Having a baby is always an exciting event, whether it is you, your sister, your friend, or even someone you barely know. But it takes time, planning and organization, not to mention getting a budget ready for both decorating and the babys needs when he or she arrives. Decorating on a budget can be simple if you just take the time to sit down and go over things for an hour or so. There are many types of things you can do to make your money go further when it comes to a baby budget.

You might need to think about stocking away some of the things you had in that guest bedroom, now that you will be using it for the baby. If this is the case, current self storage prices are such that this could be a good option for you. With self storage prices so low, you can afford to pay for a month, or two, or even more if necessary, while you are planning for your babys arrival. Many companies begin with their self storage prices at only a dollar for the first month, which if you are planning to use the facility for only a couple of months, ends up being a great deal for you. Of course self storage prices vary depending on your location and the size that you would need, among other things, but for the most part, self storage prices are low enough that if you need them for just such an emergency, they is affordable to practically everyone.

When you first sit down to plan for your babys room, it is best to take stock of both what you have already been given, and what you think is likely you will be given, whether it is something brand new from a baby shower or an heirloom passed down from your mother or grandmother. There are also, of course, those friends and relatives who will let you borrow items temporarily, giving them back when your child has outgrown them, such as a high chair or a walker. When you look at this list of items and compare it to what you might have spent buying these things new, you will be amazed at what you have saved already.

One of the biggest and most expensive items you will buy immediately for your baby is the crib. Nowadays the popular thing to buy is something called the convertible crib. This serves several purposes. The mattress has several settings from low to high, and the bars on the side are removable if necessary, growing along with your child. And when your child has graduated completely out of the crib, most of these cribs turn into a full sized bed, with you only needing to supply a mattress for it to be ready to go. This might be a bit more expensive in the short term, but it will save you money in the future, when you realize you do not have to go out and buy an entire bed set with head and foot boards once your child has outgrown the crib.

Another huge money saver is getting things second hand. Garage sales, second hand shops and exclusively children consignment shops are wonderful for finding bargains on things that are many times in surprisingly good condition. Lastly, when it comes to things that are necessary to buy new, such as diaper creams and diapers, go for the generic brands as most of the time you are merely paying for a name and not necessarily quality. It pays to do your homework.