Setting up for a new baby just got a whole lot easier and cheaper with this fantastic better-than-half-price deal on a Tommee Tippee Closer to Nature Essentials set from Toys R Us for just £49.99, down from £110.99

• Click HERE to snap up this offer from Toys R Us

I remember an article stating that first time parents in the UK spend on average £4000 on their first child during pregnancy and the first year – an astronomical amount, in my estimation! Whether you're a frugal parent or a 'must have everything' parent, getting ready for a baby can be incredibly expensive, so new mums and best friends to expectant mums should jump at the chance whenever a good deal comes along.

This is one of those times. For £49.99 the Essentials kit includes an electric steriliser, a bottle warmer, six large (260ml) bottles and four small (150ml) bottles, two medium flow teats, two fast flow teats, six milk powder dispensers, three milk storage lids, a soother, teat tongs and a bottle brush.

Tommee Tippee state that their teats are designed to make the breast to bottle switch uneventful, so that their bottles can be used for expressed breast milk too.

Standard delivery is £4.95, but if you spend over £150 – easy to do when preparing for a new arrival – delivery is free.

I'm generally pretty sceptical of anything announcing itself as 'essential' for your baby and although this Closer to Nature Baby Healthcare Grooming Kit for £10, down from £14.99, from Asda is no exception, I will concede that it contains enough useful items to be worth buying, especially at almost 1/3 off.

• Groom on over to Asda for this offer

The grooming kit contains nine healthcare and grooming items in a handy material pouch. If you listen to your mother and put things back where you found them this is great as they'll always be easy to locate.

In the case are a digital oral thermometer – useful for checking baby's temperature, especially when teething, and a nasal aspirator - not that essential, I don't think, having never yet had to use one.

On the grooming side, there's a toothbrush, brush, comb, scissors, nail clippers and two emery boards. These will probably all come in handy at some point or other during your baby's first few years, and are enough to make the kit useful to own.

Asda says it is ideal for travel – so long as you pop it in your checked in luggage so that it won't be confiscated at the airport for containing nail clippers and scissors!

If, like me, you like having a travel kit ready to go, this is perfect. If you want somewhere zipped up and safe to keep sharp objects and grooming items specifically for your little one, this is it.

Although it can be purchased online, the £4.95 delivery fee arguably means buying in-store makes more penny-pinching sense for PlayPennies readers.

Thank you to hardikjshah83 from HUKD