# Help me with affordable car seat?



## Pinoikoi (Oct 30, 2003)

So all my kids are now in booster seats, so the babe coming in June needs a new one.. handmedowns are out of the question since my youngest is 5- and his carseat was made a year before that I think..

So how does one pick an affordable quality carseat?

My babes tend to be right at the 7 pound mark with little legs so I don't want a carseat for a gigantic baby. On the other hand, I don't want to buy a bucket and THEN a convertible carseat.. I figure a well padded convertible would work.

I see a lot of mamas like the Britax line and also the Recasomething or other but they are pricier here- like $300 or so I think. I am not opposed to spending around $200 if I have to as I do believe I am making an investment in the baby's safety and comfort for the next couple of years, but the prices DO concern me.

FWIW, I have a minivan with two side doors and baby will most likely be in the second row since the third row is three seats and with the boosters there the middle seat is a tight one. I don't think a car seat could fit there, but my 11year can, although not very comfortably.. he is a very skinny child though.


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## TiredX2 (Jan 7, 2002)

You might want to post in Family Safety.

When you do, you should consider including info about how big your kids are / how big you expect this one to be (like about how big at birth, when they hit 20 lbs, 40 lbs, etc...).

There are some GREAT seats out there for less than a Britax.


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## fullofgrace (Nov 26, 2002)

Hi there! I've moved this to Famly Safety, but I've left a re-direct in Frugality & Finances so it will still be be easily seen, clicked and answered.


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## mama2soren (Feb 12, 2009)

what about a Graco MyRide? It looks like you still have a good bit of time until your little one arrives. Babies R Us occasionally has 20% off coupons for in-store purchases. If you could track down a coupon, you could get the seat for just under $130. This seat fits newborns well, so you could skip the bucket seat. While it doesn't have the tallest rear-facing shell, it should get most kids to 3 rear-facing. My son is of average height. He is now 22 months old, and has about 3-4 inches of shell above his head. The covers are pretty plush, and the harness is easy to adjust.
I will likely buy this seat for child #2 to ride in from birth.


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## Pinoikoi (Oct 30, 2003)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *TiredX2* 
When you do, you should consider including info about how big your kids are / how big you expect this one to be (like about how big at birth, when they hit 20 lbs, 40 lbs, etc...).


Quote:


Originally Posted by *Pinoikoi* 
My babes tend to be right at the 7 pound mark with little legs so I don't want a carseat for a gigantic baby.

RIght at 7 lbs at birth is my expectation.


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## littlemizflava (Oct 8, 2006)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Pinoikoi* 
I see a lot of mamas like the Britax line and also the Recasomething or other but they are pricier here- like $300 or so I think. I am not opposed to spending around $200 if I have to as I do believe I am making an investment in the baby's safety and comfort for the next couple of years, but the prices DO concern me.

FWIW, I have a minivan with two side doors and baby will most likely be in the second row since the third row is three seats and with the boosters there the middle seat is a tight one. I don't think a car seat could fit there, but my 11year can, although not very comfortably.. he is a very skinny child though.









the britex is a big seat and so are all the others. one thought i have with owning a minivan you may want to go for the pricier radian but it is the narrowest seat on the market. this will give more room to the people sitting in the seats beside the carseat. not only giving more easy to doing up their seatbelts.


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## Pinoikoi (Oct 30, 2003)

http://www.toysrus.com/product/index...rCatId=3515383

This one looks pretty tiny.. a combi? Any thoughts mamas?


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## alegna (Jan 14, 2003)

That won't last well at all. I'd go with a radian if you can get a good install.

-Angela


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## Katie T (Nov 8, 2008)

I like out First years Truefit. It has a head rest that comes off until baby is 22lbs, has a infant insert, installs easily, and is around 130 to 150 for the original model I think (other mamas please correct me if Im wrong). It rearfaces to 35lbs and forward faces to 65. My 3 1/2 yo is still rfing in it with room/5lbs to spare.
Are your babies fast growers or average?
I feel Britax are a waste of money IMHO.


