Some of the baby shops will give you freebies if you spend more than a certain amount. Its quite a competitive market, there are lots of them and only a finite number of customers so if you haggle you'll get a better deal. Also the end of the financial year is coming up and lots of shops have stock take sales then so its a good time to buy some of your big ticket items. DH and I saved about $400 by shopping during stocktake time and haggling.

I hate Babies Galore, they charge about 5%-10% more than all the other shops and when I went in pregnant (obviusly going to need alot of stuff) they were all over me but when I went in a few weeks ago to get an activity centre (already had a baby obviusly only going to buy a little bit) it was like I was invisible despite the fact that Yasin was sooking and I could have used a hand.

I used to buy a one small thing a week at the supermarket so it didn't make a dent in the budget but by the time Yasin arrived I had everything I needed. I still haven't had to buy any more lotions or babywash etc.

Don't forget yourself, you'll be needing stuff for while you're in hospital and afterwards.