hi Gigi

I am 39 and have twins due in July.

M/s is hard to beat under 12 wks but I had breakfast in bed and it does help. I also ate whenever I started to feel a bit sick. Rest up and keep fluids up.

Re budget - remember you get a baby bonus $4000 after bub is born. So you can delay some of big purchases till after bub is born.

When you go to hospital booking in appointment they give your a bag of goodies called bounty bag - it has a magazine with vouchers for 20% -25% off some of bigger costs car seats and clothes and ?. Watch for sales and use your vouchers then for 40% off / layby too.

As well you might find friends and aquaintances will give you their unused items or lend you things.

Like other said BB has heaps of advice for those on a budget too
wow - TWINS!!! wow!

I am such a cynic, i am not counting on the baby bonus, governments change their laws all the time, they could easily stop the baby bonus in October or something.

The hospital bounty bag sounds good, i read all the junk mail for sales and am a big fan of lay-by. Would like to research more e.g Choice magazine to make a more informed choice about buying the expensive items like a baby car seat. Spending large amounts of money makes me so nervous.

I get the feeling that things like cots and car seats you need brand new for safety reasons, but other things it is ok to have secondhand - just have to work my way thru the bombardment of advertising thru to reality - hopefully without wasting too much money in the process.

Already a few people i know have asked their friends about their un-used baby stuff, so i am hopeful i might score some maternity dresses or something that way.

thanks for the ideas Baby Amore and good luck for July!