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## Pinoikoi (Oct 30, 2003)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *alegna* 
*That won't last well at all*. I'd go with a radian if you can get a good install.

-Angela

can you give me a little more info as to why you think so? I am really not sure what I should be looking for.. is it the construction material, fabric, size? I went to a couple of different sites, and it is rated 4 and 5 out of 5 for all the customer reviews... the negatives were about fabric snagging with velcro shoes and a few people that said it didn't fit a stroller... but those aren't really big concerns for me.


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## chickabiddy (Jan 30, 2004)

I think what she means is that the Coccoro has a short shell and straps, and a low harness capacity. It will definitely not get kids to a safe booster age/size.

The MyRide would be great, but it is not especially narrow. You might be able to find a Radian65 (not SL) on sale for under $200 these days.


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## Pinoikoi (Oct 30, 2003)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *chickabiddy* 
I think what she means is that the Coccoro has a short shell and straps, and a low harness capacity. It will definitely not get kids to a safe booster age/size.

ok- That makes more sense.. I grabbed my just turned 5yo and weighed and measured him.. he is 41 inches tall and 39 lbs.

If I recall correctly, he was 6 lbs 12 oz at birth (but he was my earliest and slightly smaller than my other two bio kids).

I have seen other convertibles in stores, and they seem IMMENSE for newborns.. but I don't want to do a bucket that I will have to switch out soon, either..

how long do you think I could use the cocorro safely (assuming new babe is anything like my 5yo) before I would have to move up?


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## alegna (Jan 14, 2003)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Pinoikoi* 
can you give me a little more info as to why you think so? I am really not sure what I should be looking for.. is it the construction material, fabric, size? I went to a couple of different sites, and it is rated 4 and 5 out of 5 for all the customer reviews... the negatives were about fabric snagging with velcro shoes and a few people that said it didn't fit a stroller... but those aren't really big concerns for me.


Quote:


Originally Posted by *chickabiddy* 
I think what she means is that the Coccoro has a short shell and straps, and a low harness capacity. It will definitely not get kids to a safe booster age/size.

The MyRide would be great, but it is not especially narrow. You might be able to find a Radian65 (not SL) on sale for under $200 these days.

Yep. Waste of money. I also won't use that brand of seat for my kids. A bigger seat with nice infant padding will be a better fit for a newborn AND last you longer.

Radians fit newborns very well and will last nearly all kids to booster age/size.

-Angela


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## alegna (Jan 14, 2003)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Pinoikoi* 
how long do you think I could use the cocorro safely (assuming new babe is anything like my 5yo) before I would have to move up?

Off the top of my head I would say it's likely that it would be outgrown rear-facing before 2 years. Possibly before 18 months (not sure how short that shell is) SO, you would have to buy another convertible seat (like the radian) and THEN a booster later.

-Angela


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## DahliaRW (Apr 16, 2005)

The concorro won't last much longer than some of the bigger infant buckets (snugride35, onboard35, etc), so if you want something lasting that length of time you could go with either. If you want a convertible that will most likely last your child to 3-4 rfing (safest to rearface as long as possible) you'll want to look at the radian, true fit, or my ride. The first two sound like they definitely would get your child to 4 if they follow your older kiddos growth pattern. The myride has a shorter shell and won't last as long rfing.


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## Friday13th (Jun 13, 2006)

I have a Coccoro for my June baby and my VERY small 25 month old still fits RF. He's got maybe .5 inches left until he outgrows it (RF) and he weighs about 24lbs. It's a cute little seat but if you're looking for practicality, the Coccoro isn't it unless you're in a situation with very limited space, like 3 across in the backseat of a compact car.

I'd go with something like a True Fit, a My Ride or a Radian depending on which fits your car best and what you find on sale. Any of those would fit a newborn, keep a kid RF for a several years and get them harnessed to booster age.


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## s_kristina (Aug 9, 2004)

I have to admit to being a tad confused here. You specify that you need an affordable car seat, but then ignore the affordable suggestions given to you in favor of a $200 seat which I could not call affordable that would not fit much longer then a bucket seat for many children. Do you need an affordable seat in which case the Cosco Scenera would be the cheapest although not last near as long as previous suggestions? Or do you want something cute and small that price isn't really an issue for and won't last longer than a couple years?


