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You are here: Home / Frugal / 5 Tips for Buying Kids Clothes

5 Tips for Buying Kids Clothes

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May 6, 2014 By Jennifer Lambert 9 Comments

With four growing kids, I have to be careful with clothing and plan buys to help save money.

I’ve been pretty successful these last few years with scoring on great quality kids clothes for four children at amazing prices and here I share my frugal tips with you!

5 Tips for Buying Kids Clothes

5 Frugal Tips for Buying Kids Clothes

1. Buy out of season

You know kids need snow gear, so get it on clearance or at thrift and consignment shops super cheap during summer. When everyone is thinking of swimming, you’re being wise and planning ahead.

Buy sundresses and sandals and beach or pool items at the end of the season (when it’s too hot to even think) and coats are showing up in stores (seriously?!). Just be proactive and get a size up.

Stores like Old Navy have great jeans sales periodically. Stock up! My kids seem to always have holey knees! During back-to-school season, stock up on classics even if your kids don’t wear uniforms. Khaki pants are always a great item to have on hand for church or events that may pop up.

2. Consignment Shops

Our local consignment shop takes only seasonal clothing, so when I switch out clothes in spring and fall, I store the items in the basement to take to the shop to get credit the next season.

There are also HUGE consignment sales at our local expo center in spring and fall. A great place to sell if you’re very organized and so inclined – and an even greater place to stock up on homeschool supplies, toys, baby gear, sports equipment, and clothes.

I recently took three baskets of clothes and toys to our local kids consignment shop and got a credit. I didn’t realize I had never used my credit from last season. When I showed up to purchase some needed items against my $38 credit, I was told I had earned $138. So unexpected! I stocked up!

3. Thrift Stores

I can spot a Gymboree or Land’s End dress several aisles over. I just know the quality and pattern of their fabrics. I like certain brands because they last through several kids and don’t wear out or break down.

Know what you want and need and keep lists of sizes and preferences. Tori likes blue and not pink. Kate loves green and Bohemian clothes. Liz likes classic looks and black and white patterns. Alex loves blue and orange and no buttons.

4. Hand-Me-Down Club with friends or relatives

If you and your friends can work out a hand-me-down system to share clothes and costs and do seasonal swaps, everybody wins! Many of the moms at our church do these swaps informally. And we have a huge church rummage sale. Those who help sort and work get first dibs!

My younger girls love to “shop” from the basement bin of big sister’s old clothes and all my kids love getting boxes from their cousins.

I’m loving the Buy Nothing groups on social media!

5. Yard Sales

Yard sales are my least favorite way to find frugal clothes. The clothes are often poor quality and worse condition and it takes so much time to sort through bins, baskets, or racks.

We have found some great items like roller blades and jackets and furniture at yard sales.

We did have great success with selling baby items and kids clothing last year at our yard sale. It’s just hit or miss. I don’t waste much time looking for everyday clothing at yard sales.

I do like online yard sales and thrift shops. We had great success at KSL.com searching for and finding items we needed or wanted. thredUP and Poshmark are great ways to trade and buy used clothing!

I envy those people who have a monthly clothing budget set aside for those emergencies. I’ve just never seemed to manage it. We often use our tax return and Christmas and birthday money to stock up a few times a year. I’ve never had success with budgeting well for clothing since the kids always seem to need something special at random times.

They outgrow favorite items and I have to sneak them out in the dead of night, feeling pangs of ultimate betrayal. Jeans mystically develop humongous knee holes. Socks lose their sole mates. Shirtsleeves mysteriously grow too short or unraveled. And when they occasionally need a specialty clothing item for some event, I have to scramble to find a deal in the right size, color, and style.

Do you have any frugal tips I’ve missed?

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INTJ. Only child. Military Wife. Homeschool Mom. Geek. Naturalist. Traveler. Questioning authority since 1976.

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Comments

  1. Mandy - Frugal Full Time Mom says

    May 6, 2014 at 6:21 pm

    I have had a lot of luck with buying “lots” of clothing from on-line garage sale sites and classified like Kijiji and Craig list. I usually pay about a dollar a piece, depending on the size. This has worked very well for me in the past.

    Reply
  2. Clare says

    May 10, 2014 at 9:40 am

    I love buying preloved clothes for my kiddos – I get a kick out of finding really good brands at thrift stores and knowing I’m only paying pennies. I’d never buy that stuff brand new!
    #supermommyclub

    Reply
  3. Sara says

    May 12, 2014 at 10:48 am

    My sister’s baby clothes club had an ongoing rotation of baby clothes for new mothers in the group. Each mom added a couple of outfits and the collection expanded quickly!

    Reply
  4. Jill says

    May 15, 2014 at 10:42 am

    Speaking of Garage sales, I’m having one today. Kids clothes go crazy fast! Thanks for linking on #pintasticpinterestingparty

    Reply
  5. Susan W says

    May 18, 2014 at 10:31 pm

    Love consignment shops for kids’ clothes! Thanks for sharing at the Thoughtful Spot Weekly Blog Hop!

    Reply
  6. Melissa says

    June 12, 2014 at 7:22 pm

    I love searching on Craigslist to find garage sales so that they will have the specific sizes I’m looking for! Nothing more frustrating than hopping from one garage sale to the other and never finding the sizes/gender that I need!

    Reply
  7. anna says

    June 29, 2014 at 5:06 am

    thanks!, you can try to search and sell some of your items thru a garage sale/yard sale. visit http://www.garagesalecow.com

    Reply

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  1. Good Tips Tuesday 19 - A Bird and a Bean says:
    May 12, 2014 at 12:25 pm

    […] Five Frugal Tips for Buying Kids Clothes […]

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  2. Good Tips Tuesday #19 - Golden Reflections Blog says:
    May 12, 2014 at 3:01 pm

    […] 5 Frugal Tips for Buying Kids Clothes – Royal Little Lambs […]

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