Your kids grow up fast. And as they grow their tastes change, and the things they used to like are going to be the things they hate these days. They’re going to want new clothes and new toys, and they’re going to be interested in what their friends like, and soon they’re going to be wanting more and more of an allowance from you so they can cut out the middleman and buy their own things!
While this is just a natural part of raising kids, it can get very expensive. Namely, trying to buy the right clothing for growing children can get very, very pricey, and you might slam straight through your budget each year because of it. But what can you do? Well, it’s time to start saving on clothes shopping with the tips below.
.
Accept Plenty of Hand-Me-Downs
Hand-me-downs are common in big families - once one of your older children grows out of something, you can use it to dress one of your younger kids in, and that’s simple! However, maybe you have two kids with a big age gap between them, or a boy and girl who hate each other’s clothes, etc., and you just don’t have too many to make use of right now.
Well, it’s time to change that. Make sure you mention to friends and families that you’ll be happy to take any and all old clothes off of their hands. And maybe think about using your own clothes you can’t wear anymore - that shirt that doesn’t fit could be a great item for your daughter, if you’re able to take it in a little.
Always Buy in a Sale
Of course, this is obvious, but it needs to be a rule that’s never broken in your household. If you’ve got some pretty expensive kids to clothe, you need to always be shopping at a discounted price, and never forking out full price for something. They’re just going to grow out of it in a year or so!
So, make sure you’ve always got your nose to the ground, and find out when clothing brands and shops tend to put on sales. This is something you can do for yourself as well - never buy something full price ever again by consistently looking out for items like Pre-owned skeleton watches for men, because that’d be a hefty price tag otherwise!
Shop in the Right Places
And finally, always shop with the right retailers - namely, at outlet stores or big malls or even just supermarket clothing lines. These clothes are always a lot cheaper than the alternative, and always easier to get your hands on. Plus, these kinds of brands are a lot more diverse nowadays, so you’ll be sure to find something both you and the kids will love to wear.
Your family’s clothing needs cost you a lot month by month. However, you can cut back on the budget here by employing tips like those above - get to it!
I've seen how much kids' clothing is - I don't know how parents do it.
ReplyDeleteYou ain't a kiddin' (ha, that was almost a little punny). :)
DeleteI try to budget as much as possible. Sales are my favorite. Especially clearance racks!
ReplyDeleteFirst place I go to in a store, usually. Just in case!! Sometimes you really do score some great finds.
DeleteThis post took me back to my youngers years. My food budget for the week was $20.00. I stayed within that budget. You mentioned school clothes and you're right you can spend way more than your budget as they age. I was lucky because my son didn't care about the pricey stuff.
ReplyDeleteHave a fabulous day, my friend. ♥
I remember sticking diligently to a grocery budget. I went all out with the manufacturer's coupons, checking sales to maximize their benefit, etc. Now I do budget, but not quite as much as I did then. ;)
DeleteThankfully, both of my girls loved yard sale and thrift store shopping, so we were always able to get clothing at a fraction of retail (except for undergarments and shoes, which are always bought new). My best friend and I were always good with hand me downs too. Mariah was born first, then her daughter a year later, then Allison came a few years after hers, and then she had one more girl, so we were constantly passing hand me downs to each other LOL.
ReplyDeleteMy oldest granddaughter is in that kind of network. Her cousin is a year older so it works out. It is super cool, and very good on the pocketbook. ;)
DeleteHi Rosey - sound good tips - and eat seasonally ... and re-use as much as pos ... recycle. Stay safe - Hilary
ReplyDeleteHand me downs sure can help. But frig, it is so expensive to try and keep up with all the so-called in things. They want more allowance, they gotta work for it lol
ReplyDelete