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## claddaghmom (May 30, 2008)

If you're looking for the cheapest scenario, I would do a Graco convertible for $60-$80 and then when that is outgrown, a Cosco Scenera for $40-50.

They are widely available, such as at Walmart and Target. They periodically go on sale and you can find coupons or clearance too.

If you want to make an investment, I would do a TF, Myride or Radian. I personally like the TF and Radian over the myride but that is something you have to figure out...aka what style do you want, will your child be comfy in it, will it fit in your car...

I would try combing the clearance at local stores and keeping an eye on slickdeals.net for carseat clearance until you are closer to the due date. You might snag a really nice seat for a cheap price.


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## MacKinnon (Jun 15, 2004)

First of all, congrats!







You've got two major options- a convertible seat like the Radian, MyRide, or Truefit that could be used from birth to booster age. This is the most cost effective but they are big seats, and the littles do look all swallowed up, however they are safe! Or, you could start with a carrier (or a small convertible like the Corroco) and move to a bigger convertible later on. This will cost more, although some people like like the convenience of the carrier, and don't mind spending the extra money. The Corroco is kind of a niche seat, it's a small convertible, so it's great for like three across in the back of a sedan when you don't want to use a carrier. But in the long run, it's going to be a pretty pricey option, as you'll have to replace it with a seat you could have started with instead, like the Radian/Truefit/etc.


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## bandgeek (Sep 12, 2006)

I think a graco my ride, a first years true fit, or a radian 65 are your best bets.

The coccoro won't likely last until booster age. For that price you can get 1-2 (or more) extra years out of the seats above.

The graco would be outgrown the earliest, but it will still get most kids to 3-4 rear-facing and about 5 forward facing. The truefit has a lower rf'ing weight limit, but will still get most kids to age 3 rf'ing, then about age 6 ff'ing. The radian will last most kids to age 4 rf'ing and 6-7 ff'ing.

If you decide on the radian, you'll want to purchase the infant insert to go in it, or find a good deal on a radian 80 or XT (both come with the insert).


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## leighi123 (Nov 14, 2007)

If you cant afford a Radian, I'd go with the Truefit or MyRide. The truefit is nice b/c the headrest comes off until the baby is 22lbs or a certian height, so when they are tiny you dont have to have a huge seat over their head.

Truefit is taller, but a lower rearfacing weight (35lbs), so good for tall/skinny kids
MyRide has a shorter shell, but a 40lbs rearfacing limit, so its good for short/heavy kids

Both are around $150

I have owned the truefit and now have a radian, I love both!

All of those fit newborns well.

The Britax convertables are NOT good for newborns, the bottom harness slots are way to high (even for BIG newborns), so I would rule those out if you want to use it from birth.


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## Pinoikoi (Oct 30, 2003)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *s_kristina* 
I have to admit to being a tad confused here. You specify that you need an affordable car seat, but then *ignore the affordable suggestions* given to you in favor of a $200 seat which I could not call affordable that *would not fit much longer then a bucket seat for many children*. Do you need an affordable seat in which case the Cosco Scenera would be the cheapest although not last near as long as previous suggestions? Or do you want something cute and small that price isn't really an issue for and won't last longer than a couple years?

Actually the combi was $160 at Sears.. not $200. And I also said *I needed something that would fit in my minivan that has 3 booster seats in it already..* yes, I want something that will last several years, but even after posting my 5yos height and weight (*which are within the combi limits I might add*) I still got the same suggestions.. I also posted that I really wanted the carseat to fit a newborn well.. I realize that it is unlikely that my newest babe will actually fit in a combi until the specified weight/height limit exactly, but I have also done some more research on it since I asked the question.. there are several glowing reviews of it on MDC, as well as an interesting review I found elsewhere where they had babes of different ages (including a 4yo) and sizes pictured in the seat. It has occurred to me that perhaps it isn't a popular seat yet because it is a fairly new model.. and therefore breeds less familiarity.

