Non-Traditional Baby Registry Options

Providing your baby with all they may need while trying to stay within your means can feel like a daunting task, especially if it's your first time. Baby stores and salespeople have a knack for making their customers feel like bad parents if they don't purchase everything on the sales floor. Many new parents break their budget and are later left with an if-I-knew-then-what-I-know-now feeling.

A baby registry is a great way to share with family and friends what you need and let them help out. However it's important to be realistic about what you are asking for since many items that seem cool in the store you may not ever use or your baby will quickly outgrow. You want to think bigger picture and longer term than the first few months. Let's face it, babies are expensive and most of the important baby needs are too.

Register For What You Really Need for Baby:

An alternative baby registry lets you register for what you actually will use long term: money. But it's not just money for money's sake, it's money to be used for exactly what you need, when you need it. You are able to register for things that you never could with traditional store and have the flexibility to buy as needed instead of everything at once, such as:

• Furniture and other big ticket items


• Outings to bond with your baby


• Child care


• Get a head start on saving for college


• Classes to expose your baby to new things like: swimming, music and yoga

What are the Benefits of an Alternative Baby Registry?

Given that a lot of the baby gear decisions are based on lifestyle preferences, it is important to give yourself the time and space to figure out your parenting style and what works for you. Therefore, a traditional registry can often be inefficient. An alternative baby registry is perfect for:

• Group gifts: make it easy for people to go in on big ticket items like strollers and furniture


• Having cash on-hand to stock your nursery using flash sales and discount sites instead of paying full price


• Not feeling the parental pressure of buying EVERYTHING at once for your baby


• Investing in long term items and services for your baby: ones that last and have value like furniture and swim lessons

Registries are a fantastic way to make it easy for friends and family to know what you need, but don't feel pressured to go the traditional route if that doesn't fit your lifestyle. There are non-traditional baby registry options available that can help you manage and customize what you buy for your new baby to give you the most flexibility with this new phase of life.