Baby Bargains: Secrets to Saving 20% to 50% on baby furniture, gear, clothes, strollers, maternity wear and much, much more!

by Denise Fields, Alan Fields

Overview

America's best-selling and best-loved guide to baby gear is back with an updated and revised edition!

Yes, a baby book that actually answers the big question about having a baby: How am I going to afford all this?

With the average cost of a baby topping $7000 for just the first year alone, new parents need creative solutions and innovative ideas to navigate the consumer maze that confronts all parents-to-be. Baby Bargains is the answer!

Inside, you’ll discover:

• NAME BRAND REVIEWS of car seats, bedding, strollers ,high chairs, diapers and more!

• Dozens of safety tips to affordably baby proof your home.

• FIVE wastes of money with baby clothes and the best outlet bargains.

• NINE tips to saving money on cribs, plus in-depth reviews of crib brands.

• THE TRUTH ABOUT STROLLERS—and which brands work best in the real world.

• The SEVEN MOST RIDICULOUS BABY PRODUCTS.

• DETAILED CHARTS that compare brands of cribs, strollers, car seats and more!

This new 11th edition adds the latest tips and advice on getting bargains on baby gear, including:

1. The latest model strollers and car seats, all reviewed and rated.
2. Detailed crib reviews with in-depth brand comparisons.
3. Good, better and best picks for dozens of items, from high chairs to infant car seats.
4. Expanded coverage of baby carriers with best picks.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781889392493
Publisher:	Windsor Peak Press
Publication date:	04/18/2015
Pages:	640
Sales rank:	433,187
Product dimensions:	4.30(w) x 8.90(h) x 1.50(d)

About the Author

Authors Denise and Alan Fields are consumer advocates who've been featured on Oprah, The Today Show, Good Morning America and Dateline NBC. Their books include the best-selling paperbacks Bridal Bargains, Baby 411 and Toddler 411. Learn more about their books at BabyBargains.com.

Authors Denise and Alan Fields are consumer advocates who've been featured on Oprah, The Today Show, Good Morning America and Dateline NBC. Their books include the best-selling paperbacks Bridal Bargains, Baby 411 and Toddler 411. Learn more about their books at BabyBargains.com.

Table of Contents

Table of Contents from last edition:

Chapter 1

“IT’S GOING TO CHANGE YOUR LIFE”   

The Four Truths That No One Tells You    1
What Does a Baby Cost For the First Year?    2
Reality Check: How Much You Can Save    4
What? There’s No Advertising in this Book?    4
So, Who Are You Guys?    5
7 Commandments of Baby Bargains    6
What You Need When    8
We Get Questions: Top 5 Q&A    9
What’s New in This Edition?    11

Chapter 2

NURSERY NECESSITIES: CRIBS, DRESSERS & MORE

The Downside of Waiting Until the Last Minute    13
Cribs    15
The Five Basic Sources    15
    The Four Essential Parts to a Nursery    18
    More Money Buys You    19
    Three Golden Rules of Crib Shopping    20   
The Old Crib Trap and Nine Other Safety Tips    21
Recalls: Where to Find Information    26
“Baby Buying Frenzy” and 10 More Shopper Tips    26
Under crib Drawers and Five Other Wastes of Money    30
Top Eight Things No One Tells You    32
Nine Money-Saving Secrets    34
Baby Superstores: Good, Bad & Ugly     37
    Specialty Chains    42
Five Outlet Stores    43
    Baby Registries Disappoint    44
Reviews & Ratings of 50 Crib Brands    45
Not Made in China    49   
Baby Tenda    52
Organic Baby Furniture    59
    Co-sleepers & Hi-Tech Cradles    65
Hotel Cribs: Hazardous at $200 a night    74
8 Tips to Lower Risk of SIDS    90
    Our picks: Crib Brand Recommendations    93
    Chart: Crib Brands Compared    94
Bassinets/Cradles    96
Mattresses    98
“Coil Overkill” and Two More Smart Shopping Tips    98
Top Picks: Brand Recommendations—Coil, Foam, Organic    101
Dressers & Changing Tables    103
    What Is French Dove-tail? Corner Blocks?    104
    Safe & Sound: Three Tips    106
    Our picks: Brand Recommendations    107
Six More Items for the Nursery    108
The Bottom Line: Save $2000+ With Our Tips    113

