Hey moms: keeping your kids fashionable doesn’t have to cost a million dollars! While it may be difficult to clothe your teenagers without heading to the mall, keeping your toddlers fashionable can be done quite cheaply. Here are some tips on how to keep your little ones looking their best without losing sight of your budget.
1. Swap
No doubt you know moms with kids close to the age of your own. Set up a swapping group! Meet once a season and trade clothes that their children have outgrown but will fit yours and vice versa. This is a great way to get gently used clothes for free. While you’re trading clothes, trade toys as well; make it a two for one. Just be sure that you are giving away as much as you get! If there are no children that will fit into your kids clothes, donate them to the local Salvation Army.
2. Thrift Stores
Speaking of the Salvation Army, have you ever gone there to shop for clothes? If not, you’re missing out on some great deals. While shopping at the Army can be hit or miss, you’ll have the best luck after Christmas and at the end of the seasons when people are cleaning out their closets. Many people, surprisingly, will donate new clothes to the Army after Christmas rather than returning them to the store. You can easily find brand new clothes at a fraction of the price.
3. Store Cards
Open a credit card or two at clothing stores to take advantage of great deals. Stores like Old Navy and Target have their own credit cards and will often offer ten percent or more off of your entire purchase for signing up. Throughout the year, expect similar deals when you use your store credit card instead of cash.
4. Tag Sales
Keep an eye on your local newspaper for great local tag sales. Many people will list, briefly, the items they will be selling. If you find an ad for a garage sale with kids’ clothes, head on over and see what deals you can find. While most people won’t sell an item in disrepair, it’s still a good idea to inspect the clothes thoroughly before you buy them. Spending a dollar on a pair of jeans is a waste of money if they aren’t going to last beyond one wearing.
5. Hand Me Downs
If you have two or more children, save clothing that is in decent shape. Get rid of anything stained or ripped and pack the rest into a storage box and tuck it away in the basement or attic. When the next child is ready, you’ve got a tote full of clothes for free. Again, this is something that doesn’t work really well for older kids but the younger ones won’t know the difference. And don’t think you’re tied to gender; little boys and little girls can share most clothing if you try to buy some things that are gender neutral.
You don’t have to spend thousands of dollars to keep your kids in fashion. It’s very easy, with a bit of ingenuity, to buy clothing for your children on a budget. If you do it right, you can even keep your kids fashionable for free. Try some of these tips and your kids will soon need a larger closet than you!
Andy Trace is a money consultant and content contributor for FinanceChoices.co.uk, a site offering detailed comparisons for the top providers, and side by side features like balance transfer cards.
