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Step 1
Visit the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission's website to get a list of recalled or dangerous cribs (see Resources below). Purchasing a defective crib has caused death to infants in the past. You certainly want to do your due diligence to protect your infant.
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Step 2
Check with relatives to see if there is an old crib that is being stored. A cousin may be waiting for the next addition to her family, or an aunt might not have been able to part with a family heirloom. Even if you have to give it back halfway through your child’s crib years, you can spend that extra time hunting down the next bargain.
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Step 3
Hunt out garage sales, consignment stores and eBay for a good deal. Be sure to arm yourself with a recall list before you make a purchase, and don’t buy anything that doesn’t include a manual and all of the parts. If you sacrifice just one screw, it could be the one that causes the drop side of the crib to function properly.
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Step 4
Shop furniture stores for the best deal. IKEA has the least expensive new cribs. Target also has other inexpensive cribs with good reviews (see Resources below). You may sacrifice drop sides and mattress heights, but fitting the crib in your budget is more important than little extras.
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Step 5
Purchase a play yard like the one made by Graco as a substitute for a crib. It is multi-functional and safe. You can use it for a long time without needing anything else, and you will most likely invest in one for traveling and other purposes anyway (see Resources below).
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Step 6
You can purchase a more expensive crib with multiple functions for long-term savings. Just be sure to ask yourself if you really will use it as a toddler bed, or if you are more likely to put your child in a twin bed when he outgrows his crib. Consider the fact that your parents or grandparents used dresser drawers as a bed for their babies and didn't fret about having the best crib or the fanciest nursery. The important thing to enjoy isn’t the furniture when a baby enters the world.
