WWYD? (BR)

MadameD517

Ok, hypothetically (or maybe really) you're now pregnant. You have a budget for what you'd like to spend on nursery baby items.

Now, some major purchases that you would have been making are now being given to you for free. At the same time you also find a crib bedding set that is over the top price wise (to you) but with the gifts would still keep you well under your budget.

It's the first bedding that you've loved and you can't stop thinking about it for weeks and you also have a $50 coupon towards it.

Do you buy it or not? 

Here's the bedding if you're interested: http://www.serenaandlily.com/Baby/Baby-Surprise-Dylan

sorry, can't make it clicky from my phone. 

Mrs.BoomBoom

IMO that's REALLY over the top price-wise.  Here's my question, what will you use it for?  If you've got a mover, you're not going to use the bumpers for SIDS risk.  The sheet will probably be covered by a sheet protector or will get a stain on it.  The crib skirt is pretty plain and could probably be made for a LOT cheaper

andrea3122

That bedding is adorable and since you have room in the budget, I would definitely buy it. It's definitely pricy but with the coupon, I would splurge.

Mystery2B

Personally, no, I would not buy it.

As MrsBoomBoom said, you don't use the pieces the same way that they are shown in a photo. My sheets never got dirty from leaks (just drool), but I still think it's a waste. Take away the quilt (unless you want to use it as wall art) and is it still worth the money to you? For just the skirt and sheet? 

There are a lot of other items I would spend the money on first. Like an awesome stroller (that was my splurge and I still love it), a great breastpump, wall art that will grow with LO for years, etc. 

megan0071234

I think it is adorable, but really really expensive. Maybe just the 3 piece set & then try to find some cheaper coordinating items so that its not like you are completely overdoing it.

Sheets get yucky quickly, so that would be my only reluctance to spending that much on bedding. Also, it doesn't seem like it comes with a comforter, so you are really spending quite a lot for a bumper, a bedskirt & one sheet.

I would be torn too. If you can stay under budget & you really love it, then really why not? Look around a bit to make sure you don't see anything you like better, but I know once I had my mind set on DD's bedding, no one was going to change my mind.

Mrs.BoomBoom

What about buying a couple of the crib sheets and the changing pad cover, and having the skirt made?

My set came with a quilt which we used as a wall hanging and is a major design element in the room so I knew that even if I removed the bumpers, I'd still be using a lot of the set.

Also, my crib has a drawer so the skirt sort of gets in the way.  I also have a drop side crib so I can only use 3 of the 4 bumpers without interfering with the motion of the crib

MsPurple24

On the one hand, if you're still under your budget, then it's a lucky circumstance that you can afford a luxury that you wouldn't have purchased otherwise.  But on the other hand, that is really overpriced and personally, that's usually enough to deter me from buying... I would just window shop, drool, and move on.

sm23

I think it's a lot of money for what it is, and based on what I read above from those who actually know about these things, sounds like there's no real reason for it. I'm not an expert on baby bedding, but I didn't read anything in the description that justified such a high price... And like a pp said, there are probably other items that are pretty pricey and would be used every day and might be worth the splurge.

MrsAWZ

Ok, so that is WAY out of budget for me...I don't think I could even justify to Dh spending that much money on bedding for myself, let alone a baby. I think I would shop around to find something similar before I made any decisions...and for me, personally, I'm sure I would find something equally as cute for much less.

MadameD517

thanks for all of the input ladies!

The great thing is that we are being given all of the nice items that would have used our budget: Great stroller, breast pump, rocking chair, and crib. I am only considering the bedding (sheet, skirt and bumper) not any of the other items. Our crib will not have a drawer or a drop side so the skirt would be fine I think. I agree that things could be made for cheaper but at this point all of the seamstresses in my life are occupied with other projects so I can't ask them and I'm not going to make it myself. I'm still holding out on buying any bedding for a while, so hopefully I'll find the set on ebay when the time comes  

LoLoPanda

That seems kind of pricey to me, but if the pieces came individually, I would say get the bumper and perhaps buy sheets from BRU or Target and still be able to work with the colors.

