Kip Tips
Baby Gear You Don't Need
You can save a lot of money by buying second-hand items and resisting the urge to buy unnecessary products.
By Cameron Huddleston, Contributing Editor, Kiplinger.com
April 26, 2010
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My neighbors are about to have their first child, so I’m using the opportunity to unload -- er, donate -- baby gear my children no longer use. I’m glad these items will get more use, and my neighbors are delighted to receive costly products for free. The fact that it’s second-hand doesn’t bother them a bit.
That’s the attitude more first-time parents need to take because it isn’t worth it to spend big bucks on items baby will use only for a couple of years -- or doesn’t really need. Sure, it’s better to buy some items new (car seats, for example). But you’ll save a lot by buying second-hand products, making some items do double duty and bypassing unnecessary baby gear. Just be sure to check for recalls before buying used items.
Don’t buy …
Play mat. Just toss a thick blanket on the floor and let baby look up at you because he craves face time with mom and dad most. Besides, once baby starts sitting, he won’t be interested in this toy geared toward infants who can only lie on their backs.
Exersaucer. These are for babies who can sit but can’t walk yet. My pediatrician told us to keep our daughter out of the Exersaucer because it was forcing her to stand on her tiptoes too much (not good for hamstring development). If you need to confine baby – while you make dinner, for example -- let your portable crib do double duty as a playpen.
Changing table. This somewhat pricey piece of furniture serves one purpose, which will be obsolete in about three years when baby starts using the potty. Set up a changing station on top of a low, sturdy dresser instead.
Diaper-disposal bin -- especially the kind that doesn’t let you use standard trash bags. A trash bin with a lid will work -- at a much lower cost.
A lot of fancy clothes. Baby grows so fast in the first year that she may only wear that fancy dress once. You’re better off sticking to cheap onesies and second-hand clothing.
Diaper bag. A large purse will do the trick, will likely be cheaper and more fashionable, and can be used beyond the baby years.
Don’t go without …
A budget so you don’t go into debt outfitting the nursery.
Life and disability insurance to provide for your family if you no longer can.
Health insurance to make sure baby is covered.
A will to designate a guardian for your child.
See Your Most Important Baby Gear for more information about these four financial items every parent needs. And in the reader comment box below please share your advice on what baby gear new parents shouldn’t buy.
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Reader Comments (21)
Posted by: Erin at 04/26/2010 02:50:18 PM
Nice tips, Cameron! Another item you shouldn't waste money on: a highchair. You can spend up to $100 on a fancy chair for baby that takes up way too much space and is a pain to keep clean. Instead, go with a portable booster chair set like Fisher Price Healthy Care ($20). You attach it to one of your kitchen chairs, and it has a tray (that fits in your dishwasher). The height is adjustable when you're ready to ditch the tray and pull the baby up to the table. Plus, you can fold it up and toss it in the car for picnics, playdates or trips to grandma's house. My kids have used theirs from ages 6 months to 4 years.
Posted by: Eric J. McClain at 04/26/2010 03:48:03 PM
Hmm....I guess if it were a manly purse; I'd be shocked if a purse lasted three years!
Posted by: Susan at 04/27/2010 07:15:16 AM
All great tips, except for the diaper bag. I find that they are designed to hold what a mom needs way better than a purse (bottles, changing pad, wet items), are a little more fashionable than they used to be, and if you use it through two babies, you've more than made good use of your money. A purse, after being treated like a diaper bag for years, will be in no shape to keep using anyway. I love the highchair advice posted by Erin...she's exactly right.
Posted by: Cameron Huddleston at 04/27/2010 12:56:43 PM
Eric -- How about a backpack for dad -- rather than springing for a manly diaper bag.
Posted by: vvk at 04/27/2010 03:01:46 PM
I have two kids and I disagree with most of your tips. Play mat, exersaucer, changing table, diaper-disposal bin and a diaper bag had all proven to be invaluable items for us. The one item that both of our kids really hated was a baby swing: useless and expensive.
Posted by: pcj at 05/05/2010 03:22:01 PM
Proving that lists like this, and overly broad generic comments are pointless, my little boy loved his baby swing, spent hours in his exersaucer, our high chair has been a godsend and our diaper bag is sturdy, functional and cost considerably less than a purse (and Dad can use it). We bought our changing table from Ikea, and the changing tray unbolts to give us normal cabinets. We have a diaper bin that uses normal grocery bags, and keeps our dogs out of trouble much more effectively than a regular trash can would. So for us, this list is not only contrary, but fails to weigh up strengths and weaknesses of each product into account.
Posted by: Disco at 05/05/2010 03:45:55 PM
Thanks for the lesson in COMMON SENSE. Seriously, anyone who really buys this stuff won't be reading this article anyway.
Posted by: Tracy at 05/05/2010 04:02:11 PM
These are GREAT tips! Baby's accumulate so much stuff, that figuring out what to do with it all has become an issue for many families who want to be environmentally and financially responsible. I hope you won't object to the plug, but I started a free online marketplace for parents who buy and sell baby and kids' products in order to maximize their budgets and minimize their consumer waste. It's called RecycledTyke.com, and it's 100% free to buy and sell items to like-minded families. Thanks for the great piece!
Posted by: MikeM at 05/05/2010 04:19:02 PM
I know a mom who is using a diaper bag as a purse/organizer. It has a nice, non-baby-oriented design on the outside, and she loves the pockets for holding thing.
