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Oh baby! With the average newborn racking up $6000 for the first year alone, expectant moms and dads need all the creative cost-cutting ideas they can find. Baby Bargains is the answer. Inside, parents find detailed ratings and reviews of baby gear, plus handy charts that compare brands and models.
Congratulations, you're expecting a baby! What you may not be expecting is all of the requisite gear you "need" to look after your dear bundle. Fear not. Denise and Alan Fields, authors of Bridal Bargains, are here to tell you what's super and what's silly, and how to find it at the best price. You'll learn all about how (and where) to shop for a crib and dresser (including how to get European styling at reasonable prices), what you need in bedding and what can be skipped (a hint: no baby requires the $200 quilt!), which clothing brands are safest and least expensive, and how to shop for monitors, toys, car seats, strollers, books, videos, and more. The authors have field-tested every major brand (and several of the minor ones), and they provide star ratings and annotations at the end of every chapter. A helpful feature in each chapter called "Wastes of Money" will steer you away from $35 Baby Air Jordans and frilly diaper stackers that match your bedding. If that's not enough, they offer a money-back guarantee: If the book doesn't save you at least $250 in baby expenses, they'll refund the price of the book. Well researched and written in a witty and comfortable tone, Baby Bargains should be required reading for every safety- and money-conscious parent-to-be. --Rebecca A. Staffel
Obsolete & Out of TouchReviewed by C Harris, 2010-03-06
I probably regret this purchase more than any other
pregnancy-motivated purchase I've made to date. It really
represents the greatest of all pregnancy missteps-- the
substitution of silly advice for your own common sense.
A book cannot possibly keep pace with new products the way the
reviews at a website can. On average, the sample size of
user/reviewers at a website like amazon will surpass what this book
can offer. There are many great bloggers out their reviewing
products and plenty of product rating sites to boot that will be
more current and helpful.
Moreover, whatever your income bracket, website reviews will do a
better job of linking you to people whose income situation and
perspective are similar to yours. Though my husband and I are both
professionals, we just weren't the target audience for this book.
With a straight face, they recommended an $800.00 budget for
maternity clothes (over $150 for your maternity undergarments
alone! Did you know Agent Provocateur had a maternity line?) and
spending $600.00 as a middle-of-the-road amount for a convertible
crib. Nice convertible cribs are now available for much closer to
half that amount. In short, when I contemplate a $375 dollar
stroller, I don't want to hear the perspective of someone who would
spend that money on a pair of shoes without thinking twice. I want
to hear from people who thought long and hard about it and who
viewed the stroller as a major purchase in the same way that I
would--did THAT person feel it was worth the cash?
I also found their rationale for ratings dubious: "This huge crib
company had a single model two years ago that had to be recalled
after several babies were injured, some fatally, so we give them an
F. Avoid." Well, okay. That's an understandable emotional response,
but not a rational one. I think it likely that the experience was
educational for the crib company in question and that the resulting
lawsuits taught them to do more thorough checks-- they're probably
now more cautious than ever when it comes to product design &
safety testing. Another reality check for me was criticism of the
maternity clothes at a couple major chains-- while I don't dispute
that their quality is often dubious, the authors failed to
recognize that for many of us in America, those chains and box
stores are ALL THAT ARE AVAILABLE. Moreover, most of us really
don't see clothes that will only be worn for 6 months (at the
outside) as an investment opportunity, so quality isn't of
paramount importance. Besides, how do you review clothing lines in
a useful way in a book? They change constantly. Far better to look
up reviews online for the exact shirt you are thinking about.
I don't find that the authors have any special insight into what
parents will need and use. They do not test products in any
meaningful way a la consumer reports. They do not share the
perspective of most Americans when it comes to "bargains." If you
can get to the internet, you can do better for free. If you can't
(which means you're not reading this), and you don't crave a
patronizing authority figure to tell you what to do, save the money
for a cute onesie or a copy of Happiest Baby on the Block.
Disappointing numbersReviewed by C.S.R.G., 2010-03-02
I read and used the Bridal Bargains book with relish several years
ago, so now that I'm expecting, I picked up a copy of the Baby
Bargains book, 8th edition, copyright 2009 (version 8.0 bought new
Dec., 2009).
Although I appreciate the warnings and advice, the lists of baby
needs, and the overview of shops, I must say I'm disappointed in
several aspects of this book.
After reading the first chapter, I took their advice to heart -- go
find a crib now! (I'm 17 weeks). And a mattress, too.
What disappoints me is how utterly WRONG the listed price ranges
are for these most-expensive items. Most of the listed prices are
20% to 50% LESS than actual web and store prices for cribs,
mattresses, and other furniture. (Note that they promise "secrets
to saving 20-50%" on the cover.) For example, the authors list the
Colgate Classica I mattress at $100 (p. 101). A web search reveals
the cheapest price is $134 plus shipping. On the Bargains website,
forum members complain about the $130 price tag for the value. Even
Amazon lists this mattress for $150, as do most retailers. That's a
35% to 50% increase over the price listed by the authors.
And the cribs? Fuggedaboutit. The Munire, Romina, and Creations
cribs they tout are nowhere near the $400 - $700 at the low end,
and far more than the high-end listed. It's easily a 30% markup or
more.
I guess if you downgrade the numbers, you sure can save the 20% to
50% they promise... on paper.
Other items do seem to check out on price comparisons, such as the
diaper pails, car seats, and high chairs, but the priciest items
are way off.
I'm also disappointed in their website, which has nowhere for
feedback on the book that I can see, and no search engine for the
site (other than the boards).
As a professional editor, I'm also distracted by the many, many
technical errors in the book. ("Baby storeowner" on pg 69's inset:
"Bait & Switch"; surely they don't mean store-owners who are
themselves babies? But that's what it says (it should be
"baby-store owners"). And it's website -- one word.) Plus the
numerous fragments are driving me nuts. If they can't produce clean
copy after EIGHT editions and countless printings, then why should
we trust their assessments?
Buy a used copy of this book.
Everyone should get this book.Reviewed by SMS, 2010-02-17
This book is awesome and saved us so much money. I recommend it to anyone having a baby. It's so informational and we took it with us anytime we went baby shopping.
Excellent resource for baby layetteReviewed by W.W., 2010-02-17
I find the book very useful in deciding what are quality and practical products to buy for your baby. There are too many useless baby products out there that we really don't need and this book really helps you sort some of the things out. I find the reviews in this book more reliable than reviews found on many Internet sites. It is an excellent reference to have around the house when you need something for your baby.
Awesome book!!!Reviewed by Carmen A. Collins, 2010-02-16
For a first time mom who has only one friend with a baby this book was a God send. I had absolutely no clue what to buy for our baby and this book told me everything I needed to know, of course there were a couple of unnecessary items but you can make up your mind about what you need and what you don't need. I highly recommend this book :)