Chapter 3

BABY BEDDING & DECOR

Six Sources for The Best Quality and Prices    116
Cyberspace: Four Great Sites    117
More than Sheets: The Four Basic Bedding Pieces    119
Electric Blanket Warning and Nine More Safety Tips    123
Looking for Mr. Good Bedding: Nine Shopper Tips    128
Diaper Stackers and Six More Wastes of Money    130
Skipping the Quilt and Seven More Money-Saving Secrets    131
Reviews & Ratings of 51 Top Bedding Designers    133
Tips on Green Crib Bedding    141
The Bottom Line: Our Budget Saves You $800 to $900    155
Chart: Bedding Designers Compared    156

Chapter 4

THE REALITY LAYETTE: LITTLE CLOTHES FOR LITTLE PRICES

When to Start Stocking Up on Clothes & Diapers    159
Nine Basic Sources    160
Baby Clothes    163
    Garage & Yard Sales: Eight Tips for the Best Bargains    164   
    Cyberspace: Web sources for deals    164
What Is a Layette?    167
    What Does More Money Buy You?    174
Drawstrings and Three Other Safety Tips    174
One Size Does Not Fit All    176
Laundry Conundrum: What’s Best for Baby?    177
Beware of Appliqués and 8 Other Smart Shopper Tips    179
The Fuzz Factor: Five Wastes of Money    180
Baby Needs a New Pair of Shoes    182
Second Hand Bargains and 10 More Money-Saving Tips    184
Carter’s and Six Other Clothing Outlets    188
Best Bets: Best, Good and Skip It    191
Nine Great Mail-Order Clothing Catalogs    192
Our Picks: Brand Recommendations    196
Diapers    196
13 CyberSpace Diaper Sources    198
    Who’s Got the Cheapest Diapers?    201
Our Picks: Brand Recommendations    201
Which Cloth Diapers Work Best?    207
Buy in Bulk and Ten Other Money-Saving Secrets    211
The Bottom Line: Slash Clothing, Diaper Costs by $300    213

Chapter 5

MATERNITY/NURSING CLOTHES

Maternity & Nursing Clothes    215
Getting Started: When Do You Need Maternity Stuff?    215
Ten Surprising Sources    216
    Cyberspace: 15 sites    217
Your Pregnant Wardrobe: How Much Will You Need?    221
Reader Poll: Best Nursing Clothes Brands    226
Battling Your Wacky Thermostat    228
Fetal Monitors: Are They Safe?    230
Our Picks: Brand Recommendations—Undergarments    229
Our Picks: Brand Recommendations—Nursing Clothes    231
Help! My Feet Have Swollen!    232
Plus Size & 12 Other Money-Saving Tips    234
Reviews of Maternity Chain Stores    238
    Watch Out for Return Policies    239
Stay Fit: Pregnancy Workout Videos    241
Bottom Line: Save $1000 With Your Tips    243

Chapter 6

FEEDING BABY: BREASTFEEDING, BOTTLES, HIGH CHAIRS

Breastfeeding    245
Eight Sources for Help    246
    Six Web Sites For Breast Pumps    249
    Chart: Which Pump Works Best?    251
    Breast Milk Storage Options    252
    Reviews & Ratings: 12 Breast Pumps Compared    253
Breastfeeding in Public: Four Tips and Advice    254
Our Picks: Brand Recommendations    262
When to Buy a Pump    263
Formula    264
    Organic Formula and Other Options    265
    Nine Money Saving Tips    268
Bottles/Nipples    271
    Bottle Warmers & Sterilizes    272
Baby Food    273
Taste Tests and Five Other Safety Hints    274
Make Your Own and Five More Money-Saving Tips    277
    Toddler Foods: Waste of Money?    279
Reviews & Ratings of Six Brands    279   
High Chairs    282
Strap Me In and Five Other Safety Tips    282
Smart Shopper Tips: Basic Features and More    284
Reviews & Ratings of 21 Brands    286
Our Picks: Brand Recommendations    299
Chart: High Chairs Compared    300
Hook-On Chairs & Boosters    302

