At a time when living costs are already rising, families can find it particularly hard to stretch their budget every month to spend on things for the kids. And it’s not just splashing out on toys and other treats that can be expensive: essential items, like clothes, are also becoming harder to budget for too.
However, spending money on your kids’ clothes doesn’t have to break the bank. Here are several thrifty, money-saving ways to kit your kids out for less.
Consider shopping in charity shops, consignment stores, mom-to-mom sales and garage sales. You could find nearly new items at just a fraction of the original price – and even find the odd designer bargain amongst the other items.
Rather than going clothes shopping for your kids throughout the year, try sticking to the sales and buy items in bulk instead. Alternatively, many shops have a sale section all year round, so check what items have been reduced first before buying full price. I have found some awesome deals by looking in the clearance sections. I don’t always shop for the current size either, think ahead. When the summer clothing goes on clearance at the end of summer, consider shopping for next year.
If you have friends or relatives with kids, see if they have any clothes that they’ve now outgrown that could be passed down. You could then recycle these in turn to other friends’ children to get the maximum wear out of them: cost-effective and eco-friendly! Create a Facebook group for your circle of friends who have children and create your own local swap group.
Think about making alterations to clothes that are still in good condition but your kids have outgrown, e.g. extend the hemlines on jeans to make them fit that little bit longer. And rather than throw clothes out, make repairs to more expensive items like coats and jackets – or keep them aside as ‘playing out’ clothes that you wouldn’t mind your kids getting messy.