I talked to my dp about the carseat options last night. You know what he said? Don't spend more than $200 (which is what I started out asking about) and don't buy a blue carseat (this is our first girl). Two of the carseats that I have seen recommended on this thread only come in blue. I have 4 sons already- I understand my dp's preference that his first girl not have a blue carseat.. is this truly important in the bigger picture? No, but I did want to value my dp's opinion... so that took the recommendations on this thread specifically down to two (both the Radian and truefit only come in blue with places that are willing to ship to me).

I see that navigating the carseat web is trickier than I thought (with my other kids, I went out and bought a carseat that was on sale and upgraded each one several times as they grew and some of my sons ended up with the handmedown carseats their brothers outgrew) and frankly I think the issues/choices/options with carseats have changed a lot since then.. so I thank you ladies for the guidance in that area...

So NO I didn't IGNORE anything (and frankly I am a little insulted that that is the presumption).. I wrote down four different brands and models, researched the places I could purchase them from (some places won't deliver to me, so I am limited to TRU, Sears, JCPenny mainly). I looked at shipping fees, available colors, weight and height limits, prices, etc I don't believe that suggests that I ignored ANYTHING or ANYONE.

Very few places here have carseat models instock.. if they do, it is only one or two specific models- not the vast array of choices I think some of you might enjoy in other locations.. last night after looking through my list, I saw that the combi was on sale at Sears (midnight sale). I ordered it. If it doesn't fit in my car or if I think it is too small when it shows up I can return it. Again I thank you ladies for your insight- it gave me criteria to consider and that was something I didn't come up with on my own.

Quote:


Originally Posted by *leighi123* 
The Britax convertables are NOT good for newborns, the bottom harness slots are way to high (even for BIG newborns), so I would rule those out if you want to use it from birth.

This is a HUGE concern for me.. I am not doing a hospital birth this time, but all my previous births were.. and here in order to check out of the hospital the carseat safety specialists want to see the carseat AND the fit for the babe before the mama and baby are released.. my last baby was the smallest (under 7 lbs) and his little legs flopped around in there that they wouldn't release us until we padded around his legs with cpfs to tighten his fit.. (not UNDER him, but on the sides).. it was a very scary few minutes for me... praying they would let us leave.


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## chickabiddy (Jan 30, 2004)

AFAIK, there is no carseat that only comes in blue.

The MyRide, TrueFit, and Scenera all come in several very girly patterns.
http://www.gracobaby.com/Products/Pa...ductID=1756268
http://www.gracobaby.com/Products/Pa...ductID=1756268
http://www.coscojuvenile.com/usa/eng...tible-Car-Seat
http://www.coscojuvenile.com/usa/eng...tible-Car-Seat
http://www.overstock.com/Baby/The-Fi...8/product.html

A forward-facing carseat is outgrown by height when shoulders are above the top straps. Regardless of what the box claims, very few 41" children will fit in a Coccoro (the child in the review has a 15" torso, which is relatively short for that size child, and he's still over the slots). It's a very nice seat, but in terms and bang-for-buck, it is not what I would consider "affordable".


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## Pinoikoi (Oct 30, 2003)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *chickabiddy* 
AFAIK, there is no carseat that only comes in blue.

For the places that would ship to me, those stores specifically only had blue.

Example: Target

http://www.target.com/s/185-2715296-...k=target104545

The only true fit under $200 there is "sporty blue"

I realize few people live in places where you can't just drive somewhere to buy what you want- but yes, those places exist.


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## claddaghmom (May 30, 2008)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Pinoikoi* 
For the places that would ship to me, those stores specifically only had blue.

Example: Target

http://www.target.com/s/185-2715296-...k=target104545

The only true fit under $200 there is "sporty blue"

I realize few people live in places where you can't just drive somewhere to buy what you want- but yes, those places exist.

Yeah, Target cleared out the previous TF stock. I snagged one for $30 something dollars.

Have you checked eBay?


