Good Buys, Hello!

Unfortunately, Dave & I are not rich. We had planned to be, but it hasn't worked out that way for us yet. Especially since we moved up here 4 months ago, found out we were pregnant a week after we moved up here, have yet to sell or rent our house in Atlanta, and I was unable to find work that was comparable to my fabulous job in Atlanta.

Having a baby is stressful enough, having a baby and paying a mortgage on an empty house 700+ miles away, while living with your in laws in their spare bedroom while the rest of your stuff sits in storage and you're trying to get rid of said empty house so you can move out of in laws house and into new house in 9 months is even more stressful.

Needless to say, we need all the bargains we can get. It started when I read Baby Bargains. I finished this book- all 600 pages in a little over a week, obsessively underlining and earmarking pages of what would be safest and most cost-efficient for Us + Baby. As we registered, I carried the book with me and un-earmarked as husband scanned things in. We discussed what things we felt like we should buy ourselves, what things we could buy used and off we went. We've done pretty good so far.

1. Maternity Clothes- most women can spend upwards of $500-$600 on clothes they will only wear for a few months. I first hit up Goodwill this summer looking for bargains and picked up some cute tops, then husband got me a $50 gift card to Motherhood- which I saved for fall clothes since I knew i'd spend the majority of my pregnancy in freezing temperatures! Then I hit the jackpot- a friend of ours from my parents church had just given birth in May, and she had tons of maternity clothes- would I like them?! OF COURSE! When my parents came to visit in August they lugged w\ them 2 black garbage bags full of summer/fall/winter maternity clothes w\ about 10 pairs of pants. Needless to say, I'm set. I may add a few things in here and there, but I'm pretty much good to go. On top of this, we've spent maybe $100 on our own- Savings of $400-$500!!

2. Glider Rocker- Let me just say those things are expensive. They can run up to $1,200 at PBK! I don't think so. Even a glider rocker at Target or Walmart can run up to $350- I'm sorry, but I'm saving my $350 for a Medela Pump In Style (or so I hope)... I hit up Craig's List to look for a rocker, and I found a pretty sweet deal- $50! Even better- it was in pretty much new condition, and it came with an ottoman. It looks unused! We'll just say I saved $200-$300!

Here's our awesome like-new glider rocker!




3. Amby Baby Motion Bed- My friend Brittany told me about this bed, and then I read about it in the Baby Bargains book. They recommended that it was something you can buy used, so I figured, of course! The Amby Bed is awesome. It's a hanging hammock that's womb-like to help your newborn sleep, plus the positioning also is supposed to help with colic, and reflux. A little side note about how awesome the Amby is supposed to be- it's sold out for the next 20 days on their website. I really wanted this bed for our baby, the cost- packages start at $237. I've been searching on Craig's List for an Amby for a while- Craig's List tip- if you can, wait. Things will go down in price. We had been watching an Amby for a while, and once it went down in price, we sprang on it- made an offer $20 lower, and scored! So Monday night we drove into the city and picked up our Amby for $120!! Savings- $140!
Here's the Amby Bed! Can't wait until we have a house to set it up in!!

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Those are just the beginning of my baby bargains (I hope)!!