I have always been quite a fussy shopper... I seriously do not believe in branded stuff.. maybe cos I have been in advertising for more than 11 years, I know the brand is what comes from a successful marketing and advertising campaign.
I am quite particular about quality tho. I do feel that good brands equate with good quality, so... for example - Apple computers will make sure their product is made with good quality materials. Okay, i think i am beginning to sound alittle contradictory.... Anyway, I have been doing lots of research about baby cots lately. Initially I wanted to just get the Baby Cot from Baby Hypermart that costs $299 - $350. Colour matches our deco theme, looks ok... no real complains really... then a good friend told me that she believes in investing in a good bed, cos the baby spends alot of time sleeping. So a good sturdy bed and a good breatheable mattress is important. ...... hmmm.. i do agree to a certain extent. Of cos, money talks. If got money, anything also can buy. But the baby cots here in Singapore are super expensive! They range from $899 - $2,200~!!! wa kaoz... I seriously don't think I will logically buy a baby cot that costs so expensive! That alone, excludes the mattress hor~
I did buy one cot bed earlier from Ebay to be put at my in-laws house - seller got it from Robinsons for $800 and wanted to sell after using for a few months. Got that for $180 which was a good bargain. So I thought I can explore buying another pre-loved (a nicer way of saying 2nd hand) baby cot from Ebay or mummy.sg websites, but the conditions of those cots were not fantastic and from the pitcures you can really see whether they are new or not.
Then by sheer chance on Friday, my girlfriend Evan told me she just bought a Mothercare baby cot bed for S$800+ (she is in HK). I went to Google search and found the same model offered at mumcentre.com.sg for $594~~~!!!!! I was ecstatic!
I quickly called up Mothercare but was immediately disappointed, cos the stocks have ran out. Sighhhhh......... the rest of the cot beds available are all $1.6K and above. Haiz.....
By luck I was scheduled for a facial in the evening at Vivocity, so I went to the Harbourfront Mothercare flagship store to take a look. I was excited... I saw a cot bed that cost $539! And it was pretty sturdy and nice too! The only prob is the colour.. they only have pine and white wash but the helpful sales assistant told me that if I want, I can get it varnished into oak colour easily.
Excitedly, I called Tzek and with his blessings, I quickly ordered our baby's cot bed. This bed can allow our baby to sleep from 0 Months to 5 years old! Whooppeeee!!! Definitely a good buy!
I happily went for my facial knowing the last stages of my shopping list has been completed (now left with the baby mattress which I can get form my cousin Su Leng for 50% discount!)
Definitely this has been quite a fruitful shopping experience. Being the "AI Pi, Ai Cheeee" type of person, I think we have been pretty lucky so far.
Savings we got:
1) Peg Prego Stroller - Original Price $758 : Bought at $640 (savings $118)
2) Mothercare Baby Cot - Original Price $1118 : Bought at $539 (savings $579)
3) 2nd Baby Cot (preloved) - Original Price $800 : Bought at $180 (savings $620)
4) Baby Monitor : Original price $129 : Bought it at $89 (Brand new from ebay - savings $40)
Total savings : $1,357!
=======================
