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Summary: Truly the baby shopping bible!
Review: Each chapter of Baby Bargains focuses on major purchases for the preparation of the baby. They not only offer when one should begin shopping for each item, but also where the better buys are, what to look for, "Smart Shopper Tips", "Wastes of Money", and overviews and ratings of major manufacturers. They cover: stores, catalogs, outlets, mail-order, thrift stores, and garage sales. Listed for all companies are telephone numbers, addresses and e-mail and internet addresses. Topics include: Nursery Necessities, Bedding, Baby Clothes, MaternityWear, Around the House and On-the-Go items, Baby Proofing, and more. I have found the book invaluable in selecting the best items at the best prices for my baby-to-be. One store wanted to charge me more for Baby Bargain's recommended mattress. I showed them the book's pricing for the mattress and the store agreed to that price. I've already saved more than the cost of the book.
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Summary: Don't go shopping for baby without it!
Review: As a first time Mom I had no idea how to compare many things that you must buy for baby. I have yet to go shopping without this book as it is extremely informative as to the different aspects of everything from cribs and strollers to diapers and maternity clothes. It not only compares prices it also compares safety features and reliablity of manufactures. I strongly reccommend this book to any parents-to-be. It has definately saved me money so far
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Summary: Essential Guide
Review: One of the best books on the subject. We give it as a gift to anyone that announces they are pregnant. A MUST
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Summary: This is the BEST book on where to shop for baby stuff!
Review: This is the best book I found to help me learn what to look for
to judge quality on strollers, car seats, and more! I will not go shopping for baby items without this book.
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Summary: Indispensable but frustrating
Review: Anyone with a baby MUST have this book. No other source even begins to have as much information on the bewildering variety of products available for babies and toddlers--safety, quality, what does what etc. You'll notice I didn't mention anything about finding bargains, which I actually don't think is the books strong point. But I am NOT complaining. Every recommendation they made was excellent and I learned TONS of useful info. So why frustrating? The Fields are very opinionated, usually delightfully so, but they sometimes have difficulty seeing that other people may have needs different from their own. As a result they deliberately refuse to review a number of products on the grounds that they are wastes of money, which they sometimes are, but not always. For instance, they tell you that changing tables are always a waste of money and that you should just buy a combination dresser/changing table. But my baby's room has a large closet and I don't need a dresser-why should I spent $350 for a dresser when a changing table is $70? Another example: they say nver buy a toddler bed, just go straight from crib to twin bed. But my daughter now hates her crib, but is too active for a bed with no sides--so I need a toddler bed. SO please-next edition add some of these products in and move some stuff into the thinner Toddler volume
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Summary: The most useful "Expectant Parent" book we bought
Review: This book is an invaluable tool for expectant parents, especially first-time parents like us. The reviews of products are so helpful, and in nearly every category they give "Good", "Better", and "Best" choices, so it's so easy to save money with the Fields' recommendations! The nice thing is that the Fields' definition of "Best" doesn't NOT always mean "most expensive"...AND you can always feel comfortable with their less expensive recommendations. The advice in this book is very practical and it's nice to know when products have proven to be low quality and therefore not worth the money you might save in the purchase if you're going to end up replacing it later because it broke, didn't work right, wasn't safe, wore out too soon, shrunk, etc. Also helpful are the links to online stores and resources, the lists of outlet stores, etc...AND the benefits don't disappear after you're done reading the book...you can watch the Fields' Baby Bargains Web site for updates, corrections, etc., sign up for their e-newsletter, and participate in the message boards as well. The Fields themselves participate on the message boards and are really quite interactive with their readers who contact them. Our baby is due in late August and so far we've bought our crib, car seats, infant carrier, stroller, and bedding and some clothing...and we estimate that thanks to the Fields we've most likely saved a few hundred dollars...and best of all we feel like we've made sound, informed choices that we can be very comfortable with once our baby is here with us. This book is the book that keeps on giving, as far as we're concerned!
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Summary: Great resource for this first-time mom!
Review: This book is absolutely a must-have, especially for anyone expecting their first child. Sometimes with so many great products out there you get carried away with simply buying only the best for your little one. This book taught me that you don't necessarily have to spend a lot on a full nursery set especially if you don't have the means.<br /><br />We're expecting our first child this April and I was at a loss as to which type of crib to get. We knew we wanted a convertible one but some of the prices were so off the wall. We wanted something more reasonable without compromising quality and/or safety. The internet really didn't help my research efforts, sometimes leading me in circles with little or no information at all. <br /><br />With Baby Bargains, I was able to get ratings on all crib manufacturers and make an informed decision. While it's true that all ratings in this book are based on feedback from consumers like ourselves and the opinions of the authors, I felt comfortable with the data provided. <br /><br />I've already ordered our baby's crib and can't wait to receive it. Now I can tell my sister I didn't spend over $500 like she did and our crib is not likely to fall apart just because it was less.<br /><br />Get the book because it's worth it's price.<br /><br />PS The book also contains ratings on almost anything maternity and baby related you can think of. Also, this years updated edition is the 5.2 version (as far as I know).
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Summary: Money well spent!
Review: I purchased this book when I was about 4 or 5 months pregnant. The book reviews both the pros and the cons on MANY types of items. Bedding, car seats, cribs, high chairs, diapers and disposal systems....you name it, it's in there! I spent time going through each section and highlighted the item that I felt would work best for our family. Then, when I went to register, I had almost my entire list already picked out! That way, I was not overwhelmed when I went into the baby store...that is so easy to do with soooo much to choose from! Aside from the fact that it made my decisions so much easier, there were MANY ideas that I picked up that have already SAVED US TONS OF MONEY. You will not be disappointed with this book!
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Summary: Worth Every Penny
Review: I recently bought the 5.1 version of the 5th Edition of this book and was very disappointed. There were many grammer and sentence structure issues on nearly every page. Mis-spellings, run-on sentences, and type-o's are just the beginning. I believe that authors who have written as many books as these have, should have a better grasp of proper English. However, with the understanding that it may be hard to read sometimes, I would still recommend this book to every parent out there. I have used this book as a reference for nearly every baby product I have bought. There were a few times that I disagreed with the authors, but thats the joy of thinking for myself. Whether this is your first child or not, this book is a must. The markets are always changing with new products and trends as well as updated safety regulations and this book covers them all.
All-in-all, a great book for EVERYONE!
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Summary: Make this your first baby purchase
Review: I thought a book like this would be a waste, until I walked into a baby superstore, was so overwhelmed I almost cried, turned around and walked right out. Bought the book on a friend's advice later that day, and it immediately helped put my mind at ease. Not only do the authors correlate price vs. quality, so you can find products right for YOU, they also arrange things in other helpful categories (for instance, they group strollers by, among other things, the type of region you live in -- urban, suburban, rural, etc. -- and take into consideration factors like a tall parent -- who knew most strollers are targeted for 5'7 women?). Some of these details helped me zero in on exactly what I needed without a lot of legwork -- basically we could get most items down to 2-3 finalists based on the reviews (esp. handy when used along with amazon user reviews!), and then choose based on colors/features from there. Bottom line: it's a sanity saver!
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