If you’ve been reading my blog, you know I have A LOT of kids.
Four to be exact. Which most people seem to think is a lot.
Parenting four kids can be exciting, exhausting, frustrating, fun…and expensive.
When I transitioned to a stay-at-home mom we really started focusing on budgeting and finding ways to cut our monthly costs. So, we meal plan, use money saving apps and coupons, follow our financial rules, and honestly, live a very frugal life.
Cutting costs when buying children’s clothes is a very effective way to save money, second only to meal planning in our household. And they grow out of clothes SO FAST, I hate to use a large portion of our budget on brand new, name brand clothing, if I don’t have to.
Listed below are the 7 ways we save money on clothing for our children, and ourselves.
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- Accept hand-me-downs
We have been blessed with friends that have passed down like-new clothes to us. For YEARS, we have been given tote after tote of both boy and girl clothing for FREE! Thousands of dollars worth of baby and toddler clothes. All we had to do was find room to store the clothing until our kids grew into them. I know this is not the norm and we have been very fortunate!
We have two boys and two girls, so as our older kids grow out of these clothes, we save them until the next ones grow into them.
2. Consign
Consignment sales are such a great place to find deals on clothes, shoes, and nursey furniture. If you go this route, make sure to pick at least a few items to consign yourself. Many places will give early entrance to consigners, so you can get first pick before the public is allowed entry.
3. Facebook Sales
I LOVE buying from my friends on Facebook. I only buy from those I know and trust, so I know that I’m safe during the exchange, and the clothes will be in good condition.
4. Shop end of season/buy ahead
At the end of summer and winter, I look for sales at Walmart, Amazon, and Carter’s. I can usually find some good deals for the next year and store these clothes in a tote in the closet until they grow into them. My goal is $4 shirts/tops and $8 pants/bottoms.
5. Shop Clearance/Sales
I will look in the clearance section before ANYWHERE else when I am shopping, whether I am online or in the store. My family and friends are also great about letting me know when they find deals and sales. I very rarely buy clothes at full price.
6. Use store credit cards to get coupons
I don’t believe in going into credit card debt (DON’T be tempted), but I will open a credit card to get store coupons and cash back. Carter’s and Kohls are two great options!
7. Don’t buy name brand
I am not the type that gets caught up on name brand clothing. Whether I shop for my kids, my husband, or myself, the lesser known brands aren’t something I turn my nose up at. I want good quality at a great price and I work hard to find this.
Saving money is something that is important and necessary for our family of six. Despite not buying new clothes at full price, our kids are well-dressed. And they know no difference because this is what we have always done. This is our lifestyle.
If you have any other tips, tricks, or suggestions please let me know! As you can imagine, I love learning new ways to save money…and to shop.
Thx.