It’s time to celebrate Baby Dekker #2 here on the blog, and what better way to do that than with a week of fun baby-related posts and giveaways — all geared to make life with a new baby a little simpler, more organized, and more fun!!
Click here to view the entire Baby Week schedule of events (including a sneak peek at the 12 fabulous giveaways that start tomorrow!)
Since most of you seem to like a good “frugal-living” post, I’m kicking off Baby Week with a detailed post about how I acquired everything we needed for our newest addition with a self-imposed budget of $100 — and that includes the nursery renovations I’ll be sharing later this week!
When we found out we were pregnant with Nora, I made it my goal to see how few dollars I could spend preparing for her arrival. I didn’t necessarily do this because I HAD to… but more because I simply didn’t want to give into the crazy amount of pressure new parents feel to go WAY overboard buying stuff for their newborn babies.
I had a very modest gift registry, borrowed a lot of things we might only need for a short time (like maternity clothing), made a bunch of stuff myself, and purchased everything else used.
I enjoyed being thrifty and seeing how frugal I could be — and believe it or not, I was able to get pretty much everything we needed for less than $300!
NOTE: If you’re interested in lots more specific details of exactly how I saved so much money on baby things, you can read my series about “Raising an Infant on a Budget”
So, when we learned that baby #2 was on the way — and that it was a “he” not a “she” — I knew I’d probably want to invest at least a few more dollars to get ready for a boy.
I knew I didn’t HAVE to do much, but since I generally enjoy renovating, decorating, and planning, I figured preparing for a baby boy would be really fun for me (and it has been!)
HOWEVER, I was adamant that I would once-again do it as frugally as possible.
Here’s a breakdown of the different costs we incurred the 2nd time around.
Maternity Clothing:
As I mentioned a couple weeks ago, I pretty much borrowed ALL my maternity clothing from my cousin and a couple friends (I was fortunate to do this with Nora too). I did purchase a few staple items (one pair of jeans, one pair of comfy pants, and a few tank tops) from ThredUp.com — and was able to use a little credit I had built up to pay for those items.
Total out-of-pocket cost = $0.00
Baby Clothing:
One of my cousins had a baby boy on February 26, two years ago, so since she was ready to purge some of those clothes, she let me pick through her stuff and I ended up buying just under $30 worth of Newborn – 9 mo. clothes (they’re SO cute)!
We also got a pile of freebie hand-me-downs from another friend… and my mom made out like a bandit at a local 2nd-hand sale (she gifted those clothes to us as a baby gift).
I also saved a bunch of gender-neutral items from Nora — like white onesies, neutral sleepers and sleep sacks, socks, slippers, a baby snow suit, and a couple outfits that would work for boy or girl — so yes, we are set with clothing through about 9 months for a VERY minimal out-of-pocket cost.
Total out-of-pocket cost = $30.00
Nursery Items:
I’ll be sharing LOTS more about the nursery on Thursday (with a ton of pictures of our mini renovation) but I can tell you that I spent very little on the whole project!
We freshened everything up with a coat of Frost paint (Behr from Home Depot). It’s the same paint we used for Nora’s new room — and since we had some paint leftover, we only had to buy 1 additional gallon (about $25).
We used all the same furniture, bedding, etc. and simply decorated with items we already had in the house.
I did spend $3 on a DIY baby mobile for above the crib, I purchased a few small items for inside the closet, and I bought a rug from Target with a Christmas gift card… but that’s it!
Total out-of-pocket cost = $45.00
Baby Feeding Essentials:
We already have plenty of bottles, teethers, pacifiers, sippy cups, snack cups, etc. — most of which Nora never used and some of which are even still in the packaging.
At this point, I’m planning to nurse the baby (or pump) for at least the first couple months — so until then, we’re set with feeding essentials.
Total out-of-pocket cost = $0.00
Baby Gear:
We really didn’t have to purchase anything in this category — we already have a swing, bouncy seat, jumper, baby carriers, baby bath tub, high chair, pack-n’-play, carseat, stroller, etc. (all purchased 2nd-hand when I was pregnant with Nora). I’m guessing that at some point we’ll need to upgrade to a double stroller, but I’m avoiding it for now!
In the beginning, I’m planning on just wearing the baby in a carrier and pushing Nora in the stroller. Then, if we go for walks with Dave, we can each push a stroller (read more about our favorite strollers) — and before we know it, Nora will be walking on her own or riding a bike — so I’m just holding off on buying any sort of double stroller until I’m sure we absolutely need it (and I’ll definitely buy from Craigslist or another 2nd hand venue).
We were gifted a bunch of handmade boyish burp cloths and washcloths, and Dave’s mom is currently making us a few boyish blankets — however, many of the blankets I got for Nora were white, tan, brown, and cream, so they’ll all be totally fitting for a boy too.
Total out-of-pocket cost = $0.00
Baby Toiletries, Diapers, Medicine, etc:
We already had most of this stuff in the house — lotion, baby wash, baby wipes, butt cream, baby powder, infant medicine, vaporizers, humidifiers, thermometers, etc. etc. However I did purchase a few packages of newborn and size 1 diapers with a super amazing sale at our grocery store about a month ago. I also bought some gas drops since we haven’t used those in a long time but they were really helpful with Nora.
