My daughter started school this year. Though I was ready for her to start school, I was vastly unprepared for how many clothes she would go through. Between losing pieces at school and during her afterschool program and just being a messy child who can’t turn down a mud puddle jump, we have gone through more clothes than I could have ever imagined. Pants and socks have been thrown out simply because my best stain removal efforts don’t work.
I realized pretty quickly into the school year that between my messy, absent minded, child and a toddler who is growing at an astronomical rate, I needed to come up with a plan to save money in our budget to account for a larger clothing budget
Second Hand
As I mentioned, my toddler son is growing very fast. People have actually given clothes to us as gifts that never actually make it onto his body because he grew too much before we got around to that particular outfit. I have donated brand new clothes to my local second hand store. Knowing that brand new and gently used items are being sold at a fraction of the cost, second hand is often my first place to look when I need to replace or upgrade in sizing.
Facebook Buy and Sell
This is something relatively new to me but I have had more luck with Facebook than any other online buy/sell source. I am a member of a local mom buy/sell site and it has been a great resource for me (and my budget). Just this week I managed to score a pair of gently used shoes for my son, retail for $52.99 and I paid $20 for them, they hardly look like they have been worn at all and there is a 100% chance that if we can keep them in good shape that I will resell them too (he will quite literally wear them for less than six months).
Online Shopping Promos
This seems to be especially true during holidays but if I’m buying new from a children’s clothing store it has to be on super sale. Christmas, end of year and back-to-school seems to be the best times for the premium deals but sometimes the promos are so good they actually beat out pricing of second hand. If you’re looking to free up more space in your budget for these deals, make sure to check out online casino bonus offers.
Borrow from Friends
There are times, like my sisters upcoming wedding, where we may need an extraordinary one-time-wear outfit. It kills me to think I may need to spend upwards of hundreds of dollars outfitting my kids for the formal event. Instead I will call my friends with small children and see if they have anything wedding appropriate before dropping any cash on them. It never hurts to ask!
What are your favorite ways to save money on your clothing budget?
