Hello everyone.  As I got ready for my first baby, top of mind was what type of stroller to buy.  I remember visiting a large-scale baby store near me and almost bursting into tears when I realized how many stroller options were out there.  Choice can create anxiety and case in point is the world of strollers!  Since buying a stroller is such an overwhelming decision for new parents, I was thrilled when Evelyn of Mommy Stroller offered to write a post for us with tips on saving up for your dream stroller.  Read on for her tips and for more on Evelyn, see below.  

How many times have you faced a situation whereby you settle for something “lesser” than what you actually want? Believe it or not, this scenario is quite common among parents looking to purchase the best stroller for their family.

As a parent, I fully understand the importance of purchasing a stroller that meets your needs (and wants) for an affordable price. Not everyone has hundreds of dollars to drop on a brand new stroller. Being married and a mother of three, everything we purchase is on a budget.

And unfortunately, saving up for something you want seems to be a lost art with the increased usage of credit cards and monthly installments nowadays. There are definitely ways to save enough money to purchase the stroller you want, so in this article, I’ll go over five very actionable money saving tips to help you save up for a stroller you want.

1. Buy at Consignment Stores

Consignment stores are a great place to buy brand name items at a fraction of the price. Most of the inventory at these shops are in very good condition because most consignment stores will not take items that are too worn or damaged. Most consignment stores have everything you need from clothes, books, toys and a full assortment of other items that can come in handy. When my first son was born, we purchased 75% of all his things (clothes, car seat, baby bath tub, etc.) at a consignment store. I’ve even seen double jogging strollers at these stores once!

I was initially skeptical with the idea, but very soon realized that baby products are the BEST items to get from consignment stores because they are usually used only for a short period of time. Shopping at these places will help you save money so that you can buy the stroller you actually want.

2. Shop at Garage Sales

Your local community can also provide you with the savings you need in order to purchase a stroller you actually want. Garage sales are a great way to find clothes and other household items. Every spring and fall, most communities are flooded with garage sale signs. My husband and I frequent garage sales and find them full of both adventure and cost savings.

3. Set up a Savings Account / Piggy Bank

I’m not sure what happened to just putting a little money away every time you are paid, but it has worked every single time for my family. A simple way to have enough money to buy what you want as a parent is to simply place some money off to the side every paycheck. This does not have to be a huge amount – just start with what you can and feel comfortable with, even if it’s just $20.

The first thing to do is to plan ahead of time and figure out when you will need the stroller. Then, simply determine how much the stroller you want costs and start setting monthly saving goals. When I want something that’s out of my budget, I use this technique and it has worked every single time!

For example, if you’d like to purchase a $500 jogging stroller, and you figure that you’d need it in 10 months’ time, you should set your monthly savings goal to $50 per month. It does take some discipline and patience, but it works!

4. Purchase Used Items Online

With the inception of the internet came endless opportunities, and note that this is not limited to parents in need of inexpensive items for their children. Sites like Amazon, Craigslist and eBay offer parents the opportunity to buy secondhand brand name items at a much more reasonable price. By buying secondhand items at a lower price, you are then able to save some money, and contribute that money to your savings account.

5. Be Open to Using Items that are Passed Down from Family Members

Since I have sisters with children, we had the luxury of getting a lot of used baby clothes. What’s nice is that since babies and toddlers outgrow their clothes so quickly, even used clothes can seem brand new. These savings in clothes for all of our children have allowed us to put that extra money into things we really wanted. I remember that by doing this for my first two kids, we were able to save up for a double umbrella stroller.

Melissa also has a great video and post on saving money by using secondhand clothes. Be sure to check that out!

Closing Words

When you have kids and are on a budget, finding every way possible to save money is imperative. These five ways are just a few of the many ways to save money to buy the best baby stroller (or any baby product) for you. I’d recommend trying out a few of these tips and seeing which one you’re most comfortable with. As my husband always says: If there is a will there is a way.

Who’s the Writer

Evelyn is the main person behind Mommy Stroller, which focuses on helping parents figure out which stroller they should get. Evelyn and her husband, Paul, decided to blog about strollers after the overwhelming feeling they experienced when trying to pick out their first stroller. Both of them enjoy spending time with family and friends, live music, and going on jogs with their kids (in a stroller).  Connect with the Mommy Stroller crew on Twitter, Pinterest and Facebook.