Obviously diapers, wipes, and other toiletries will be an ongoing expense, but I’m usually able to find really good deals so it’s more time and cost effective for me to use disposable versus cloth.
Total out-of-pocket cost: $15
Toys, Books, and Misc:
Although I’m positive we don’t have nearly as many toys or books as a lot of people, we have plenty for our needs, and I definitely don’t plan to purchase anything else just for the baby.
I do know it’s going to be difficult for Nora to share her toys, but she’ll learn! She has recently started playing with all the newborn baby toys again — she pretends like they are her baby’s toys and already told me that baby brother can’t play with her baby’s toys!
Total out-of-pocket cost: $0.00
Photography:
We did have some maternity photos taken when I was pregnant with Nora — and they turned out SO awesome. I’m super happy we had those pictures taken, but I really had no desire to do them again with #2. Maybe I’ll regret that later, but it just wasn’t something I wanted to do.
We will for sure be getting newborn pictures taken again — but I obviously haven’t paid for that yet 🙂
Total out-of-pocket cost: $0:00
I think that’s about it — and if you add up the sub-totals from above, it only comes to $95.
However, since I’m sure there are a few little things I might be missing (and because $100 is a nice round number) I just said we’ve spent less than $100 — not too bad considering everything we did with that money!
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I feel ready — well at least ready with all the tangible things we “need” for this baby. And I’m definitely physically ready to have my mid-section return to a more normal size!
I’m still preparing myself mentally and emotionally for another tiny baby and life with 2 kids… but I also realize that there’s really no way to fully be prepared for another person to enter your life.
My due date is 3 weeks from tomorrow (yikes!) and although I feel huge, I’m honestly hoping to make it all the way to the end because Dave’s basketball season isn’t over until the end of February and it would be SO nice if the baby could wait until that huge time commitment is over!
Cheers to waiting!
Oh, and don’t forget to check out the entire Baby Week schedule of events — and scope out the 12 giveaways. Then come back tomorrow at 8:00am EST for the first of 12 amazing giveaway opportunities!!
It’s going to be a super exciting week and I’m so happy you’re here to join in on the fun!
Beverly J. Jefferson says
Actually, as a parent I really appreciate that kind of matter. Especially for me on how to change out fit on my baby, that makes him comfortable and he will not feel irritated of his clothes.Well,choosing clothes for the baby is hard for me.
Abbygail says
HA! If I could only share a picture of our “book shelf” with all the books on the floor for the tenth time in a day. Looks just like your pic above! I’m 3 months from due date with my 3rd with an 18 month old and a 4 1/2 year old. Pregnancy with a toddler is soooo much more exhausting than it was with a 2 1/2 year old. We too are expecting a boy after 2 girls and have been blessed to receive a ton of clothing which is pretty much all we needed for this little guy. Good luck with delivery and life with a newborn!
Margo says
You have probably heard this by now, Graco has issued a recall on some of their car seats. If you have one check this site to see of your model is included.
http://tinyurl.com/lsh4g8e
Kayla says
I hope you do not take offense to this but I just want to pass along some good information. If you are using a secondhand car seat please be sure you know the history (never in an accident, never checked as baggage, straps never cleaned with anything more than water, etc.). All of those things compromise the integrity of the seat and could cause it to fail in an accident. Also be sure to check it isn’t expired! Used car seats are fine if they are from a trusted source with a known history 🙂
Christy says
I have been wanting to share this with you…Probably one of THE BEST investments I made when my son was about 6 months old was on an item called the “ON TRAY”..I purchased it at a local mom and pop baby store here in my town.. It is a small tray that looks similar to the old Tupperware sandwich holders that attaches to the handle of a shopping cart..I will HONESTLY say that people ALWAYS ask me where I got it. I think I spent less than $10.00 on it. I have sent people to that store just to get it…apparently they don’t carry it anymore (Grey is 3) but I have seen it online at http://www.ontray2go.com. It has saved me more times than I can count by having somewhere to put snacks when we are shopping. It has ESPECIALLY come in handy at COSTCO on those awesome sample days….We also have a local store that always has cut up fruit, vegetables and cheese on the weekends. It makes things SO MUCH easier. 🙂 Just thought I would share..
Andrea says
Cool Christy — thanks for sharing! I’ll definitely look into getting one of those 🙂
Kristen says
Thanks for sharing! I found one on Amazon with lower shipping than the website 🙂
Laura Hamrick says
Hi! I am Laura, and I created OnTray (the item Christy mentioned). I don’t mean to be a stalker :), but Google alerts me from time to time when OnTray is mentioned on the Internet. I have to say thank you, thank you to Christy. Her kind words and willingness to share my little project with people made my day. Creating a product and bringing it to market is probably the hardest thing I’ve ever had to do (and I’ve had 3 kids!).
Andrea, I wish you the best with your new life with two kids. It can be crazy, but man is it a whole lot of fun too!
