Speaking Of Gift Registries... Do You?

[AKL_Megs]

Do you ALWAYS select an EXACT item from a gift registry, or do you see them as "ideas", or do you simply get whatever you feel like?

I ask because I have a baby shower to attend, and mom is registered only at Babies R Us. She registered for INSANE things that I would never buy ($50 bathing system, $200 pump, $250 stroller, $600 CRIB!!!) One thing that caught my eye was a $30 5 oz. bottle set.

They didn't have it.

Target sells it, but they were out at all stores in my area. BUT, they did have individual 9oz. bottles of the SAME bottle and the nipples on clearance for $2 each! It's the wrong size and not the "kit", but it's the same thing, and eventually she will need 9oz. bottles.

If she doesn't like it, she can buy her own!

 

[Carly_Roach]

Do you ALWAYS select an EXACT item from a gift registry, or do you see them as "ideas", or do you simply get whatever you feel like?

I ask because I have a baby shower to attend, and mom is registered only at Babies R Us. She registered for INSANE things that I would never buy ($50 bathing system, $200 pump, $250 stroller, $600 CRIB!!!) One thing that caught my eye was a $30 5 oz. bottle set.

They didn't have it.

Target sells it, but they were out at all stores in my area. BUT, they did have individual 9oz. bottles of the SAME bottle and the nipples on clearance for $2 each! It's the wrong size and not the "kit", but it's the same thing, and eventually she will need 9oz. bottles.

If she doesn't like it, she can buy her own!

The bottom line for us is whether or not a gift is within our budget. If I see a gift on the registry that's under our budget limit, then that's what I'll get. I've even gone in on more expensive gifts such as pumps, strollers, cribs, high chairs, etc., with other people (with one of us using a credit card to remove the gift from the registry).

However, if all gifts on the registry (or all gifts LEFT on the registry) are priced higher than my budget, then I look to the registry for gift ideas. In your case, if it were me I'd probably be buying the 9 oz bottles and nipples online somewhere else at a cheaper cost.

Edited to add:

I sometimes wonder if people don't just go to one place because that's the only place they know and register for everything they think they'll need. It takes time and effort to go to many stores and register (although online registering is making this easier).

So if a new mother is asking for, say, onsies and the only place she knows to shop is Fields or Macy's, I'm betting that getting onsies from Target or Kohl's would be just as good. As long as the material's nice and will wear well, onsies are onsies are onsies. After all, the baby's just going to poop in it, spit up on it and outgrow it sooner or later.

I would recommend getting at least three different sizes, though.

 

[We_Love_Disney]

I am usually aghast at the audacity of what is requested with registry gifts, so I steer away from them. Buy what you can afford, and don't worry any further.

IMHO, I think registries started as a way for people to quell the "what do they need, what do they want, what pattern are they using" but as with so many things, it went the route of a greed fest!

Sure, it's your first kid and you want only the best, but when did reality take a vacation. Who needs a $50 kit? Any experienced mom will tell ya, don't waste your money now, you will need it later!

 

[VAfamily1998]

Do you ALWAYS select an EXACT item from a gift registry, or do you see them as "ideas", or do you simply get whatever you feel like?

I ask because I have a baby shower to attend, and mom is registered only at Babies R Us. She registered for INSANE things that I would never buy ($50 bathing system, $200 pump, $250 stroller, $600 CRIB!!!) One thing that caught my eye was a $30 5 oz. bottle set.

They didn't have it.

Target sells it, but they were out at all stores in my area. BUT, they did have individual 9oz. bottles of the SAME bottle and the nipples on clearance for $2 each! It's the wrong size and not the "kit", but it's the same thing, and eventually she will need 9oz. bottles.

If she doesn't like it, she can buy her own!

I always buy the exact item. I figure there's a reason why they chose that specific style/model/color etc.

I don't really find the items you have listed to necessarily be "INSANE". If a mom is going to be pumping full time, a high quality pump is a must. Our crib was more than $600, 10 years ago, but it's one that changes into a full size bed and is still being used by my son now. I don't know what a "bathing system" is?

 

[MUFFYCAT]

No, because I think some of the items listed on the bridal/baby shower registers are silly and useless. I'd rather give them something I know they will use.

 

[kwelch10377]

I typically buy what is on the registery. Just about everyone I know that I have ever bought something from a regsitry for had a wide range priced items.

I will say that one thing to keep in mind that if you see some high priced items on a registry they are either put there to give people an option to go in on a gift together (I know several people who had family and friends request that this be done) or more often than not so the couple or parents to be can purchase the items themselves at a discount. A lot of retailers offer something like a 10% discount to the the couple or parents to be for things they end up purchasing themselves off the regsitry.

Now if there are ONLY high priced items that is a whole other story.

 

[Breezy_Carol]

For baby showers, I look at the registry to see what the nursery theme is, then I buy what I want. But if the theme is browns and animals, I won't buy blue fish.

 

[kwelch10377]

No, because I think some of the items listed on the bridal/baby shower registers are silly and useless. I'd rather give them something I know they will use.

I am not trying to be sarcastic with this question, but how do you know that they won't be silly and useless to the person that is registering for them?

 

[Carly_Roach]

I always buy the exact item. I figure there's a reason why they chose that specific style/model/color etc.

I sometimes go by that thinking, too, but I temper it by looking at the entire list to see if they picked the most expensive everything.

