Baby bargains!

When Eric and I first found out we were having twins, it was a little overwhelming to think about all of the "stuff" that we needed!  Of course, we already have ONE of everything, and we went from feeling like we were "all set" to feeling like we were almost starting all over because there was so much that we needed TWO of!  We set up a registry at Buy Buy Baby back in December (and by the way if you have one of these stores near you and you have a baby, you should check it out!  Ours is SO much nicer than Babies R Us and they even take the 20% coupons from Bed Bath & Beyond since they're owned by the same company!), mostly to just have a list of everything that we needed to get before April.  I'm happy to report that I've been able to delete almost all of the large items off of the list!!  I've been a very thrifty shopper the past few months... I think my Mom would be proud!  :)

Here is my list of shopping accomplishments!

NEEDED: a 2nd crib
FULL PRICE: $250 for a Simplicity 4-in-1 Convertible Crib to match the one we have
SPENT: $30 for TWO brand new Delta Eclipse 4-in-1 cribs!!!
HOW: This is my favorite shopping story of all!  I was randomly browsing Craigslist one day and found an ad for the very same crib that we have, for sale for $100.  So I contacted the girl and we set up a time to meet.  The crib was in great shape and matched ours exactly, so I considered myself lucky to have found another crib for just $100.  BUT, then when I was searching online to find the instruction manual for the crib, I found out that it had been recalled last year!!  I had no idea!  Apparently the frame that holds the mattress can break easily... not good.  So I had 2 cribs, both of them "unsafe", and 2 newborns on the way.  There was no way I could sleep well at night!  After looking on Target's website for info on the recall (that was where we bought the crib originally before Chase was born), I found out that if you brought the crib back in to the store, they would give you a store credit for the full purchase price.  So, it was the easiest thing in the world: Eric and I took both of the cribs into Target and received 2 gift cards worth $250 each!!!  We found a new crib that we liked, the Delta Eclipse 4-in-1 crib, which was very similar to the one we had before (but safer!), and it cost exactly $250.  They only had one crib in stock, so we bought that one and went back for the other one a few weeks later.  And guess what happened when we went back for the other one?  It was on SALE for $180!!  So I figure we only spent $100 (craigslist crib) - $70 (gift card credit) = $30 on TWO BRAND NEW CRIBS!  Crazy!!!

NEEDED: a 2nd high chair
FULL PRICE: $150 for a Chicco high chair to match the one we have
SPENT: $60 
HOW: found a friend who had barely used her Chicco highchair and bought hers... really, you've never seen such a clean high chair!  :)

NEEDED: a stroller to hold 3 kids while I go for a walk!
FULL PRICE: $380 for a Joovy Big Caboose stroller
SPENT: $125
HOW: a friend of mine who had twins and then another son shortly afterward just happened to have the exact stroller I wanted sitting in her garage!  It was in really great shape and she could have sold it to someone else for so much more!  This stroller will hold 2 car seat carriers, plus it has an toddler seat on the back for Siena.  The down side is that it's too big to fit in our car, or any car for that matter, but at least I can use it for walks around the neighborhood!  After discovering that it wouldn't fit in the car, I decided I also needed...

NEEDED: a double stroller that will hold 2 car seat carriers and still fit in the car!
FULL PRICE: $100 for a Baby Trend Double Snap n Go stroller
SPENT: $45
HOW:  I recently joined the Tampa Bay Area Mothers of Multiples group and they have an online message board with classifieds.  Another mom with twins sold her stroller to me for less than half price.  There's no seat for Siena, but at least now I can get both twins from the car to the door of the doctor's office without making multiple trips!

NEEDED: a 2nd car seat
FULL PRICE: $180 for a new Chicco car seat
SPENT: $100 for 2 gently used Chicco car seats, newer and safer than the old one I had
HOW: My plan was to just buy one more car seat since we still had the old Chicco from Chase (and Siena).  But I didn't really like the idea that the car seats wouldn't fit in the same base (they have since changed the design) and that one would be newer and safer than the other .... how could I decide which twin got that one?!  So again, I went on the Mothers of Multiples message board and found a mom of twin girls who was ready to sell her car seats.  They are the newer model, both the same, so I don't have to worry about which side of the car to put each one!

NEEDED: a 2nd baby swing
FULL PRICE: $160 for a Fisher Price Cradle n Swing, like the one we already have
SPENT: $55
HOW: I found almost the exact same swing that we already have, at a consignment store, in great shape!


NEEDED: a twin nursing pillow
FULL PRICE: $60 for an EZ-2-Nurse Twins pillow
SPENT: free!!!
HOW: a very generous friend who has 1 year old twins gave me her nursing pillow for free!

NEEDED: a new baby carrier that won't hurt my back... the Bjorn that we have caused lots of back problems for me before, and I need to be able to carry one twin and have free hands to take care of the other.  Or go shopping at the grocery store with one in the carrier and one in the car seat!
FULL PRICE: $130 for an Ergo Baby Carrier and infant insert
SPENT: free!!!
HOW: another very generous friend gave me her carrier and insert for free!

NEEDED: another mattress for the 2nd crib
FULL PRICE: around $150-$200
SPENT: free!!!
HOW: yet another very generous friend let me have her crib mattress that she no longer needed.

I'm so grateful for so many helpful friends!!  I can't wait to "pay it forward"... if you find yourself in my shoes and having twins, let me know: I have two of everything now and I'll be glad to share!   :)