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## Pinoikoi (Oct 30, 2003)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *claddaghmom* 

Have you checked eBay?

In the past when I have ordered things larger than a small box, I have been charged $60+ for things from ebay if they would even send to me.. I ordered a rice storage container for dp last year and the seller refunded my money for that reason- he refused to ship me my item and was willing to take a negative over it.

A "deal" on ebay is only a deal if the shipping stays low in my experience- and I have dealt with many sellers that don't like surprising shipping charges... That is the main reason that I was looking at the big box stores- they will ship to me (usually- although I only found that bru would send me a crib for example) as long as there is a an outlet somewhere near me. Plus I can return it if I don't like it or it doesn't fit to the store.. that isn't an option when it comes to ebay (nor to places like overstock.com).


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## claddaghmom (May 30, 2008)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Pinoikoi* 
In the past when I have ordered things larger than a small box, I have been charged $60+ for things from ebay if they would even send to me.. I ordered a rice storage container for dp last year and the seller refunded my money for that reason- he refused to ship me my item and was willing to take a negative over it.

A "deal" on ebay is only a deal if the shipping stays low in my experience- and I have dealt with many sellers that don't like surprising shipping charges... That is the main reason that I was looking at the big box stores- they will ship to me (usually- although I only found that bru would send me a crib for example) as long as there is a an outlet somewhere near me. Plus I can return it if I don't like it or it doesn't fit to the store.. that isn't an option when it comes to ebay (nor to places like overstock.com).









I just noticed you're in Alaska!

Well I found a True Fit w/ free shipping. There don't appear to be exclusions but in anticipation of a positive experience, maybe you could email and explain the situation, and ask to go halvsies or up the price to an even $200 (your budget).

http://cgi.ebay.com/The-First-Years-...item3ca8e7db22


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## TheGirls (Jan 8, 2007)

ToysRUs has the MyRide in "sonata" (ie pink & brown) for $159.99
http://www.toysrus.com/product/index...ductId=3532433

They also have two different pink Sceneras.


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## Pinoikoi (Oct 30, 2003)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *TheGirls* 
ToysRUs has the MyRide in "sonata" (ie pink & brown) for $159.99
http://www.toysrus.com/product/index...ductId=3532433

They also have two different pink Sceneras.

I have decided against the scenera (unless I can find an infant insert for it somewhere?) because I think my infants would "flop around" in it for awhile..

I saw the MyRide (and actually bedbathandbeyond has it for the same price) on there this evening (I must have misspelled it in their search engine)... TRU sent me a wipes warmer and charge me over $20 in shipping for it just this week, so I am not sure how much they would charge me in shipping for a carseat (for the record, Sears charged me only $9 in shipping- but I ordered pink drawer pulls this week-16 of them- from another company and was charged about $25 in shipping.. I really think that some companies find charging extra to ship to AK a fun prank- I mean, come on! Drawer pulls!).. I didn't even know that bb&b sold baby items since our store here doesn't carry any baby related items at all- but they HAVE been very good in the past about free shipping to store on other items (I have a keurig for example), so I was planning on calling them this week and comparing the two for shipping prices.. I am afraid that once I add shipping prices from TRU it will jump WAY past my $200 budget, but bb&b might not.. I will have to see. I did see that there is a car seat sale going on for the next couple of days at TRU, so that might drop the price somewhat so it would still stay within my budget with the shipping added on but I am not sure if it was for this brand or not.. I will have to read the coupon more closely. I don't understand WHY TRU even charges me shipping, since they were willing to send me a CRIB (which is really big and heavy) to the store for me free of shipping fee (site to store i think it is called), but are not willing to do that with a carseat







.

I really like the idea of the headrest being removable on the true fit, but I think dp would prefer a girly one and I can't find one that would ship to me (reasonably with a return policy, and those kinds of basic expectations).

Off topic kind of: When I showed dp the combi, he wanted to know why I wanted to strap our baby into a "pink toilet bowl." He has no idea how complicated these things can be!

