Now, you probably know by now I am all about getting a good deal. Being on an extremely tight budget over the last couple years has really helped teach me to watch for deals on things we need and never pay retail. Having a baby is no exception! We stick to only buying the things we NEED for a baby (the list is quite short, despite what the internet tells you) and watching for deals.
If you have friends in their childbearing years you can likely borrow things like swings, bouncy chairs, etc if those are things you like to use. I have several friends who have these things in storage and have offered to let me borrow them if I need to.
My list of baby needs (this list may be different for each person):
A safe place for baby to sleep. Even if you're planning to co-sleep, it's still wise to have a safe place for baby to nap. If you have other children or inside pets you can lay baby down for a nap in a safe area. Also, once baby starts rolling I like to have a safe place to put baby down to nap where I won't be worrying about them rolling off. The safe place may me a crib, a pack-n-play, or something else.
Breastfeeding supplies - nursing bras, nursing pads (I use reusable ones), and a pump. Even if you don't plan on pumping, having a pump around in case you get mastitis or have an emergency is wise. Most insurance companies cover breast pumps now so be sure to check into that option!
Baby carriers - this can be anything from a stroller to a backpack carrier. You decide what is best for your family. We aren't big stroller fans, although if we found an old one for cheap we would grab it for use around the farm. Our personal preference is baby carriers. I like to have 2 Moby Wraps and 1 soft structured carrier (like an Ergo or Beco). I am sure you're wondering why two Moby wraps? Well, @jal627 is a very hands-on dad. He loves to bond with our children via baby wearing. He also likes to eat while wearing them. So, spillage is bound to happen. Therefore, since we use the Moby Wrap so much during the first several months, I like having one for each of us. We were blessed with gifts of a Moby Wrap from both @mnmleger and @corrielaine. So thankful for them meeting that need. As far as the soft structured carrier (which I love for older babies and toddlers) I scored an Ergo at a bargain store brand new in box for $37!
Car Seat - obviously this is an important one. If you're going to take your baby out and about you're going to need one. You can buy one carseat that goes from birth all the way up until a booster. We have a friend who is a baby product tester and gave us the infant bucket style carseat she tested for a company because she already had one for her baby. Score! When baby outgrows this carseat we will get a convertible carseat with a 5-pt harness that can do extended rear facing and later convert to forward facing. Carseats are not something I advise you to buy used, unless it is from someone you know personally. However, you can still watch the sale ads to get a good deal!
Diapers and wipes - for many parents this is the largest baby expense. For us, we chose both cloth diapers and wipes, which saves us a fortune in diapering expenses. If you do choose to use disposables watch for sales and buy in bulk.
Clothing - every time I have had a baby there is always someone giving us hand-me-downs. Due to hand-me-downs and a few friends gifting us items I will not be needing to buy any clothing for this baby for at least several months. Also, in our area there is a thrift store that has a "fill a bag sale" twice a month. You can fill an entire shopping bag with any clothing items for $7. If you roll things tightly you can fit a lot of baby items into one bag.
Blankets - again, this doesn't have to cost a fortune. I got crib sheets handed down from a friend, another dear friend gave me some beautiful brand new flannel receiving blankets, and then I picked up a few blankets for cheap. One of the blankets I got was a free gift when I ordered my cloth diaper covers, one I got at a discount store for $3, and then I got two heavy blankets (one is a quilt) on clearance for reasonable. We live in an older house, so having a couple heavy blankets for the winter months was important.
Maternity clothing - can be bought at thrift stores or handed down from friends. Tomorrow I am going to see @corrielaine for a sewing day where I'll be making some skirts I can wear with a growing belly. I scored a pallet deal on bed linens at BidFTA for less than $10 for a massive box of bed linens. I got complete 100% cotton sheet sets for 3 of our beds and THREE king size duvets (1 is 100% cotton and 2 are 100% linen) amongst other items that I gave to friends and donated. The king size duvets I am repurposing to make skirts! So there are simple, affordable ways to cloth yourself while pregnant.
Postpartum care - you'll need feminine products and a few other items to help recovery. I like After Ease for easing the post-birth pains, I like this product for topical relief, and I like Rescue Remedy for during labor (especially transition).
Babies don't have to be expensive. I realize everyone's situation is different, but for us we have been able to keep things simple and affordable. The only major baby expense for us has been the cost of the midwife, but we were able to utilize our tax refund for that. Depending on your health insurance coverage, the cost of a midwife or OB may be much less for you.
An example of an awesome deal I got from BidFTA is my crib and mattress. I paid about $13 for each item and the mattress is even ORGANIC! Both the crib and mattress were brand new in box.
