WE’VE WRITTEN in the past about the high cost of bringing up babies – €250,000 for each of them by our reckoning. Well, there are ways new parents can make savings. The Little People Nursery Store, for instance, has branched out into the second-hand stroller market and is doing a fine line in trade-ins.
Parents who are thinking of upgrading or changing their existing pushchair can swap it in exchange for “a reasonable trade-in allowance against any new pushchair” in its range.
The store also has a range of reconditioned “pre-loved” pushchairs for sale. They are all serviced, reconditioned and come with a six-month standard manufacturer’s guarantee. See littlepeople.ie for more details.
Broadband costs push rural city divide wider
WHILE MANY things cost more in urban areas when compared with rural ones, broadband is not one of them, according to price comparison website bonkers.ie.
It has reported some parts of rural Ireland face an annual €1,476 differential for the cost of personal broadband compared with most urban areas. Broadband packages with similar download speeds and data allowances can cost as little as €120 per year for a mobile internet subscription or as much as €1,595.88 for customers with no choice but to access the internet with a satellite broadband provider.
It also found that rural users are at a distinct disadvantage in terms of choice. People in Dublin and Cork can choose from 13 providers offering over 120 packages with an array of speeds, connection types and call options. Some rural areas may be limited in choice to a handful of satellite packages from as few as two providers.
