So, you’re having a baby. Congratulations! With a new addition to the family comes new expenses — especially up front expenses as you prepare. It can be tempting to use credit cards to pay for these things — setting up a nursery, buying a crib and car seat, new baby clothes, and more. But should you?

If you get too caught up in the moment of wanting what’s best for the baby, you might find yourself overspending, even on things you and your newborn really don’t need. And that isn’t best for anyone. Here are some tips to help you save money and avoid getting into unnecessary credit card debt when you have a little one on the way.

1. Wait until after the baby shower.

If you know you’ll be receiving gifts at your baby shower, don’t run out and purchase much until that day comes. You might be given some of the things you were going to spend money on anyway. And even if it’s not exactly what you would have picked yourself, it’s probably much better than going into credit card debt.

2. See what hand-me-downs friends and family members have available.

Did a friend or family member have a baby of their own recently? Then they might have hand-me-downs for you that could save you a lot of money and help them get rid of some clutter — even if their baby was the opposite sex. Whether cute baby clothes or a pram, you can save and your baby will be well taken care of. It might even be safer to get hand-me-downs of some products from people you know rather than purchasing them from a stranger. At least you’ll be able to get a history from a trusted source before you put your baby’s safety in the hands of any product (be especially careful with products like car seats to make sure they haven’t been involved in accidents for example).

3. Read product reviews online.

Just because something looks great on a store shelf, it doesn’t mean it’s a safe or high quality product. And if you purchase something you’re unsatisfied with or something that doesn’t work as intended, you might find yourself spending even more money to have it replaced down the road (especially if you’ve already exceeded return periods because you went shopping too far in advance of when your baby was born). Reading product reviews might let you know what to expect not only when you first buy a baby product, but also how it tends to operate over time. Save money and avoid excess debt by purchasing products with good reviews that look like they’ll last as long as you’ll need them.

Don’t assume that having a baby automatically means you’ll need to go into credit card debt to purchase everything you’ll need. You do have options that can help you cut costs while still making sure your baby gets the best.