A study published by Kidpik found that parents spent an average of $1280 annually on their children’s clothes in their first year. The study further revealed that the cost gradually increased as the children grew into their teenage years.
The thing with children is that their clothes may not last them five or ten years as they do for adults. They outgrow the clothes first. Besides, the clothes wear out with their playtime and easily get permanent stains. With this, many parents need to replace their children’s clothing frequently. Simply put, if you don’t take the initiative to save on children’s clothing proactively, you will end up spending more and more than you should.
Looking to save on children’s clothing? Read on for tips that will help you keep your money with you while shopping for children’s clothing.
1. Start Thrifting
Do not buy everything new for your children. Children quickly outgrow their clothes, so consider purchasing cheaper options in thrift stores, consignment shops and garage sales. Thrifting is especially great for winter coats, sweatshirts, trousers, shoes, and shawls.
Instead of going for the new items your child may outgrow in a few months, start by checking whether your nearest thrift store has gently used clothes your children could give a second chance to.
Besides, online marketplaces are great places to find gently used gems for your children. Remember, children typically outgrow their clothes very quickly. This means it is very easy to find gently used items, and some as good as new at a fraction of the original price.
Keep an eye on sites such as Facebook Marketplace, Kidizen, ThredUp, Swap.com, Vinted, and eBay.
2. Hand-me-Downs
Accept hand-me-downs from family, friends, and work colleagues. It is not just a precious thing to have your children wear clothes from their older cousins and friends. It will save you money and help keep the memory of your other loved ones going.
Before buying any new clothes for your children, ask people around you who have older children. You may save money and help them declutter while at it.
Also, if you have older and younger children, consider buying unisex or gender-neutral clothes to make the hand-downs easier. A good example would be investing in good sweatpants and sweatshirts; your younger girls could inherit these from their older brothers and vice versa.
3. Clothing Swaps
Have clothes your children have already outgrown? Do not let them clutter your house. Attend clothing swaps in your neighborhood and swap what you do not need for a new selection from other parents.
If you cannot find clothing swaps, take the initiative and organize one and invite the parents in your neighborhood. They too may like the idea of saving on children’s clothing.
4. Shop Off-season
Need winter clothes for your children? The onset of winter is the worst time to buy them. Consider shopping for the next winter season at the end of the winter season. You can easily find cheaper clothes during end-of-season sales.
Do the same for all the seasons and enjoy the reduced prices at the end of the season.
Remember, if you’re buying for seasons ahead, you may want to take a size bigger to cater for growth spurts that may happen in 3- 6 months.
5. Shop From Discount Stores
Shopping for your children’s clothes from discount stores is an excellent strategy if you’re on a budget. The good thing is that you can still find a lot of stylish and well-made clothes from discount stores. They often offer well-known brands at significantly lower prices than traditional retailers.
You also want to watch for sales and clearance items in discount stores. Their discount sales often feature even more significant discounts, saving you even more.
6. Coupon Codes and Sales
Whether in-store or online, take full advantage of coupon codes and sales. While they may help you save a few bucks for every purchase, they quickly add up and can save you so much in the long run.
Before making any online purchase, scout for coupons on relevant websites, newsletters, and other savers.
These discounts can significantly slash prices, enabling you to buy high-quality items at a fraction of the cost. Whether it’s free shipping, a percentage off, or a buy-one-get-one deal, utilizing these codes ensures you get the most value for your money. It’s a simple yet effective way to make your kids’ wardrobe more economical without compromising style.
7. Shop From the Clearance Racks
This is one of the most overlooked ways to get clothes at a fraction of their price. When shopping at a department store, start from the clearance rack. If you’re lucky, you can find great selections of clothes, especially for the basics.
Clearance racks are typically tucked away in the corners of department stores. Although hidden, you can easily find great value in them. These are usually the last season’s stock or items with minor imperfections. Dedicate some time and go through these racks; you can land gems, including brand items, at significantly reduced prices.
8. DIY Clothing
Know how to sew? Then you can take the opportunity to transform your old clothes into children’s clothing.
This procedure is a great way to personalize your children’s clothing, work up your creativity, and, most importantly, give a second life to clothing and save money while at it.
It does not only involve re-sizing your old clothes to fit your children. You can also transform your old fabrics into something your children can wear.
If you’re good at it, you can end up making creative and fashionable prices your children can wear out. You, however, do not have to be the best tailor out there. You can still make simple designs that your children can wear around the house.
9. Buy Basics in Bulk
Basics are one of the easiest items to find on sale. If you bump into great deals, take it as an opportunity to get the basics in bulk, whether in-store or online.
Basics, such as socks, underwear, and plain t-shirts, are staple items children go through rapidly. Therefore, purchasing these essentials in bulk not only saves you time but also often comes with significant cost savings per unit. Furthermore, it will minimize the time you spend scrolling down websites or going to stores to find last-minute, pricier purchases.
10. Rent Clothes for Special Events
Purchasing clothes for special events can be costly. For instance, it can be a costly commitment if your child is invited to be a ring bearer, a flower girl, or a page boy at a friend’s or family’s wedding.
Unfortunately, your child may never get a second chance to wear the expensive clothes you buy for such events. Instead of splashing so much money on what will likely be worn once or twice before your child outgrows it, consider renting or borrowing. Find rental boutiques in your city or one of the numerous online boutiques that rent out clothes suitable for photo shoots, weddings, birthdays, and other life events.
11. Do DIY Repairs
Do not dispose of clothes with minor damages. Instead, consider repairing minor damages on your children’s clothing with basic sewing skills.
This is an excellent way to keep clothes you love for longer, which is a strategy to save money and the environment. So, the next time you have a missing button or tear, do not dispose of the clothes. Fix it and save the money.
12. Buy Generic Brands
Do not waste money buying expensive brand clothes for your children. For starters, brand clothes do not always mean excellent quality. Many of them are now just as moderate in quality as their generic counterparts.
Besides, you want your children to be children and play around, explore, roll on the ground, and do all they can to stay active. You do not want to feel the pinch of them rolling on the grass with a basic t-shirt that costs you several hundred. It will be worse pinch if the brand-name clothing ends up with stains or tears you did not expect after a few wears.
Save yourself the money and stress by buying generic brand names instead.
13. Purchase Bigger Clothes
This cannot be emphasized enough. You want to buy clothes that will fit more than a few months to come.
Do not leave behind the items that are slightly oversized, especially if they’re on sale. This applies to items in thrift stores and basics. Your children will soon fit in them, and you will be glad you got the items earlier.
Also, for items such as sweatshirts and pants, it is much better to get the loosely fitting ones because they are comfortable and something your children can wear for years to come.
14. Have Separate Clothes for School (Or Special Events) & Play
Instead of disposing of slightly worn-out clothes, consider having your kids wear them at home for play. You can then have the clothes in perfect condition reserved for school, going out, and for events.
To perfectly implement this, have a different wardrobe for school and events from what they wear at home. At home, playing or doing activities such as painting and gardening, they will be fine wearing inexpensive t-shirts, leggings, and simple pants or shorts. Think of these as clothes that would not matter, even if they had grass stains on them. This way, you will not have to shell out money to get a replacement if the pricier clothes get stained, torn, or damaged.
15. Sell Your Children’s Unused Clothes
With all done and dusted, consider selling some of your children’s clothes if you plan on not using them.
Find online selling platforms, take some lovely photos, and advertise them for sale. You could also sell them on online parent communities. This will help you get money to acquire new clothing items for your kids and also help you keep your house clutter-free.