Posted by: Garret at 05/05/2010 04:23:30 PM
Being a new parent I agree with most of these. But the diaper disposal bin is invaluable to us and is a quick, easy, clean and non-smelly way to dispose of diapers. Take away our Diaper Genie and there will be mutiny I also have to mildly disagree on the diaper bag. It has become my wifes purse and has pockets and holds everything that we need in the most organized fashion. And Eric has it right. A backpack for dad to get away from murse is always added bonus.
Posted by: Nope at 05/05/2010 04:33:21 PM
I completely disagree with all points except the garbage can and clothes. This is a better list: Diaper Warmer, Any Type of Walker, "Positioning" slabs of foam, sheet warmer, etc, etc...
Posted by: Debi at 05/05/2010 10:17:26 PM
Another thing for the DO NOT need list: Shoes. Not only are they unnecessary for non-walkers, they may be harmful for developing tootsies.
Posted by: Zed at 05/05/2010 10:53:18 PM
Being a dad of a 21 month old now I completely disagree with the diaper bin. That Diaper Genie is the best thing ever invented. It only costs a few bucks for the special bags but they are the best thing ever invented. I went without one for a few months after my lil one was born and boy did I hate trucking those stinky bags... You had to throw the used diapers as soon as posslble or it would stink up the entire room! Sure you can call me lazy but after changing a diaper at 3am the last thing I am thinking is to go down a flight of stairs, thru the garageto the outdoor bin to throw out that diaper. When we got that diaper genie I was amazed and angered at the same time. (Angered because I didn't come up with the idea before.... ) Not to mention that when my mom and mother-in-law used it they severely lamented the fact that the Diaper Genie was NOT invented in their time... That thing is worth EVERY SINGLE Penny...
Posted by: John at 05/06/2010 11:38:19 AM
More things you don't need are, wipe warmer, bumbo, lots of 0-6 month clothes, boppy, baby einstein videos, toys (at least for us, they get plenty from their grandparents), any toys that are supposed to help them develop anything (they seem to play with those the least), anything with their name embroidered on it (it just turns a $10 towel into a $20 towel, but it will still dry your kid the same), any clothes really (get as many as you can second hand, especially for newborns and kids 0-12 months)
Posted by: Tawny at 05/07/2010 09:49:31 AM
The playmat was a lifesaver when mine was too small to entertain herself and I needed a few quiet minutes to go to the bathroom or wash a few dishes. The exersaucer? She goes completely bonkers in it, and reaches for it all the time. Her legs are very strong because of the jumping she does, and we didn't put her in it until her feet touched the ground, as the instructions state. Without those two things, nothing would have ever gotten done, and I might have lost my sanity. The diaper bag is another thing that has proved valuable. And they make them stylish, even manly, these days. We have a Jeep bag and we can use it as an overnight bag for her later. I agree with the high chair and changing table. We plop a waterproof mat down on the carpet and that's where we change her. She's usually on the floor at this age anyway. LOL!
Posted by: AG at 05/07/2010 11:14:50 AM
Great write-up! All very good ideas. Why not save more money by potty training earlier. There's no need to leave them untrained until 3 years (reference to your point about the changing table)! Google the concept of "elimination communication". It works and is perfectly normal in countries where disposable diapers are unavailable. My daughter was potty trained at 3 months. Saves a whole lot of money on disposable diapers and is far kinder to the environment.
Posted by: krystal at 05/07/2010 09:51:28 PM
I agree with others here, I did use several things that I'm GLAD I had, like a high chair and diaper bag. When you have a newborn, they have so much you need to carry, it just doesn't fit in a regular purse!My biggest WASTE of money was electronic toys that look so good on commercials, but your baby never learns anything from them and they expect toys to entertain THEM instead of using their imagination. Plus, the toys are SOOO expensive and you can't hardly give them away, much less sell them for anywhere near what you paid for them. For baby clothes: BUY USED!!!
Posted by: Pencils at 05/08/2010 12:05:11 AM
My daughter had a jumperoo rather than an exersaucer, and she LOVED it. The baby's feet rest on the ground, unless she's jumping, and there are lots of toys to entertain her when she's not jumping. They're great. You can put your baby in one and have a few minutes of peace, or get something done. And we liked the play mat too--she stared at us all day long when she was awake, going down on the playmat was a treat because she got to look at other things than our faces! Yes, babies love human faces, but it's not a completely exclusive love. And I like our diaper bag, it looks like a messenger bag, but it has pockets appropriate for baby items, pockets an ordinary purse wouldn't have, and it was inexpensive. I also like our diaper disposal bin, it's kept diaper stink out of house for nineteen months. Every parent of a baby has a list like this, with what worked or didn't work for them. Use your head and you'll be OK.
Posted by: jen at 05/09/2010 12:10:57 AM
As a mom of 7 (and three days past my due date with number 8!), I have to say I totally agree with this list. In lieu of a diaper bag, I really like a backpack. You can do without 99% of the baby accoutrements out there! Babies aren't expensive, parents are.
Posted by: Doug at 05/19/2010 08:45:20 PM
Mostly I disagree with this list. As another father mentioned previously, the Diaper Genie is awesome, and has been worth every penny. Our baby loved her exersaucer and her play mat (the kind with dangling toys). The bit about "craving face time with mom and dad" completely ignores the importance of a baby needing to learn to play on his or her own without mom and dad hoovering constantly and directing the show. Also, an older parent, I'm glad we bought our (used) changing table, which is at the right height (good for the back). Totally agree on the clothes, and the other commenter's point about shoes. Mostly agree about the diaper bag as well -- the key is finding something that has the right number of pockets and space, regardless of how it's marketed -- ultimately, this may not end up being much of a cost savings.
Posted by: Trendy Strollers at 08/10/2010 09:02:25 AM
Nice info, many thanks to the author...