Consider buying big-ticket items in the order “borrow, buy used, buy new” — don’t buy them all at once

11. Consider buying big-ticket items in the order “borrow, buy used, buy new” — don’t buy them all at once

Cost: No extra money is needed; the amount saved is usually in the thousands of yuan. The hard part is resisting the urge to buy everything at once.

In plain terms: Strollers, cribs, blankets, and toys are used for only a short time, and there’s plenty of them on the used market with few buyers. First, try to borrow them; if that’s not possible, buy used; only then should you consider buying new — this usually saves you thousands of yuan. However, it’s not advisable to buy used car seats or mattresses, since any structural damage from prior crashes isn’t visible to the naked eye. Things like postpartum care centers and early-education classes are optional big expenses; wait at least 24 hours before deciding.

Benefit: Strollers, cribs, blankets, and toys are all used for only a brief period, and the used market offers far more of them than there’s demand for. The only two items you really shouldn’t try to save money on — or buy used — are car seats and mattresses. Any structural damage to a car seat after a crash simply can’t be seen by looking at it.

Evidence grade: C

Sources: author’s experience, no direct literature; see Section 1 for evidence of safety seats and Section 5 for impulsive consumption

Notes: This book neither recommends nor discourages postpartum care centers, early-education classes, or baby swimming classes. Still, they’re all optional big expenses, so the 24-hour cooling-off period described in Section 5 applies to them.