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Anticipating Baby
The Unexpected Cost of Parenthood
By Jenn Director Knudsen
Johnson bought her son's changing table and Baby Bjorn at a resale shop. She bought his bedding on clearance at K-Mart. And though she buys name-brand clothing for her baby, she only purchases clearance items.
Savvy expectant parents also should register for the big-ticket items or purchase floor models. That's how Heather Jones, a San Jose, Calif.-based marketing consultant, saved money when furnishing the nursery for her newborn son. "I also borrowed a breast pump from a friend, also knowing that no one would want to spend $200 on such a non-cute baby gift," she says. Jones was dumbfounded to learn one "decent" nursing bra cost up to $50, so she saved a bit by scrimping on a nondescript diaper bag for $24. "I know there's a big fashion statement to be made with baby bags these days," Jones says. "But, really, what's wrong with a plain vinyl bag or a decent backpack?"
Stacie Young, a new mom from San Diego, Calif., also was "overwhelmed" by the "rampant commercialization" of having a baby. She got lots of good tips from friends and from Baby Bargains: Secrets to Saving 20% to 50% on Baby Furniture, Equipment, Clothes, Toys, Maternity Wear and Much, Much More! (Windsor Peak Press, 2005) by Alan and Denise Fields. Clearly, your new baby doesn't need everything. He just needs a warm place to feel safe and loved; a constant supply of food; and parents well-versed in the expected – and perhaps shockingly unexpected – costs of bringing a baby into the world and caring for it.
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