Strollers are a required purchase for nearly all parents, but paying top dollar for these baby transportation systems is totally optional. If you’re looking for ways to save, check out our top budget-minded tips for getting the best deal on a stroller. Unlike some other consumer purchases, buying a stroller can’t always be put off or timed according to retail sales. Sometimes, when you need a stroller, you need a stroller. But in the nine months before your new baby arrives, you can maximize your chances of getting a great price by thinking ahead. If possible, buy your stroller in November. According to Consumer Reports, this is the best month of the year to find sales on all things baby-related, including strollers. If a fall purchase isn’t an option for you, look around for retail store baby sales. With a little bit of searching, you can find sales from retailers as diverse as Babies R Us and Amazon. Or, register for the email alerts from your favorite stores so you never miss a stroller discount opportunity.
Try to get the most out of your new product by maximizing its efficiency. If you may be having another child in the future, consider purchasing a stroller that can seat two little ones, to avoid having to buy a new one down the road. Finally, before settling on a stroller, try to plan how you’ll use the product and, if possible, incorporate multiple functions. For example, some strollers are sold in “travel systems,” which include both a stroller and car seat. If you also need car seat, consider purchasing a travel system. Price these out to see if buying a combo package will be more affordable than purchasing a stroller and car seat separately. In some cases, a travel system may be a better buy. Similarly, if you plan on taking your child on walks or jogs with you, you may want to opt for one product that can serve all purposes. For example, consider just a jogger stroller instead of purchasing both a standard stroller and a jogger. As with any product, make a purchase that best suits your needs.
With a little work, it’s possible to pick a stroller that fits both your lifestyle and your budget. Looking for the best deal on more than just strollers? Check out more helpful suggestions for snagging great prices on everything from vacuums to juicers. Courtney Jespersen is a staff writer covering personal finance for NerdWallet. Follow her on Twitter @CourtneyNerd and on Google+.Before you buy a car seat, stroller, or crib, check out our real-mom advice on buying baby gear."I made a list of all the things I'll need right after the baby arrives. I'll wait on stuff we won't need right away, like a highchair, feeding supplies, and an activity saucer. I'll try to find those used or on sale later.""Check for safety recalls on all of your baby purchases, especially stuff you get as hand-me-downs.""When you open the baby gear boxes, check that all the pieces are there. Keep your receipts, warranties, and product instructions, and send in the product registration card.""When looking for strollers, make sure they lock when folded and that the locking mechanisms look sturdy.
A piece of my stroller broke and it won't stay folded. It's really a pain.""Make sure your car seat fits in your backseat. Some fit awkwardly in smaller cars. If you regularly use more than one car, get an extra car seat base so you can easily transfer the car seat from vehicle to vehicle.""Always compare prices online! A stroller that sells for $199 at one store can go for twice as much at another.""Different cribs have different heights. It's nice to shop for cribs in person to check and see how easy or hard it will be to get the baby out – especially if you're short!""If you're planning on having more than one child, buy items that will last. A high-quality highchair can work through toddlerhood.""Don't be seduced by a beautiful products that aren't easy to clean.""You don't need a fancy travel system (a car seat that fits into a coordinating stroller). You'll spend a lot of money for an oversized stroller you'll rarely use. Instead, buy an inexpensive stroller frame to snap your car seat in to.""
Don't underestimate the importance of parent cup holders. Often when you're out with the stroller you'll have a drink with you, and it's difficult to push the stroller with one hand. Also, make sure you can reach into the stroller basket when the stroller is reclined.""Just because a stroller claims to do a million different things doesn't mean you'll be able to figure how to do them all when you're sleep-deprived. Sometimes basic is better!""Talk to other parents who have new babies and get their recommendations. Equipment changes so often that advice from parents of older kids might already be out of date. We would have been lost if we had gone into a store without advice from our friends.""The weight of the stroller matters, especially when your baby doesn't want to sit in it and you need to push with one hand and carry your child with the other.""Have your partner test out strollers, too. If your husband is tall (mine is 6 feet, 4 inches), make sure the stroller is a good height for him.""
Every first-time mommy-to-be should ask her friends with children this question: What's the one item you can't live without? Then ask: What's the one item you have that you never use?""We bought the kind of highchair that straps onto a regular dining chair. It saves space, and now that our daughter is bigger, we simply remove the tray and push her right up to the table so she can eat with the rest of the family.""Buy a convertible crib — one that converts from a baby crib to a toddler bed. You'll get so much more use out of it!""Visit a website that has trustworthy customer reviews before you buy. I was going to buy a door swing and found out that it was actually unsafe.""Ask for hand-me-downs and buy used. That way you'll be able to splurge on a few things that will really be worth it. We bought a nice jogging stroller to use on the hills by our house and a high-quality electric breast pump for when I went back to work."For a list of all the products you may want for your baby's first year, and estimates of how much you'll spend on each, see our Baby Costs Calculator.