Once Upon a Child, Baby on a College Budget: Nursery Essentials for $40 or Less

Craigslist.com has been my savior this pregnancy. The key to getting excellent quality items for your baby ~ at a fraction of the price ~ is to begin early. As soon as you know you are pregnant, go ahead and bookmark two very resourceful pages: the baby section and the free section of craigslist. I set my homepage to the free section of craigslist, that way every time I opened my browser I would see if anything interesting was available. It may take a very long time till something noteworthy pops up, however, nothing beats free and the wait is well worth it.

Tips:

☆ Start early.

☆ Be patient.
☆ Set a maximum price you are willing to pay for any one item. My limit was $40.
☆ Be PICKY. You should have a total of 9 months to gather the things you need for your little one, hence there is no need to rush into buying something you are not absolutely in love with.
☆ Don't be afraid to say NO if the item is not in the condition you were expecting.
☆ Do check to make sure that what you are purchasing is perfectly safe and functional.
☆ Feel good about any purchases you made. After all, you saved money and did something good for the future home of your little one (buying gently used items is one of the best ways to reduce pollution by reducing trash and carbon emissions).

My Personal Experience with Craigslist:

☆ $40 Sleigh crib restained by previous owners.

☆ $25 Comfort & Harmony Portable Swing by Bright Starts. Retails for $109.99
Total savings $84.99.

☆ FREE! Graco Pack 'n Play and Bassinet. Perfect condition, some good lady wanted to make space in her attic and put this and several other items on the curb! It came neatly packed and a little dusty since it's been stored in the attic. After a good wash, it smells like lavender and it is everything I need for when Lyra is little. I love the fact that it is tall and my pups will not be able to bother her. The minimum price I've seen these on Amazon for is $70.