going on.

We bought the cot only a couple of weeks before I was due. Half the reason for that was that mums house was for sale so we'd have to be moving. Was easier for us to purchase and then set it up in the baby's room at the new house. We got the change table when it was on special. We knew which one we wanted and waited for the sale, and even that was not until I was about 8 months. We already had a set of drawers in storage that I wasn't using. Mum bought us a bassinette in the early months because she 'couldn't resist' lol. Portacot we've recently purchased as it was on sale and we still haven't used it. Capsule and pram was purchased when I was about 6-7mths (off Trade Me brand new, still in all its packaging, Bertini brand travel system).

Also Smith city thats just opened down here Stacey.I noticed today that they had a cot and pram set up in display window.not sure on prices.My cot from farmers was 299.00 and we got the innersprung mattress half price(60.00) With the cot.cheap deal and a nice looking cot.I would not buy a bassinette as i found out the hard way.miss harmony would not sleep in it(damn thing cost 180.00) as it was kinda narrow width ways and she kept waking herself up.when is ur due date??? i have a stack of newborn girls stuff in drawers that got worn only a few times.(that is if you have a girl lol)

Oh and you will hopefully be entitled to the $1200 child payment which will help alot.

Becs, I'm due on the 15th of June, I'm not that fussed if it's a boy or girl but I think I would love a girl first. In our family if you have a girl first you get a boy next but if you have a boy first you have all boys lol. It's like that for every family on my mums side which is kinda bizzare

We will start putting stuff in our grocery shopping as of next time I think. With the wipes they are sooo useful for anything that even if there was a bit of a bad reaction I could at least use those for other things.

baalamb wrote: I have a major gripe about Winkalotts. Don't think we'll purchase from there again.

I wasn't going to say anything before but I we did too. I won't post the details here as I know there are plenty of people very happy with them but if people do want to know they are welcome to PM me.

The other place I was going to suggest was also Trade Me...we got our bath/change table off there as well as a bookshelf for Maddie's room.

Touchwood cots etc often go for pretty good prices but I would recommend buying a new mattress and don't be shy about checking the cot is in perfect order if buying second hand.

Edited by Paws

People will give and/or lend you things. We got lent a baby capsule, a bassinette, bouncinette, and I was given a birth to 18kg carseat as a baby shower pressie from a friend and her whanau, which was fabulous! Your local Parents Centre will also probably have members selling stuff as well (if you join, I am a PC convert..)Also Trade me. My mum gave us $400 to buy stuff as a pressie from her and dad (she had spent about that much on my brothers) so she got us a buggy, changetable/bath and a highchair at a farmers cardholders night (we had picked them out already, she did spend a little over the $400 though!) so all we really had to buy was a cot, and we got given loads and loads of clothes. We bought a portacot as well, and have been given 2 strollers and 3 brand new wool blankets. My mum bought linen, nappies (cloth,)blankies, mattress protector etc. Apart from the fact that when we chose the pram, we weren't having anymore, and didn't get one that could fit a toddler seat, so have had to buy a new pram to fit both kids, we didn't really spend alot. Your work may have a baby shower for you closer tot hee time, so anything you haven't got, you can put down on a wee list for pressie ideas.

Woo, long ramble there! I am the queen of the bargain shop (although I do like nice stuff, I just like to get a good deal!) also, I got loads and loads of brnad new, and ner new clothes and toys of trade me.