£1,000 BUDGET FOR BABY ESSENTIALS...HERE'S HOW TO DO IT.

When you first start preparing for a baby, the numbers can be overwhelming. It’s often said that new parents spend around £6,000 getting ready for their first child — and when you start adding up prams, cots, clothes and all the tiny extras, it’s easy to see how.

But here’s the thing: it doesn’t have to cost anywhere near that much.

We managed to get everything we needed — and some truly lovely, high-quality items — for around £1,000. And now, we want to hear how much you spent, so we can build a real picture of what’s “normal” for new parents. Take the Cubbi survey here to share your own baby spending story (and be in with the chance to win a £250 voucher).

TRAVEL SYSTEM - £300

We went for a stylish travel system from Ickle Bubba, which came with everything we needed (carrycot, pushchair seat and car seat). We bought it during the Black Friday sales, which cut the price by almost half. There’s no need to pay £1,000+ for a pram when brilliant brands like Ickle Bubba offer the full package for much less.

BABY CARRIER - £50

One of our favourite purchases — a Momcozy carrier, which is super soft, comfortable and chic. We bought it with a Cubbi discount, proving you can get beautiful, practical babywearing options for a fraction of the price of trendier carriers.

CLOTHING - £100

Babies grow out of things in weeks, so we kept clothing spend low. We shopped second-hand bundles from Vinted and Facebook Marketplace, and gratefully accepted hand-me-downs from friends. We then used Cubbi to grab discounts on the little “nice to have” outfits we couldn’t resist.

NURSERY - £200

We created a calm, cosy space without overspending. We chose second-hand furniture for the big items (cot and chest of drawers) and spent on just a few finishing touches like blackout curtains and soft lighting to make it feel special.

FEEDING EQUIPMENT - £200

Even if you’re planning to breastfeed, there are still costs to think about — bottles, steriliser, breast pump, etc. Built your kit slowly, waiting for seasonal sales and using Cubbi partner discounts on essentials like Tommee Tippee bottles and Momcozy pump accessories.

Once you’ve added up the travel system, baby carrier, clothing, nursery items and feeding equipment, there’s still around £150 left over in the £1,000 budget for all the little extras — from nipple shields and milk storage bags to formula top-ups, dummies, toys and playmats.

TOP TIPS FOR SAVING

• Don’t buy everything at once — wait until baby arrives to see what you really need

• Shop seasonal sales — Black Friday, January sales, and baby events are your best friend

• Mix new and second-hand — spend on the items you’ll use daily (pram, carrier) and save on fast-growing clothes and nursery furniture

• Use Cubbi — hundreds of brands offer exclusive parent discounts that can save you hundreds

• Borrow or share — baby gear gets lightly used and often passed around, so take advantage of it

While the “average” spend is quoted at £6,000, our experience proves you don’t need to hit anywhere near that number to be fully prepared — and still enjoy lovely, high-quality products.

We know every parent’s journey is different, and we want to capture them all. Take the Cubbi Parental Spending Survey here to share how much you spent getting ready for your baby (and be in with the chance to win a £250 voucher!).