7 Ways to Save Money on Children’s Clothing

I feel like my children grow an inch every time I turn my head! And they grow out of clothing so quickly! The cost to purchase a new wardrobe for children every year really starts to add up. And for many of you, it’s already time to start shopping for back-to-school clothing for the kids. To help you save some money on children’s clothing, I’ve compiled a list of tips below:

1. Accept Free Clothing
When someone offers you free clothing, take advantage of the offer and say yes. You might not know if you will use it at first, but there may be some clothing your kids can wear. With the clothing that doesn’t fit or that your children don’t wear, donate it or give it away to someone who will use it.

Some women in my neighborhood have generously given me bags of clothing their children have outgrown. The clothes were still in good condition, and my oldest daughter has been able to wear almost all of it. This has saved me a lot of money, and I haven’t had to spend as much money on children’s clothing. And when my daughter is about to outgrow a size, I am able to look through the next size to see what I have before I begin shopping for clothes.

2. Buy Gently Used Clothing
Because children grow so fast, used children’s clothing are usually less worn out and still in good enough condition for other children to wear. Try finding gently used clothing at these places:

• Children’s Consignment Stores – Stores such as Kids on 45th, Kid to Kid, Just Between Friends, and Once Upon a Child buy and sell new and gently used children’s clothing.
• Thrift Stores – They offer a wide selection of clothing for children. It may take some time to search through the racks, but you should be able to find clothing that is still in good condition.
• Yard Sales – These can be a great place to find children’s clothing. To save time, try to plan your trip during neighborhood sales so you can stop by more places at once.

3. Watch for Deals Online
There are many deals online that are popping up right now. Watch for companies to advertise a sale, then use a coupon code to get a better deal on the sale items. As I see sales that I think are a good deal, I always check to see if there is a better deal on Amazon, Walmart, Target or Kmart. And if you can get these types of deals at the same time they have free shipping, then you’ll be able to save even more money! And to make a deal even better, shop through Ebates or TopCashback to get cash back on your online purchases.

A few other stores where you can find good deals include Thredup, a site that sells gently used name-brand clothing for kids, and Zulily, a daily deal site that sells items for children at a discounted price.

4. Shop Department Store Clearance Racks
When you walk into a department store, head for the clearance rack first. If you watch the clearance racks closely, you’ll be able to find really good sales and get good quality clothes. After school starts, many stores will have sales to push out their fall inventory in order to make room for their winter clothing. You might want to hold off purchasing some items to see if they will be marked down more once school starts.

5. Purchase a Larger Size
There are some clothing items that you can purchase for your children in a larger size such as snow pants, rain coats, or pajamas. A bigger size in these clothing items won’t be too obvious. And since some of the clothing is only worn a few times a year, a bigger size means you might be able to use it the next year also.

6. Repurpose Old Clothing
Be creative with children’s old clothing. For instance, if pants have holes in the knees, then cut the pant legs off and turn them into shorts for the summer. When your child’s legs are too long for the footie pajamas, then cut the feet part off the pajamas.  Your child then might be able to wear the clothing for another 3-6 months.

7. Take Care of the Clothes
Teach children to respect and take good care of their clothing so it lasts longer. You’ll also be less likely to have to replace the clothes before your child outgrows them, and you’ll be able to pass them down to younger siblings.

How do you save money on children’s clothing?