Thanks again Christy!
Take care,
Laura Hamrick
Linda B says
When our kids were young, we purchased blanket sleepers (we had a cold house then) in either mint color or red, and used them for both boys and girls. Each sleeper went straight from one kid to the other, and they made it through 4 kids.
Otherwise, our kids were dressed in hand-me-downs, and garage sale clothes. Great, great deals to be found, especially on the smallest clothes that they grow out of so quickly.
Andrea says
Yes, we have 3 or 4 of those too — I just call them sleep sacks — and we LOVE them. We used them for Nora and now will use them again for the new baby!
Tragic Sandwich says
Fantastic! We found that Amazon Subscribe and Save was our best bet for diapers. They were cheaper per unit than Costco, and came right to the door. Every once in a while we would have to buy a small package to make it to the next shipment, but even so, we definitely kept our costs down. And Baguette did really well on Kirkland Selects formula, which was much cheaper than buying it at the regular store.
Mama Murrey says
I have a three month old daughter and I’ve been surprised by several problems with baby clothes. I love having pretty things to dress her in, but she was born in mid-October, our house is kind of chilly, and it has been a very cold winter. The easiest thing to dress her in is plain old thick sleepers, not all sorts of pieces, which have to be organized in the drawer and closet, mixed and matched into outfits, and all the layers undone for every diaper change.
My baby is flying through the early sizes of baby clothes. The sad thing is that I sewed some beautiful little dresses and we were given adorable things that she has worn twice and outgrown, and we were given sweet outfits that are the wrong season for the size she’s in. And then there are clothes she’s never worn at all because she outgrew them before I realized they could have fit her.
I hate tags, so when I get new stuff, I promptly cut off all the store tags and garment tags (except one size tag) . . . which means I’ve got brand new clothes that my baby has outgrown without ever wearing or couldn’t use because of the season, and I can’t return them! So I’m learning the hard way to keep all the new stuff she’s given, with tags intact, and wait to see if I’ll actually use it.
Too bad I didn’t know this sooner, because I could have exchanged that unused stuff to fill in the gaps in her wardrobe when she’s more than a year old and wearing sizes longer.
Andrea says
Oh bummer… that is one thing I did do. I kept all the tags on and basically returned EVERYTHING that was 0-3 months. I exchanged much of it for 12-18months clothing that Nora got TONS of use out of. Other outfits I just returned for store credit and purchased diapers.
Well, now you know for the next kid!! and maybe you can sell some of the clothing at consignment shops since it’s in perfect condition??
Meg says
Baby #2 is a lot more work, but much, much easier. You’ll have a better outlook, more confidence and a sense of humor. In the middle of that 5 pm witching hour where all hell tends to break loose, I would imagine I was Lucille Ball on I Love Lucy and just laugh.
Andrea says
well thanks, I think 🙂
I’m also thinking (and hoping) it will be easier the 2nd time around since I actually know a little bit of what I’m doing this time!
E says
I love that you’re not doing things just because you “should” or out of sentimentality, like with the baby pictures. You’re a champion of rationality and staying true to yourself. And the baby picture in this post is great- you are one of the fortunate ones who can look really good while pregnant!!
Carrie says
It sounds like you have everything you need and are ready to go.
I have one suggestion I like to give people. Don’t be afraid to return gifts that you don’t need or want. I had 5 boys and saved all my things. I really didn’t need a lot of clothes, baby toys, blankets, or other gifts that people gave me. But I could return items for store credit or gift cards. I then used that for things I really needed like diapers, wipes, baby cereal, baby food. This was a huge help with my budget, plus I didn’t need a bunch of things cluttering up the house.
Andrea says
Thanks Carrie — and I’m definitely not one to shy away from returning things I won’t need or use. Although I’m not really planning to get too many gifts with the 2nd baby… we’ll see I suppose 🙂
Nena says
Awesome! as a mom of 4 you did great! I had two kids close then sold everything and then had one like 15 years later and sold everything 2 years later and then oops we had one more.. but with all 4 kids I found second hand so much better!
Wilma says
One thing that helped us with transportation (ie, holding off on a double stroller) was buying our first a running bike (the brand we bought was strider, which looks exactly like a normal bike, just no pedals–we didn’t want wood because it would probably end up left out in the snow, as our kids will bike in the snow when it’s not too cold/icy). They retail for about $100. By far, this is the best toy we ever bought for our son–so much so, that we bought another one for our second!! We taught our son to stop when we yelled, so that we could catch up, cross streets together, etc. I could (sort of) go for a jog with the second in the jogging stroller, and the first on his bike, that’s how fast he got. Anyway, good luck!!
Lydia @ Five4FiveMeals says
Cheers! My second went almost to 42 weeks. So you might be good. Kudos on sticking to a budget. We only had to get a crib and diapers for our second, so we came out pretty good. I too find a spending challenge fun.
Andrea says
Oh wow! 42 weeks! Nora went over 41 weeks and that seemed like FOREVER. I’m hoping this one comes between 39 and 40 weeks!