A nursery can be a big expense for first-time parents. The idea of buying furniture, décor, and everything else needed for a nursery can be scary. If you’re on a tight budget, you may look at prices and wonder how you’re going to afford it all. First, you need to realize that many first-time parents buy more than they need. They also get it in their heads that everything must be brand new for their precious children. Truth be told, your baby isn’t going to care if she’s sleeping in the crib that your parents used for you and your siblings and neither should you. What you should care about is creating a nursery that is safe and comfortable for your newborn. Let’s take a closer look at nursery budgeting.
Decorating a Nursery on a Budget
Make a List of Must-Have Items
Sit down with other parents and get a true response on the things you need for a nursery. Baby experts are going to try to upsell you on everything. This is how parents end up with things in the nursery that never get used. You will need a crib and crib mattress, changing table and pad, rocking chair/glider, and a dresser for your child’s clothing. A mobile will also help a child be more relaxed. These are must-haves.
Welcome and Request Hand Me Downs
Never turn down free items as a parent. These hand me downs can save you a lot of money. As a first-time parent, you may want to create the cutest nursery with the latest color trends, but why? You can make a nursery just as cute by updating hand me downs. You just have to get creative.
Keep Decorations Simple
It’s nice to have cute things on the wall for your child to look at, but you don’t want to spend a fortune. You can find wall decals at the Dollar Tree that will make the room look pretty. You don’t have to decorate every square inch of the space. Tone it down a notch and you’ll save a lot of money.
Join Local Facebook Parenting Groups
There are so many wonderful parenting groups on Facebook. Some of these groups are devoted to sharing items that parents no longer need for free. This is a great way to get the things you need for your nursery. As your child grows, you can give back to the community that helped you. This is also a great place to share hand me downs that didn’t work for your space.
Shop Secondhand
Thrift stores, flea markets, and yard sales can be treasure troves of furniture. Why spend more than you have to? Hit these stores as often as you can. Thrift stores, for example, are always getting in new stock. Yard sales are great because people often just want to get rid of things and may make you an amazing deal. As for flea markets, it can be hit or miss. Some people have a flea market booth that they sell from every week. Others are just there to unload the stuff they no longer need. The second seller is the one you want to look for.
Hunt for Clearance Deals
Last, but not least, keep your eyes peeled when shopping in stores like Walmart and Target. You can sometimes find amazing clearance deals. Walk through the clearance section and the baby section. Stores don’t always move things to a designated clearance area. Also, if you’re in Walmart, use the Walmart app to scan items that are on clearance to see if the items are any lower than already marked.
A nursery doesn’t have to cost a lot of money. Thanks to family and friends, you can get a number of the things you need for free. As a new parent, you will have many, many chances to spend money on your child. Don’t use this as an excuse to overspend. Give your baby what she needs to be safe and comfortable and add to the space as money permits.
Did you like this article? Want to save even more money? Check out the post Save Money Instantly with These Tips. I also share money saving tips on my YouTube channel. If you have a moment, share a comment below on how you saved money setting up a nursery.