Oh Baby! Ways to Save Money for the Mom-to-Be
Hi, I’m Brooke! Here’s my story in a nutshell.
My husband and I are high school sweethearts. (I know so precious!) We dated for 4 years before getting married. Now 3 years later, we are expecting our first baby!
As you can see in the picture, I’m eating a pink cupcake in hopes of a girl and my husband is thrilled to have found out it’s a boy. Of course, I was being dramatic for the sake of the picture. All I want is a healthy baby. Once the gender was known the shopping began. I soon found out that having a baby is very expensive; I needed to come up with ways to save money fast!
Lucky for me, I work at the right place. Being the Assistant Manager at the Arc Store in Chico gives me great insight to the quality items donated. The employees, however, have rules too! We can only buy merchandise that has been priced and placed on the floor for sale, so I have to be diligent.
I have already found some great deals here. I have bought a brand new breast pump for $25, packaged disposable breast pads for $.25 per pack (I got 20 packs of 2), baby clothes galore and a Petunia Pickle Bottom baby carrier for $30! For those of you who have had children you are sure to recognize the savings; for those of you who haven’t…just take my word for it!
Clothes
I was apprehensive to buy used baby clothes because, let’s be honest – babies spit-up, drool and spill all day long. But let me assure you, buying used clothing is one of the great ways to save money at the Arc Store, not just for the baby but for you too! I spent $200 on 2 pairs of pants and a shirt at our local maternity clothing store. (I know ridiculous!) But, I spent $20 on 3 pairs of pants and 2 shirts at the Arc Store – now that’s more like it! I’m always surprised at what I can find at second hand clothing stores and how much I can save.
Baby Gear
We get baby gear galore at the Arc Store and I know you can find it at second hand stores everywhere! After recently building my baby registry for my upcoming baby shower, I found that I didn’t really like the plastic 2015 highchairs they sell retail these days. So, lucky for me, my most recent second hand store find, the sweet vintage wooden high chair I longed for! It was only $45!
I have seen baby baths, Bumbo chairs, designer diaper bags, baby carriers, strollers and the list goes on! You can save a ton of money by buying these items second hand. Here at the Arc Store, we price 1/3 retail and take condition into account as well. That makes for a huge savings!
Being Pregnant is a time of joy, nerves and excitement! But don’t let it be a time of financial stress. Find easy ways to save money and buy everything you need for less at second hand stores near you.
