How to Get All the Baby Gear You Need on a $500 Budget

Parents facing the daunting task of buying all of their own baby essentials and baby gear may feel overwhelmed at the amount of money they can spend on "necessities." However, the real necessities can actually be bought for much less. Bargain shoppers can find great deals on car seats, cribs, and gear and get everything they need for a new baby for much less than the thousands of dollars high-priced baby department stores and boutiques would like you to spend.

The first key to getting your baby necessities cheap is to put your list of essential items together. Put down that list of "baby essentials" you got from the doctor's office literature or from the big-name baby store you visited when you first learned you were pregnant. This list has to do with the down and dirty basics.

Your new baby will need a place to sleep, and many parents will choose to buy a crib to serve as safe sleeping quarters. Baby cribs come in all price ranges, from a few hundred dollars to thousands of dollars. They also come in different shapes, like the traditional rectangular crib or the fashionable round crib. Sometimes cribs can even be converted into toddler beds or full size beds when your baby outgrows her crib.

When you purchase a crib, keep a few things in mind. Your baby will only use a crib for about two or three years, maybe less, so it may not be economical for you to pay thousands of dollars for premium furniture. Furthermore, a higher priced crib does not necessarily mean a safer crib, which is really what is important. By typing in keywords like "clearance baby crib," you will be able to find cheap cribs for under $200 at stores like Target. For instance, for under $140 you can buy a Simplicity Aspen 4-in-1 crib that converts to a day bed, a toddler bed, and a full-size bed as your baby grows, a great bargain. A crib mattress at Target can be purchased for as little as $60.

Once you have a crib, you will also need bedding. Skip the expensive crib sets that include quilts, bumpers, and dust ruffles. These items are not only costly, but they may may also contribute to SIDS. Your baby will only need a few fitted sheets, a mattress cover, and some receiving blankets, all of which can be purchased for about $50, leaving you with $250 to spend.

In addition, for most parents having a car seat to transport baby from the hospital and home is a necessity. If you plan to be out and about with your new baby, a stroller may also be in order. Buying a baby travel system might be the right choice for a good bargain and convenience, but travel systems can also be bulky. Some parents find that buying a car seat with a separate, cheap stroller frame works better and is lighter. Try out your travel system, car seat, and stroller at the store before deciding on which one is right for you.

Once you have your travel system or car seat and stroller picked out, take a look online for cheap deals and clearance items. Once again, Target has some great bargains. The Eurotrek Travel System, including the car seat and matching stroller, are under $140. Albeebaby.com has some bargains too, with the Cosco Eddie Bauer ITS Travel System priced for under $130 right now.

Depending upon whether you plan to breast or bottle feed, you may also need baby bottles. Baby bottles come in a variety of shapes, materials, and sizes. Keep in mind that while your newborn baby may only eat a few ounces at a time every few hours, in a few months your baby will be eating 6 to 8 ounces at a feeding and eating less frequently. One way to save money on buying baby bottles is to purchase one set of larger bottles now instead of buying two or three sets of different sizes.

Do your research regarding baby bottles ahead of time. If you prefer glass bottles, you can buy a set of six Classic Real Glass Bottles by Evenflo, with stage one nipples, cap rings, sealing disks, and nipple covers, for less than $20 at the Natural Baby Catalogue Company. Two sets of three 8-ounce Playtex Premium Designer Nursers (6 bottles, nipples, rings, and covers) are less than $30 at www.baby-wise.com.

With your crib and crib bedding purchased for $250, your car seat and stroller bought for $130, and your bottles bought for $30, you have spent $410 out of your $500 budget. You will still have $90 left in your budget to buy some footed sleepers and onesies to clothe your baby (two 3-packs of sleepers for about $20 and a 5-pack of onesies for about $10), diapers and baby wipes ($20), baby lotion and baby wash ($10), a baby grooming kit ($14), and wash cloth and towel ($15) (unless you plan to use ones you already own). If you plan to formula feed, expect to use your free samples from the doctor's office and hospital and then stock up later using coupons from the formula company of your choice by registering online. Again, if you shop smart, look for good bargains, and use coupons, you should easily be able to purchase all of these items within the $90 you have remaining.

In addition, you may get some items from the hospital where you deliver. Both my son and daughter were sent home with a pack of diapers (Pampers), diaper cream, and samples of baby wash. We also took home samples of formula. If you plan to exclusively breast feed, you can save money on both formula and bottles.

You may be wondering about other items that are sometimes billed as "essentials." For instance, wipe warmers and bottle warmers are often advertised as necessary items for newborns. Neither are really essential. Warm the wipe in your hand, or use warm wash cloths to clean your newborn baby. Make your bottles with warm water when baby is ready to feed or make them ahead of time and warm them in a pan of hot water. If you must, keep a crock pot of hot water available on your countertop. No bottle warmer is necessary.

Your baby can be bathed in the kitchen sink or in your own bathtub without purchasing a separate baby tub. You may want to lay down a towel or mat at the bottom of the sink or in your tub to give your baby a comfortable place to get bathed without slipping.

Likewise, a sterilizer is unnecessary. Sterilize your bottles using your dishwasher, if you have one with a sterilizer cycle. Or simply boil water in a pot on your stove and sterilize your bottles there.

Pacifiers are another item that may or may not be necessary for your newborn. Some parents prefer to let their babies suck on fingers or a thumb, while others train their babies to use pacifiers. As is the case with all your purchases, your preference will prevail.

While your baby may not be as stylishly outfitted as some, with $500 you can buy all of the essentials you need to care for your new baby when she comes home. And unlike other new moms and dads, you will not be stuck paying off credit card debt for months or years while you are busy enjoying your baby.