I have always loved a bargain. Thrift stores, clearance racks, and of course online sales (with free shipping!) are my bestest friends. I don't actually like shopping that much in the way that most of my girlfriends did growing up (trying things on, hanging at the mall), but give me an item to scout and a percentage off retail and I'm on it.
One of my favorite things to do when I'm bored, or waiting for something to happen at work, or trying to avoid doing some other thing that is less fun, is to surf Craigslist. I look for apartments and houses months before my lease is up, or anytime a friend is thinking about moving, or in cities that I might someday move to but have no current plans to even visit. I look for furniture that I think I might need 5 years from now. I look for sports equipment and accessories that I don't really need but are cool. Sometimes I'll really score something awesome on a whim, like the brand new bike trainer I got before I even had a nice road bike because it was half-off and I felt like taking a break from work to drive somewhere. Other times I'll search off and on for what seems like forever until it finally pays off, like the pair of Bombay Company lingerie chests I stumbled upon after 18 months of searching, for $150, made of real wood and matching our bedroom set!
So now that I'm pregnant, it's a Craigslist bonanza! So much stuff to buy, at bargain basement prices. It has taken me months, but I have amassed a pretty decent nursery for less than half what I would have paid new. I tell myself it's also environmentally responsible because I'm not adding to demand for plastics and new wood furniture. But mostly it's a hobby.
Here is what I've learned about looking for baby stuff, specifically, though a lot of this is also good advice for Craigslisting generally:
- Make a list of things you want. Sometimes you know there is a particular brand or item you want that's awesome, so look for that. But generally you should try to be flexible about the brand/model because it may be too new or just not popular among parents in your area.
- Search Craigslist for that category of items and get an idea of the general price range and specific brands/models that are out there. While there will be overlap, what's on Craigslist is not going to be the same as what's in the stores--certain items will be easy to find, and others impossible. This round of Craigslisting is not about buying things, it's just about soaking up the atmosphere.
- Research the products that look nice to you to find out their retail price, read reviews, and check if there are any safety concerns that you should be aware of in narrowing it down. Things like what materials are safe, what features are essential, and whether any particular models have been recalled or are big no-nos for some other reason.
- Once you're ready to buy a particular thing, search Craigslist obsessively. I won't say hourly, but certainly daily. If you have a long lead time till you'll need it, be patient and watch prices until you find one that is in like-new condition, in the color you want, and for a price you know is in the low- to mid-range for Craigslist. If it's already at a price you like, you won't have to haggle.
- Don't wait to call or email. Being eager to buy on Craigslist makes you a good customer.
- If you've seen an item you want listed several times over a few weeks or month and it's not selling because the price is too high, contact the seller and offer a lower price. Base your offer on comparable items on Craigslist and explain your reasoning to the seller. The worst that can happen is s/he says no.
- Ask lots of questions. Are they the original owner? How old is it? How many kids was it used for? Any flaws or missing pieces? Do they have the owner's manual? Did they like it? Why are they getting rid of it?
- Find out the model and year and check again to make sure the piece has not been recalled or otherwise rejected by the zillions of mom and dad bloggers who review baby gear.
- Once you are meeting the seller, inspect carefully and be ready to walk away if it is not as described.
- Buy! Give it a good cleaning and enjoy your new-to-you baby stuff.
I don't actually go through this whole rigamarole separately for every item I buy. I have a running mental list of stuff I'd like and after I have exhausted brand-specific searching (step 4 for items that I know I want), I just look at everything on sale in my immediate area for ideas (steps 1 and 2 for new items). I also get a lot of stuff in bulk. It's not worth my gas money to drive 30 miles for a $10 baby bathtub, but if the same person selling that bathtub has an exersaucer and Baby Bjorn that they are also selling dirt cheap, it's suddenly a bargain. Mostly we've bought the really big stuff on Craigslist: crib, strollers, bassinet, high-chair, glider, and even a breast pump (which I'm cleaning thoroughly and buying new tubing for, of course). The smaller things just don't tend to be worth the effort, or are better to buy new.
Last tip: I usually bring a little extra cash because I've found that once I'm at someone's house, surveying their garage for the jogging stroller they are selling, they tend to pick up a box of BPA-free bottles and a Pack 'N Play and say "actually, I don't need these either. Would you take them off my hands for another $20?" Yes, ma'am, I will!
Pass it on to your pregnant friends, or those who like a good thrifting how-to. :) Part 2, which will come sometime later this week, will address the part I'm not so good at: The layette and registering for stuff!
