This is a guest post by Maureen D. of FindaNanny.net, a nanny-finder service.
It’s no secret that kids are expensive and saving money anywhere you can is the most efficient way of ensuring that you’re able to make ends meet when money is tight. Purchasing second-hand items for your brood can be a great way to save money, but it can also be a dangerous gamble. Not all products are safe to purchase used, and these are 10 that you should take special steps to ensure are brand new when they come into your home.
Car Seats – While a car seat may be one of the more expensive bits of baby gear, it’s also one of the most crucial. In the event of a car accident, the structural integrity of your child’s car seat can literally mean the difference between life and death. While a previous crash may not alter the outward appearance of a car seat, it can compromise it’s integrity to the point of rendering it useless in the event of another accident, and you have no way of knowing whether or not a used seat has been involved in a previous accident.
Cribs – Recalls, lead paint, dangerous fixtures and damaged parts all play a part in the reasoning behind the advice to never buy a used crib. In addition to being difficult to track in terms of recalls and safety warnings, older cribs can be coated with dangerous paints or have malfunctioning parts that cause injury to your little one.
Helmets – Helmets are intended to protect your kids’ heads in the event that they take a spill from a bike or skateboard. The outer surface of the helmet may survive the accident unscathed, but the inner foam lining designed to absorb the shock is often crushed. That means the helmet is no longer functional as head protection or safe for later use. Like car seats, you have no real way of knowing the history of a used helmet, so it’s far safer to purchase a new one.
Mattresses – Used mattresses can bring a host of unwelcome guests into your home, from bedbugs and dust mites to bacteria and mold. If you’re upgrading from a toddler bed to a big-kid bed, make sure that you leave room in the budget for a brand new mattress.
Baby Bottles – BPA has been banned in the production of new baby bottles, but the ban is still recent enough that it’s possible that used bottles that still contain the dangerous chemical are out there. Rather than snapping up used bottles that could pose a health hazard, make a point of purchasing new ones.
Plush Toys – The thing about plush toys that makes them such a favorite of kids is the same thing that makes them a bit unsavory as used items. They’re well loved by their pint-sized owners, and often are subjected to all kinds of icky treatment. Like mattresses, they can also harbor bedbugs, mold and other microscopic invaders. To be on the safe side, it’s wise to just choose not to purchase used stuffed toys.
Tech Toys – When your older kids are clamoring for a pricey tablet or computer, it can be cheaper to buy one second hand than to pay full retail price. What you may not realize, however, is that unless a device has been reset to factory settings, there’s a good chance that personal information or inappropriate content for kids could still be stored within the memory. Rather than take a gamble if you’re not sure how to restore a device to factory settings yourself, it’s best to just not buy one that’s used.
Playpens – Much like cribs, safety standards regarding the construction and design of playpens changes so frequently that a used one may simply not be up to current standards. Also, normal wear and tear can render the working parts unsafe for kids.
Strollers – Unless you know for a fact that you can trace the make and model of a used stroller to ensure that it’s never been recalled or that safety warnings about the model have never been issued, you should avoid purchasing a used stroller. There are too many things that can go wrong, leaving your helpless child strapped into a potentially dangerous contraption.
Shoes – The same fungi that cause athlete’s foot and other infections in public showers and on other surfaces can also grow in shoes, leaving your child exposed to painful and uncomfortable infections. Rather than taking your chances with used shoes, it’s best to only purchase shoes brand new.