Cheapskate Challenge [& Giveaway]: Crib & Accessories for $350?

January 13, 2011 By

Last year I helped a teen mom with no income and very little family support prepare for her baby’s arrival. It was an interesting exercise because it forced me to think about what’s really essential and what’s not.

Are you up for a similar challenge?

Let’s say you only have $350 (including shipping) to buy the following 10 items online today:

  • Crib (full-size, fixed-side)
  • Crib Mattress
  • Two waterproof mattress protectors
  • 3 crib sheets
  • 3 swaddling blankets (actual blankets big enough for swaddling, not SwaddleMe, etc.)

What would you buy?

Think carefully. Try to choose items with the highest quality possible rather than simply choosing the cheapest items you can. What do you buy? It can be done! All items must be new and in stock. You can exclude sales tax from your total.

This giveaway is now closed to new entries. Enter  your list–complete with item names, links, prices and reasons– as a comment below by tomorrow at 5 pm ET.

I’ll select a winner randomly from the comments that meet the criteria I’ve outlined here. The winner will receive a $25 Amazon.com gift certificate. You must be 18 or older to enter. One entry per household.

I’ll share some of your ideas, along with the list of items I came up with, in the post that announces the winner.

Good luck!

Filed Under: Deals & Sales, Essential Articles, QandA Tagged With:

Comments

  1. Mindi Jacob says:
    January 14, 2011 at 4:54 pm

    Save the BANK! Spend less than $350 on baby essentials…and have a little money left to buy some cute baby clothes!

    Crib and Mattress (as seen on BC!):
    Walmart
    Graco Lauren 4-in-1 Crib with free mattress:
    http://www.walmart.com/ip/Graco-Lauren-4-in-1-Convertible-Classic-Fixed-Side-Crib-and-Bonus-Mattress-Espresso/14979838?findingMethod=rr
    (Love the simple style and color selections – pluss it converts, so it’s useful for a longer period of time!)
    $145 (free shipping with site to store)

    Mattress Pads:
    Walmart
    Kid-Ding Waterproof Ultra-Soft Quilted Mattress Pad
    (Added comfort for the baby with the soft, quilted design, deep pockets to keep it snug in place on mattress, machine washable and basic white!)
    $14.98 x 2 = $29.96 (free shipping with site to store)

    Sheets:
    Walmart
    Summer Infant Ultimate Crib Sheet
    http://www.walmart.com/ip/Summer-Infant-Ultimate-Crib-Sheet/13241521
    (Changing them is SO easy – totally worth the price for the convenience!)
    $15 x 3 = $45 (free shipping site to store)

    Swaddling Blankets:
    Amazon
    SwaddleDesigns Lightweight Marquisette Swaddling Blanket
    (Larger size than receiving blankets, so useful for much longer! Also, fabric makes it not-to-hot for the baby, no matter the season.)
    $15 x 3 = $45 (free shipping with Amazon Mom/Amazon Prime)

    Total:
    $264.96

    Left in budget: $85.04! Time to check out the sale sections and maximize that budget for baby clothes! Or order some diapers with 20% coupon code, 30% off with Amazon Mom and free shipping from Amazon!

« Older Comments