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Friday, January 22, 2010

What Not to Waste Your Money On!

DISCLAIMER: These are all products that I have tried and that have not worked FOR US. I fully understand how they may work for you, or for a family member, but for us, they were big. fat. fails. I don't think they'll be nearly as many DISLIKES as they were LIKES, but hey, I'm not that picky people!

Alright, that's out of the way.

1. Papasan Swings. I linked to one that LOOKS like mine except for the color scheme. Mine IS an older model, which may account for some of my hate for it, but honestly, I can't stand the thing. Let me explain:
- It's huge. And bulkier than most swings.
- Most models are NOT plug in (which I realize isn't uncommon).
- Keevia hates it.
- The main thing: It doesn't swing enough. The thing barely moves. AT ALL. It does not swing enough to entertain Keevs. Yes, it looks cute. But it is not in the least bit functional.

I only paid $50 at a yard sale for this swing, and I am so thankful I didn't pay the full price. Get a cheaper model that actually SWINGS your child and you'll be much happier.

2. Baby Baths, I also have this one. I didn't buy a bath, they were given to me... and honestly, I don't use them. If you want one, ask around, a family member or friend may have one to pass along, or at the very least buy one used. Definitely not worth the full-price sticker. We just bathe Keevia in the kitchen or bathroom sink, and I seem to have a heck of a lot better control of her body than in a baby bath. Also, my back/knees don't allow me to bend over a fullsize bath tub that long, and I don't have enough counter space to put it in the kitchen.

3. Outfits. Okay, some people may really disagree with this one. Honestly, buy less than 5 outfits in each size. Have a few pairs of additional pants, and a pack or two of onesies. Keevia spends 90% of her time in sleepers, and I have a ton of outfits in each size that she's never worn. Maybe if I have twin girls next we'll go through them all, but I doubt it! Now, again, I didn't buy the clothes for Keevia.. they were a gift, and a gift I seriously could not be more grateful for, but save yourself some money and don't go crazy! If you find yourself running low, you can always buy more!

4. Infant Car Seat. I don't own this particular one, I just picked out a cute one. Honestly, I think, financially, you are better off NOT buying an infant seat and just buying a good quality convertible. Instead of maybe 1 year of use (for $109) you can get 2+ years of use for $150. PLUS, if you buy the convertible first and skip the infant, INSTANT savings of $109.

Now, there are a lot of arguments for the carseat, and I'll agree that it is nice to be able to take a sleeping baby into the store. So, just get a baby carrier and put them in there, I would almost guarantee they'll go right back to sleep!

5. Baby shoes. Obviously if your child is walking this isn't relevant... but honestly, shoes on a 2 month old? They can't be that comfortable, and fashion isn't THAT important. If you want a cute baby, then use these socks, or these socks. That way they LOOK like they have shoes on with the comfort of socks! Oh, and P.S. you can get them way cheaper if you buy them at Target, I just couldn't find the link.

6. Stroller. Alright, I realize that this one isn't for everyone. But, if you really wanna save money, you can forgo the stroller. If you live in a big city, and go shopping a lot, by all means, spend the money. But so far, in 3 months of life, Keevia has used hers twice. And by "used hers" I mean that it has been a coat carrier and diaper bag holder for me, and Keevs has spent about 5 minutes in it. So, for my family, I could have forgone the stroller and just paid $5 to rent one when we venture to a mall.

There are other things that I personally don't use, and don't see the sense in (Bumbo seat, baby monitor, etc). But I think that they sometimes fit other peoples needs. Right now our house/apartment are so tiny I don't have need for a baby monitor. If we end up getting a trailer or something, I may!

Hope this may have helped someone a little bit! Good luck!

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