I love shopping!
I love looking for new things and seeing displays of colourful merchandise lined up, waiting for me to hold it and say, "I need this!"
Since I married Alex, my shopping hobby has been curbed by the idea that I really don't need anything except food that won't make me sick, and maybe some workout clothes.
He has also transformed me into a recovering shopaholic by instilling a deep value of buyers remorse. It works. I can't buy anything (except things for him) without worrying about whether I got the best deal or whether or not I needed it. Although I miss the thrill of bringing home new things, my bank account is very appreciative.
This being said, we are expecting a little person to join our happy (and now cheap) family in December.
When we got our cat, Marley, we bought everything we needed for him. He got a brand new litter box, food dishes, fancy cat food, toys, and a super big scratching post (care of his grandparents).
Marley, now almost 7, never needed clothing, a car seat, his own room, books, a breast pump and a Diaper Genie (whatever that is).
Overall Marley is a bargain. We still buy him expensive cat food and obviously fresh litter, but we NEVER have to take him to the vet; so the cost benefit analysis of expensive food justifies itself (at least to Alex).
Babies are different and super expensive if you live in the Northern Hemisphere.
When we realized the amount of stuff we were going to need for the baby, we both freaked out a little. Alex told me immediately to find more personal training clients (which I would love if anyone is interested?). I began to look online and budget Baby equipment for the first couple of months. I found a few things that would be nice and decided to have a closer look at the items selected.
For convenience sake, I'll get to my point and tell you about the stroller.
We need a stroller that can go through snow. We don't need a $1200 Bugaboo Cameleon stroller, but I did pick out an $800 one by Uppababy. I took both for a test drive with my Mom. Both were lovely but the $800 looked like a down-right bargain compared to the other one.
I took Alex to test drive the $800 stroller, the answer I got was an unenthused "Meh...". He didn't care. It was still expensive for a stroller. He would be happy as long as he could adjust the handlebar and not kick the rear chassis.
The $1200 stroller is fancy but I had dismissed it as frivolous considering all the other baby stuff we need to buy.
My neighbours all have kids. We are the last people on our street to become parents. This is fantastic for advice and ideas. It is also super for hand me downs!
Today as I was on my way to teach a Body Attack class when I noticed that one of my neighbours was throwing away their Bugaboo Cameleon stroller. It was in rough shape. All the wheels need to be replaced as does the fabric. Other than that, it still works. All the straps are in good shape, the frame is still looking good and it was just sitting by the trash bin.
I asked my neighbours if they were tossing it and they said yes. I asked if it would be okay if I took it. Some people are not okay with things like that. I don't know why people feel so possessive about their garbage but I thought it would be safe to ask. Without any hesitation, my neighbour picked up the stroller with a super wide smile and handed it to me. I could not believe my good fortune. He was pleased to recycle it and absolutely ecstatic that it would be put to good use rather than thrown out. I couldn't thank him enough. He just saved us a mint! There will be a super nice 'thank you' card headed to my neighbour as well as some delicious cupcakes (with strollers iced onto the tops).
Glitch!
When it comes to raising babies, there are a lot of superstitions my family adheres to. I believe they are rooted in our Jewish faith and for the most part, every single 'rule' is justified.
I'm not supposed to have baby things in the house until this baby arrives. Problem solved, move it to my parents' house.
Not so easy.
This stroller is a project that Alex and I have to take on. I figure that once its cleaned up and fixed, it can go to my parents'. My biggest issue is the money I need to invest in this in order to replace broken parts.
If anyone has some ideas or advice on this scenario, please don't be shy. I would LOVE to hear it. Is it okay for ME to buy things for the baby (like some spinning rims for the free stroller?) Kidding about the rims. I would still love to know if it is okay for ME to spend money fixing this stroller?
So, once again, picking through other people's garbage saved my bank account I estimate about $800. I still have to buy some parts and I don't think this project will exceed $300 unless I go for the gusto and buy a whole whack-load of accessories (like spinning rims). I could use a coffee cup holder but is it really a NEED? No. I will proudly hold my coffee while pushing "Peanut" knowing that I have saved enough money to by Gluten Free bread for the week.
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