Turn to loved ones
Do you have a friend or family member who had a baby a couple of years ago? You see their old baby furniture in the attic or basement simply collecting dust. Ask them about lending their baby furniture to you until the child grows out of the items. Asking them to lend their furniture alleviates their concerns since it leaves the door open for your returning the items, especially if they have another child later. While you have the furniture, you will have ample time to find new furniture.
Plan ahead
If you still have months to go before your due date, try to begin planning the expenses for the baby right now. In addition to setting a price range for the baby furniture, you should also figure the cost of fixing up the nursery, as well as daily expenses like diapers and food/formula. Now that you’ve set a price range, begin the search for your precious furniture immediately.
Have a garage sale
If you insist on giving your baby the best no matter the cost, have a garage sale. The extra money you make from the garage or sidewalk sale may allow you to purchase the baby furnitureof your dreams. Successful garage sales will also help get rid of clutter, something that’s not needed with a baby in the house.
Go to a garage sale
Many parents can’t wait to unload old furniture that their children have outgrown. Go to a garage sale and examine the type of furniture that’s available for your baby. If the furniture looks fairly new, you may want to buy it. But if the vendor insists that the furniture is safe because their child used it, look at the age of the child. If he or she now has children of his or her own, maybe you should reconsider. Items like cribs and bassinets can deteriorate over time. Look for dressers or chests instead. These are safe to buy since they simply house clothes, not your child. If you do decide to buy a crib or bassinet at a garage sale, make sure it meets today’s safety standards.
Check for sales
Many department and specialty stores have sales, so look in the newspaper, particularly the big Sunday edition, and begin perusing the circulars inside until you find a sale. If you cannot locate a sale, call around. Ask stores about their prices for baby furniture. You can then compare prices, deciding about which store to visit.
Search the web
The Internet houses a wealth of online stores that specialize in furniture for children. To begin your search, go to any search engine or directory. Hundreds of stores should pop up on your screen. You may also search for furniture on an Internet auction website. If you are buying the furniture from a person, rather than a company or the government, proceed with caution.
Find goodwill stores
Goodwill stores may offer quality products at a very low price. Goodwill stores can be found in most cities across the United States. This is a great place to start if you have very little money at all.
By Michelle Presbury