ETA: I called TRU AND BB&B.. the bad news is TRU is sold out of the MyRide and isn't expecting anymore any time soon since the distribution center is sold out of them as well.. so yes, I would get 20% off if they had any but they don't and no they don't do rainchecks.. so that's out at least for now.. I wouldn't be able to get a discount if I call the 1-800 number, and I would have to pay whatever shipping they require, but they may have some physically they could send me if I had to go that route.

the good news is BB&B said they would ship to my house for $15 (pretty reasonable I think!).. and if I place the order physically in the store, I can use a 20% off coupon (the ones they send out every couple of months).. so that would be about $30 off I think?

I am glad I found another option that will work for my location AND my family situation- I still would like to keep an eye out for a pink truefit if I can find one though.. I really think being able to remove the headrest when it is in the backward position would make it fit better in the minivan..


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## MacKinnon (Jun 15, 2004)

It never occured to me it would be that hard to get things shipped to Alaska! Wow! Sorry! It's too bad because all of those three seats have really cute girly patterns







I totally understand wanting a cute girly seat. I think the concern is just that your intial post was focusing on a reasonably priced seat. The Combi, is expensive for what it does, and will in the end cost you more, because it will have to be replaced pretty early on with another convertible or a FFing harnessing seat. As long as you go in to the purchase knowing that, and not hoping it will last as long as a Truefit/etc. then it sounds like you have found a good seat for your family! I'm noticing that you are 22 weeks along, so you have some time. There are often good sales, and you might find something pop up, even something that ships to Alaska! We're needing to replace a bunch of seats, probably at least three, with our baby coming, so I'm keeping my eyes peeled for a deal! We'll probably be getting a Corroco to fit three across in the back of my DH's Vibe, the Radian is too long for that config. comfortably, that Vibe has a crazy small back seat. I'm sure glad I have a van though! Anyway, congrats on getting your girl after all those boys!


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## Pinoikoi (Oct 30, 2003)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *ilovemyavery* 







It never occured to me it would be that hard to get things shipped to Alaska! Wow!

It is WAY better than it used to be that's for sure.









I still occasionally get responses from companies like, "we don't ship to foreign countries, or territories" and stuff like that.. we have been a State for over 50 years, so it amazes me.. everyone seems to know that Hawaii is a State, and the fact is we have been a State slightly longer than they have, so I just don't get it.

Flat rate priority has been a lifesaver for most things, but not for big things, alas.


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## Pinoikoi (Oct 30, 2003)

UPDATE: My darling sister that lives in San Diego told me this morning that she will buy me the True fit in Monet and ship it to me..









I had asked her if she could ship me the carseat I needed, but she said she was looking for a baby gift to send, so this is what she decided to do!

Where there's a will there's a way!


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## mama2soren (Feb 12, 2009)

It sounds like there's a Bed Bath & Beyond near you? Do you have one of the 20% off coupons that are always coming in the mail? Although you can't use them for online purchases, if you take one into the store and place an order for a car seat with a sales person, they'll take the coupon. The seat will ship directly to your house (though, not for free). Maybe the 20% off will help offset some of the outrageous shipping costs to Alaska?

ETA: oops! just saw your most recent post. What a great solution!


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## Pinoikoi (Oct 30, 2003)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *mama2soren* 
It sounds like there's a Bed Bath & Beyond near you? Do you have one of the 20% off coupons that are always coming in the mail? Although you can't use them for online purchases, if you take one into the store and place an order for a car seat with a sales person, they'll take the coupon. The seat will ship directly to your house (though, not for free). Maybe the 20% off will help offset some of the outrageous shipping costs to Alaska?

ETA: oops! just saw your most recent post. What a great solution!

Yes, I CAN get baby stuff shipped from BB&B, and they carry the one seat that would work the Graco one, and when I called the local store they were VERY helpful about telling me the shipping price and how to place the order instore to get the discount.. so that was one option that I found would work for me, but I like that the truefit has the removable headrest (which would make it smaller in the rearfacing position), so I was trying to find a way to get that one instead (and BB&B doesn't carry it).. still, BB&B is definitely on my really great customer service list right now!


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