I don’t know about you, but it is so hard for me to pay full price for children’s clothes knowing that they will outgrow them in a matter of months. Then, after paying, I’ll have to pay again when they need bigger clothes. I already don’t usually pay full price for my own clothes, and I’m an adult whose body is done growing. This is an area where you can be frugal and save lots of money! I have a few tips that might help you begin saving:
1. Hand-me-downs. This has been my favorite way of saving money on kids clothes! I’ve been so blessed to have a friend who lent me clothes for each of my kids to wear that her children grew out of. She and her husband hope to have more children so she lent them to me until we were done using them. In fact, I just a few days ago returned clothes lent to us for Brant. This is also a wonderful way that you could bless another family if you store your children’s outgrown clothes with the hope to use them again for subsequent children!
2. Shop yard sales. I can’t tell you the number of items I have bought for just a quarter at yard sales. The clothes are usually in good shaped. I have bought several brand new kids clothing items at yard sales.
3. Consignment/Thrift sales and stores. Often times, there are standards with which people giving clothes must comply with meaning the clothes are usually nice and often times name brand. While pricier than yard sales, this is often times a great way to go. I have certainly racked up at consignment sales. Look online or in the newspaper for local sales. Often times churches or home school groups will host them. In the closest large city to us, there are several kids consignment stores as well.
4. If your parents are anything like mine and Blane’s, they have been so generous in their giving of clothes to our kids. Take advantage of this! If your kids need clothes but you know you’ll be seeing either set of parents soon, wait to see if they give your children clothes before you go shopping. I’m not encouraging an attitude of expectation or greed. There have been a few times when our kids needed clothes and I went shopping, only to be greeted with a cute outfit or two (or three!) by a grandparent a week later. I could have saved money by making do for another week!
5. Take inventory of what your kids actually need before you do any shopping.
6. Shop end of season sales. Some stores have amazing discounts at the end of the season! You can buy larger sizes for kids for the next year.
I am always looking for ways to save. What tips do you have on saving for kids clothes that I have not listed?
