have a look online at what is available too - some of the online stores - even when you factor in delivery - work out significantly cheaper than IRL stores. our nursery set up cost a bit more than a lot (but then, so did our bubba after IVF so it wasn't something we skimped on!) - we got the furniture we got based on reputation (boori) and the fact that we have furnishings thorugh our house that are either antique, or antique-looking - so the furniture worked in with that. we have a really cheap set of drawers from fantastic furniture to give us extra storage space - but it's hidden in the wardrobe!

scope out online stores like baby bunting, babies galore etc. get an idea of what you like - then google to see if you can get them at a more reasonable price. if you're going to go to a baby shop, get everything from them at once (even if you have to layby - i know baby bunting does looooong layby - 12 weeks i think...) - and haggle! i told them i was going to be getting a certain amount of stuff for baby, wanted to layby it and get it all in (boori furniture has to be ordered and takes up to 12 weeks to arrive) - and i wanted the best deal. so we haggled. i went away, checked with other stores and went back to them...