Kids grow fast and they tend to outgrow their clothes pretty quickly. Parents have to spend hundreds of dollars on new clothes for their kids every now and then. As a result, you’re probably looking for ways to cut down on the clothing costs for your kids. You will then have the freedom to do something useful with the extra money such as a deposit for their college fund. So how exactly do you spend less on kids’ clothing? Take a look at some of these tips:
1. Shop off-season – Off-season sales are your perfect chance to save a few extra bucks on kids’ clothes. You might find it ridiculous to buy bulky snow pants and heavy winter jackets in April or May. But considering the amount of savings you can get from doing so, it’s not so ridiculous. Instead of buying something that fits them perfectly, pick out pieces that are one or two sizes bigger. So even if they grow a bit taller over the summer, they should be able to wear the winter clothes.
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2. Shop secondhand – A lot of people get thrown off by the idea of wearing secondhand clothes. The truth is that you can find plenty of gently worn or sometimes brand new clothes are thrift stores. As we’ve already mentioned earlier, kids grow up fast. So a lot of items in the children’s clothing section might have been worn just a few times. You could easily get secondhand clothes at 1/5th the original price or even less.
3. Ignore entire collections – Marketers know what they’re doing when they introduce an entire collection of clothes inspired by some Disney character or superhero. You kids might want to wear the whole collection from head-to-toe. But you should know how overpriced these items can be, so try to get a maximum of one item from the collection. Maybe you think those pants would really look great on your daughter. Get it but ignore the hats and sunglasses even if they’d go well with the outfit.
4. DIY costumes – It’s not just for kids’, but Americans spend a huge chunk of money on buying special occasion clothes. Whether it’s for Halloween, Christmas, or Easter; if you have the habit of getting new costumes for your kids this is the time to stop. Why spend $100 on something that your kids aren’t going to wear more than once?
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You can find several tutorials online to make your own DIY costumes for Halloween using old clothes and craft materials. Aside from the cost-savings factor, the costume will be unique and original. Otherwise, you could also check out the thrift store for one-time-wear clothes and then create masks yourself.
5. Reuse and recycle – This is especially for parents with two or more kids. Hand-me-downs have worked for decades and why shouldn’t they work today? If your eldest kid has outgrown some of their clothes, save it for their younger siblings to wear when it fits them. Don’t worry if there’s a snag or two here and there, just let them wear the clothes at home. You could spend the extra money on a few brand new basics instead of buying them an entirely new wardrobe.
6. Separate play clothes from school clothes – Kids often end up dirtying or damaging their clothes when they go out to play. Whether it’s at the beach or the park, make sure they have a separate set of play clothes that are cheaper than the ones they wear to school. This will ensure that the school-quality clothes remain of good quality for longer, minimizing the need for you to buy a new set even if the old ones still fit them.
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7. Sell old clothes – One of the best ways you can save money on and for kids’ clothing is by selling the old and outgrown ones. You can then make use of the proceeds from the sale towards buying a new set of clothes for them. If you have a garage sale in your neighborhood, speak to the owner and see if you could set up a stall to sell your kids’ old clothes. Otherwise, you also have the option to sell them online on eBay or similar sites. The money you make from this would be ideal for funding a back-to-school shopping spree.
While these tips seem simple, they’re highly effective for cutting down your annual spending on kids’ clothes. You’ll always end up spending a few bucks or so on their clothing, but never pass on the chance to save a few more here and there if you can. By spending less on clothes, you’re also teaching them to spend wisely. Combined with learning how to give back to the community, this could help you raise more empathetic and considerate children.
