https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Sun, 03 May 2026 03:29:46 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/buying-for-yourself-vs-registering-and-waiting-for-shower#post-587755 Fri, 22 Feb 2013 16:00:47 +0000 heartonastring 587755@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We keep buying things off our registry...our shower hostesses keep getting mad at us for it!</p> <p>The thing is, there are some things that we wanted to have on hand now, so that if the baby were to make an early appearance we would be ready. </p> <p>We had friends who recently had their baby at 36 weeks. He was perfectly healthy and home right away and they said they spent the first two days of his life frantically buying and assembling baby essentials. For that reason, we bought the stuff we feel we will definitely need right away (car seat, pack and play with bassinet, crib and crib mattress) ourselves and have left the rest on the registry.</p> <p>Oh, I also recently bought the swing because it was on sale for $70 off and I thought it made more sense for me to get a good deal on it than for a shower guest to pay full pop for it.</p> <p>ETA: My first shower is exactly one month before my due date and my second shower is two weeks before (EEK!) so we also didn't want to have to madly scramble at 36+ weeks pregnant to get the essentials. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/buying-for-yourself-vs-registering-and-waiting-for-shower#post-587727 Fri, 22 Feb 2013 15:53:12 +0000 shopaholic 587727@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Here's what I did as I love to get a good bargain. </p> <p>I put everything I wanted on the registries (I already researched and started it - but set to private - very early on). Then, as I found the items myself at too good of a deal to pass up, I would mark it on the registries as purchased. This way, I could keep track for myself and also if others wanted to see it, they could avoid buying duplicates. This way people who loved to buy a certain item or category would see if I already had that fulfilled. Also, like @Mrs. Stroller: mentioned, any duplicates I got, were easy to return for store credit or exchange for something else. </p> <p>For the big ticket items, maybe you can put the stroller and crib on the registry for visibility. You never know if you'll get a group gift, a generous gift, or Gift Cards! I gifted my my BFF her stroller/car seat system! And you can use your registry completion discount towards the big ticket items you have to purchase yourself. </p> <p>In the end, I was able to get a lot of things myself, a lot of registry items, and enough exchanges &amp; gift cards for almost everything we needed. The Baby K'tan is a great deal! I'd totally snag that! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/buying-for-yourself-vs-registering-and-waiting-for-shower#post-587723 Fri, 22 Feb 2013 15:48:43 +0000 Smurfette 587723@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Even if you buy the Ktan now, you can register for it. Then just return it and keep the cash for diapers. You have to have a wide variety of items in price for people, plenty small, medium and large. </p> <p>I didn't buy anything, besides clothes, before our showers, and we got most of the stuff we need. Just have to go get odds and ends this weekend. We did buy our crib, dresser and glider. Not worrying about a stroller yet, since we are borrowing a snap and go frame stroller from a friend for now. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/buying-for-yourself-vs-registering-and-waiting-for-shower#post-587722 Fri, 22 Feb 2013 15:48:09 +0000 kiddosc 587722@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We did buy some of our registry items ahead of time because they were on sale, or we wanted to have them earlier to begin setting up the nursery, but I left them on the registry and then returned the few things we got at the shower that we had already purchased. That way I had the store credit to buy the other essential items that aren't really all that fun and no one buys you for your shower. I just wrote the thank you card out for the item they had purchased. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/buying-for-yourself-vs-registering-and-waiting-for-shower#post-587703 Fri, 22 Feb 2013 15:42:24 +0000 Foodnerd81 587703@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mrs. Stroller: How selfish am I-- I'm hoping one of our parents decides to buy some of the really big things for us anyway :) </p> <p>With the stroller we will probably go to the UB factory and buy it ourselves anyway, and register for the accessories. But more little things that people would buy-- I love to buy carriers for showers-- but I could get a better deal on. Like I said, not a big deal, and certainly not a bad position to be in, just wondering what people did. We haven't even started a registry yet, since we are moving next month and just want to get through that first. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/buying-for-yourself-vs-registering-and-waiting-for-shower#post-587686 Fri, 22 Feb 2013 15:37:41 +0000 Mrs. Stroller 587686@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I put stuff on a registry that had a very liberal return policy (diapers.com and buy buy baby) then when I found stuff on sale that I thought I'd like to have, I bought it for myself. I edited my registry, but if there were duplicates at least it was easy to return and use store credit later on for a convertible car seat and other big-ticket necessities.</p> <p>I wouldn't not put those things you mention on your registry. At every shower I've attended friends and/or family get together and buy a big gift. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/buying-for-yourself-vs-registering-and-waiting-for-shower#post-587680 Fri, 22 Feb 2013 15:32:06 +0000 Foodnerd81 587680@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I am in the very lucky position that my sister is loaning me all of the infant gear that her 2 year old son has outgrown-- so basically everything but the stroller! There are a handful of things that she had borrowed, that I'll need to get myself or register for, but in general, we will be well stocked from that. </p> <p>So my question is, for the things I still will need/want, how do you decide whether to buy something for yourself, when you see a good deal, or to put it on your registry and wait until your shower? My shower will be about a month and a half before my due date. With so many of the big things taken care of from my sister, I feel like it will be a smallish list to begin with (and what we will really need are big things that people wouldn't buy for a shower, like crib, dresser, UBV stroller). But I just saw the Baby K'Tan on Nobetterdeal for $21 in my size and color. </p> <p>So just wondering how you decided to handle it. Also, I'm only 17 weeks so have plenty of time, but just curious. </p>