Baby clothing: Consider used

If you've never bought anything secondhand, you can start now--with baby clothing. You can easily get away with it, especially when your child is an infant. Scout for tag sales and watch out for local moms' group sales. (Learn what not to buy used for babies.)

Babies go through clothes so quickly that the small stuff is almost always in good condition. It's not unheard of to pay 50 cents for a near-perfect pair of pants that would cost you $12 or more new. Pristine used clothing is tougher to come by in toddler sizes; when messy activities such as finger-painting come into play, clothing gets more wear and tear.

Secondhand shops are prime hunting grounds for special-occasion baby and toddler clothes such as christening and holiday outfits and fancy party duds that have been worn only once or twice (if at all). You'll likely pay a fraction of the retail cost. You can also check local tag or garage sales (see new rules governing tag sales); try browsing Web sites such as eBay and craigslist; or get a free membership at Freecycle, a Web site through which consumers can give and get free stuff.

And don't forget to put the word out among parents you know. You may get quite serviceable clothes delivered by the boxload to your front door.

Safety tip: Inspect hand-me-downs carefully for unraveling thread, loose buttons or snaps, or scratchy appliqués and elastic bands. Don't dress your child in anything that's not as good as new or that appears unsafe to you.

Get more great ideas for buying for baby in the latest edition of the Consumer Reports Best Baby Products guide, also available in bookstores nationwide.