According to cost of living tables, a family can spend anywhere between $50 and $90 per month per child to cloth him or her. I don’t think my family spends much more than that per year, or at least we try not to. The numbers go up from there for teens and adults. The one exception may be shoes, since the kids tend to go through several pairs in a year, and although I can get the cost of shoes down quite a bit, they have less pricing wiggle room than do other types of clothing.
Outlet Pricing
Yesterday we visited outlets out in Lancaster, Pa, near the Amish communities. One of our stops was a name brand children’s show outlet. We were able to pick up new sneakers there at a significant discount. Shoes that were originally priced as $36.95, were marked down to $7.50.
Buy Used
Buying second hand children’s clothing makes a lot of sense, especially when it comes to clothing for babies and toddlers, who hardly ever wear something out before they outgrow it. Look for good quality used children’s clothing at yard sales, thrift stores, consignment sales and online.
Buy Ahead
You can get some really good deal on new children’s clothing when you buy ahead. Shop the end of year clearance sales for the future sizes that your children will need. Stocking up on basics in larger sizes means that you can always have a supply of new clothing for your children for 70 to 90 percent off. When your children outgrow a size or need to go into clothing for a new season, you can simply shop from the closet.
Buy Generic Versions of Expensive Items
When it comes to the more expensive items of clothing, such as snowsuits, winter coats and boots, I always shop in generic colors and styles. This way all three of my children will get use out of these items, and I can pass them on to other little girls or boys when my youngest outgrows them.
Related Articles:
Save on Back to School Clothes