Also, perhaps for a bargain, try eBay or Craigslist. My cousin got her entire baby decor (design is Alphabet Soup) from a lady in Oklahoma for $40 and the set was $150+ for what she got. It is a stretch, but it would save you possibly more money than the $50 coupon.

winterorchids

My official answer is that if it's feasible to do something that makes you ridiculously over-the-top happy, then do it. Life's too short.

However, as PP said.. the crib skirt is super plain and you could probably buy one for cheaper elsewhere. The sheet/pillow/cover you can buy a la carte or register for. While they are kinda expensive, they don't shock me nearly as much as the combo price that includes the bumper. So it seems like the really critical factor is the bumper. Is the bumper the real pull for you here? Can you find another bumper that is similar? Is it the colors you love? The elephants/animals? Is there any way to find a cute fabric and have a bumper made instead, maybe by someone on etsy (I know nothing about bumpers)?

There is a 30 day return policy. You could always buy it, sit it out for a few weeks, and see if you still love it as much in 3 weeks. If not, return it. During those 3 weeks, keep looking for something similar or better. Sometimes I find that after I buy something I MUST have I wind up feeling pretty indifferent about it in a few weeks. In fact, this is probably what I would do if I was really head-over-heels for it.

Mrs.BoomBoom

MadameD517:

I agree that things could be made for cheaper but at this point all of the seamstresses in my life are occupied with other projects so I can't ask them and I'm not going to make it myself.

There are lots of people on Etsy.

I think my big hang up is the bumpers.  You just won't use them for very long (if at all).

I'm going to do a poll for you on the baby board.  click here

tri-reader

Coming from a mom of two, the first kid I bought a bedding set, thinking how beautiful it would be and after the fact it wasn't worth it to me.  I didn't spend a ton, but in reality I used non-matching sheets sometimes, I didn't use the quilt or diaper hangy thingy that came with the set and the crib skirt was a pain to align every time I changed sheets.  So for second kid (opposite sex) I just bought a simple bumper at BRU and a matching boy sheet, that was it.  

MrsJulieT

I would decide if you're actually going to use the bumper or not since that's the biggest part of the pattern/look that the set offers. If you're not going to use the bumper or on the fence then I would not pay that for the set even with the coupon. Especially since the set doesn't even offer the quilt part that could be used later on a toddler bed, that price is steep for 3 pieces. But if you have the money and don't have to go into debt over it, and don't have debt to pay off, etc then go for it. To me the bumper part would be the real make or break if money is not an issue.

MadameD517

Mrs.BoomBoom:

MadameD517:

I agree that things could be made for cheaper but at this point all of the seamstresses in my life are occupied with other projects so I can't ask them and I'm not going to make it myself.

There are lots of people on Etsy.

I think my big hang up is the bumpers.  You just won't use them for very long (if at all).

I'm going to do a poll for you on the baby board.  click here

Thanks!

As for Etsy, I have spent many hours looking and haven't seen anything that I've liked as much, plus on a lot of things the cost isn't much different.  And I totally get the bumper hang up, I know my sister used them and they were fine. I like this one because the bumper cover is removable for washing, and since this is gender neutral (IMO) we will use the same set for kiddo #2, so that helps the cost a bit.

Obviously, I've got time to think about it, I was just wondering what everyone else's input was. I'm also going to continue looking for something cheaper that I like, as well as scouring ebay, etc.

Thanks again!

f&s2006

To me it sounds like you already decided you want to buy it, you just need someone to tell you it's okay to buy it. 

 

It's okay to buy it. 

 

If you've been thinking about it for WEEKS, it would make you SUPER HAPPY, and it isn't gonna break your budget - just DO IT!!!!  You can always return it later and keep looking for a better price or whatever.