Chapter 7

AROUND THE HOUSE: MONITORS, DIAPER PAILS, SAFETY & MORE

Getting Started: What You Need, When    305
Best Bath Tubs    308
Six More Items for the Baby’s Room    309
The Best Diaper Pails: Reviews & Ratings    310
Coupon Sites Cut Online Shopping Costs    315
Bouncer Seats    316
Monitors    318
Bugging Your House and Four Other Shopping Tips    318
Reviews & Ratings of 10 Brands    323
    Chart: Monitors Compared    326
    Our Picks: Brand Recommendations    331
Swings: Godsend or Neglect-o-matic?    332
Baby Proofing: Safety    333
    Top Ten Baby Products That Should Be Banned    334
    Gates: Our Picks    336
    Ten Tips for Safe Toys    338
    Baby First Aid Kit    343   
    Top 11 Safety Must-Haves    345
Play Yards: The Best Bets    346
   
Chapter 8

CAR SEATS

Getting Started & Four Sources to Find Car Seats    350
Cyberspace: Six Great Sites For Car Seat Info    351
One Size Does NOT Fit All and Nine More Smart Tips    353
11 Car Seat Safety Tips    366
Four Money Saving Secrets    370
Reviews & Ratings of 13 Top Brands    372
What is the Lightest Infant Car Seat Carrier?    378
Model by Model Reviews: Infant Car Seats    382
Model by Model Reviews: Convertible Car Seats    396
Our Picks: Brand Recommendations—Infant Seats    415
Our Picks: Brand Recommendations—Convertible Seats    416
Booster Seats    417
    Nine Smart Shopping Tips: Testing, Harnesses & More    420
    When Is a Child Ready to Stop Using a Booster?    426
    Model by Model Reviews: Booster Car Seats    427
    Our Picks: Brand Recommendations—Booster Seats    443

Chapter 9

STROLLERS, DIAPER BAGS, CARRIERS AND OTHER TO GO GEAR

Strollers    446
    Six Types of Strollers    447
Untrustworthy Brakes and More Safety Advice    450
What Features Do You Really Need?    451
Silly Stroller Accessories & Other Wastes of Money    459
Stroller Overkill and Nine Other Money-Saving Secrets    460
Reviews & Ratings: The 35 Best & Worst Brands    462
Shopping Cart Covers: Our Top Picks    470
    The Latest From Europe: Trends & Fads    474       
Our Picks: Brand Recommendations by Lifestyle    510
    Bugaboo Smackdown: The Best Bugaboo Imitators    514
    Chart: Stroller Round-up    516
    Chart: All-Terrain Strollers Compared    518
    Three Mistakes to Avoid with Joggers    520
    Strollers for Two: Double the Fun    521
Discount Mail Order Source    522
Bike Trailers & Seats    523
Diaper Bags    525
Top Nine Items for a Well-Stocked Diaper Bag    528
Our Picks: Brand Recommendations    529
Carriers    531
    Four Carrier Types & Our Top Picks    531

Chapter 10

CHILD CARE: OPTIONS, COSTS & MORE

The Three Basic Options for Child Care    539
Dependent Care Accounts & Three More Money-Savers    541
11 Questions to Ask a Child Care Provider    542
Au Pair Option    543
Does Your Nanny Have a Past?    544

Chapter 11

CONCLUSION: WHAT DOES IT ALL MEAN?

Average Costs vs. Our Baby Bargains Budget    545
Our Parting Advice    545

Appendix A: Canadian Sources & Bargains    546
Appendix B: Sample Gift Registry    555
Appendix C: Multiples Advice: Twins and more    559
Appendix D: Phone/Web Directory    561
Index   
Contact Us   
Our Other Books   
About the Authors    Inside Back Cover
 

What People are Saying About This

From the Publisher

As seen on Oprah!

Editorial Reviews

"The bible for new parents"
The New York Times

From the Publisher