I give most people the benefit of the doubt. They're expecting a baby and may be overwhelmed so they sat down and made a list. OK, what do I need? Crib, crib sheets, blankets, high chair, diapers, formula, etc, etc, etc. They may have picked whatever showed up on the screen first which would explain the $1,000 bed and a $30.00 high chair. Don't forget that savvy marketing would have put the $1,000 bed closer to the top of choices. The new mother may not know that there are other beds that will do just as well at a cheaper price and just picked the first thing that showed up.

You could also look at the registry as a "wish list" of sorts, such as the new mother thinking "Gee, wouldn't it be nice to get that Jenny Lind bed?" so they put it there hoping that a more comfortable Grandma and Grandpa might pick it out.

In the end, I generally steer clear of anything that costs more than $100 unless I've checked with other people to see if they might want to go in on it with me or if they were already considering buying it and haven't removed it from the registry yet. There's nothing worse than six women all showing up at a shower with the same buggy or stroller that each group of three went in on together!

 

[momof1princess]

i try to buy off the registry whenever possible. if there's something on there that's within my price range and the store has it in stock, i buy it. if not, i buy something i know will be needed (such as a nice diaper bag, for example, for a baby shower). if i can't find anything i like or that is in stock, sometimes my grandmother and i will go in together to get something pricier off the registry (we're usually invited to all the same showers-mostly for cousins).

 

[GoldieSaysMeep]

I usually get one thing from the registries (or a few small things) and one thing that's a surprise. Or cash.

For my wedding, I was excited when people went off registry. One guy got us an animation cel in a frame. One couple got us a dipping oil kit to make bread dips.

 

[MUFFYCAT]

I am not trying to be sarcastic with this question, but how do you know that they won't be silly and useless to the person that is registering for them?

I just go from my own experiences. Plus I just can't see the point in spending alot of money for baby clothes /items that they will outgrow or use quickly.

 

[worm761]

I generally buy off the registry. My likes and theirs are rarely the same. Now, I will say that when we had DD last year, I did do some registries. I did put the expensive stuff on there. Anything that wasn't bought, and I didn't expect anyone to buy anything, we got a discount on. I was just looking for the discount at the end, not for other people to buy me the big things.

 

[msjprincess]

I always buy off the registry or just buy clothes. You can get a lot of cute reasonable clothes at Target.

I did put some expensive items on my baby registry. But that's because I have a big family that likes to go in on gifts together.



ETA
Everything on my registry was purchased for my shower. So obviously my family and friends didn't have a problem with the expensive items.

 

[ZephyrHawk]

I always buy off the registry if there is one. The protocol in the event there is nothing on the registry that is in the price range I intended to spend is the same for when there is no registry. They get a check.

 

[Mandychelle79]

I actually have standard gifts that I give to people so I dont even look at the registry that often.

For baby showers- I get them one of the booster high chairs that strap to regular seats.

For bridal showers- i either do a first aide kit or a cleaning kit.


Now if Im going in with others then yes I will buy the stroller/ car seat requested.

 

[simba20]

Sometimes I get exact things from a registry. If I get small cheap items, I put them together in a gift basket. Like for a wedding gift, I'll buy all of the cooking utensils, measuring sppons, measuring cups, nd maybe the baking sheets they are registered for and assemble them together in a basket. I do the same for a baby, however, being that I had mt daughter a few years ago, I may add something or buy a different version of something they are registered for that was useful to me. My best friend had a baby last year after years of trying. I got a few smallishish things off her registry and then added other things of my own. I really went all out with her gift, considering we are close and she hosted/planned my baby shower for me when I was pregnant.

This Christmas, my husband's cousin, who I have known since he was 9 years old, became engaged to a girl he dated throughout high school and college. They are registered at Bed, Bath & Beyond, Kohl's, Crate & Barrel, and Williams-Sanoma (the hubster's cousin is an amazing cook). However, after lookign at their registries at all 4 places, I knew they were missing something. The hubster's cousin's finacee just graduated from UGA and the hubster's cousin is a huge UGA fan. So I bucked the registry list and got them a set of 4 insulated tumblers (best drinking glasses in the world -- Tervis Tumblers) with the Georgia logo and a handpainted chip and dip platter with Georgia on it. When they opened it at Christmas they LOVED it! And thanked me immensely as they can use it for tailgating and football parties. They even remarked it was not something they had even thought of.

Sometimes, being different or creative pays off.

 

[Mandychelle79]

Oh and something I found out about some registries.

If the couple registered for them and did not receive it they can purchase it within a certain amount of time and get a discount on it.

 

[deegack]

::shrug:: I figure they put some thought into what they wanted or needed and go with it. If for some reason there is nothing on the registry that I can afford or would get (eg I refuse to but sleep positioners because unless the baby has severe reflux they are useless and a hazard) I will go off registry usually with some nice hooded towels and wash cloths. I swear I go through a dozen wash cloths a week.

Btw, we registered for an $800 stroller that we researched and researched and researched. It met all of our needs and we use it almost every day, even now. However, we did not expect people to buy it for us. We just wanted the discount at the end. We also registered for a top quality pump but not a crib. We used a hand me down that met all the current safety requirements.

 

[Pigeon]

I don't always buy off the registry and will use it as a guide for ideas.

In the OP's situation, I wouldn't pick out a bottle set, because that's a very personal thing. The pregnant person is probably planning to breastfeed, and people have particular preferences about bottles. Some women don't like plastic at all, some only like plastic, etc.