thrifty find: graco baby gear

When I mentioned my bread maker yesterday, I realized it had been a few weeks since I shared one of my favorite thrifty finds with you. :) I love thrifting, but I haven't been able to go all the time in the past few months like I used to. 

Something about being pregnant makes your house become like a magnet for you- you don't ever want to leave, and then once you have to, you want to go right back home and you don't even know why. :) I used to be such a go, go, go person, but I don't mind staying home at all anymore- I kind of love it now. :)

Besides meals and painting lists, I haven't been planning ahead much either, but right after we found out we were having a boy, I started mentally making a list of all the things we would need for this little one. :D I can't believe that it will be 8 years in May since we've had a newborn boy in the house. {I tell my boys to stop growing up already, but they just won't listen!}. :)

Even though it's been several years, I've saved almost everything baby-related {I just recently started giving big kid clothes away because we have way too many}, so we really don't need much as far as I can tell. 

The one big thing we did "need" was a gender-neutral carseat. I absolutely love our last one- it is a lovely purple-gray Laura Ashley Graco carseat in this pattern:

I bought it used for $60 a few years ago, and we still have it in the attic because I just can't seem to part with it. It could work if we needed it to, of course, but the purple flowers seemed a bit girly for this little guy. I had been researching patterns online and came across this Rittenhouse pattern that could work for either a boy or a girl:

I really liked it, but the car seat with one base was $159 new. Ouch! Is it me, or does that seem like how much the car seat and stroller together used to cost??

I really wasn't sure I could ever part with that much cash for just a car seat. Even if I resold it, it would be for a big loss.

I figured I had months to try to find one for a good deal, but the week before we did our ultrasound, I found one with two bases used for a fraction of the price! Crazy how that works. :)

The day after we found out it was a boy, I emailed and met the girl who had it. It was one owner, in great condition, never had been in an accident, still under the manufacturer's expiration date by years, and even had the instructions with it! {AAP guidelines for buying used car seats here}.

The used car seat price? 

$45. 

I saved over $100 and got the carseat I wanted, just by letting someone else use it for a few months. :)

Gotta love buying secondhand! :D


What thrifty deals have you scored lately? I'd love to hear!

Do you love staying home like I do these days? It's something magnetic and irresistible, isn't it??

Have you ever bought baby items used? 

I jumped on the used bandwagon after the first baby. Everything was brand new for him {and we were so blessed to be given almost all of it!}. Later, when we had to buy something ourselves, we tried to find it used. That and we were broke, so new wasn't an option. LOL! We did buy a brand new purple Bumbo once when they first came out.

Do you have a favorite color or pattern you find yourself liking on everything, even baby stuff?

With my first baby I bought all Noah's Ark stuff, but with the last few I tend to buy what I like to look at the most- pretty diaper bags, cute non-baby fabrics, etc. Hey, the baby doesn't care anyway, right? :) Right now I'm loving the damask and chevron prints, and lots of funky bright florals. I'm trying to keep it gender neutral, but just I'm in love with big flowers, you know?