If you have kids, you know that clothing them can be expensive. I didn't realize just how expensive until we had our son nearly two years ago. Thankfully, we received so many clothes at his baby shower that I only bought one or two outfits during his first six months. Even since that time, I've spent no more than $150 on clothes for him. The only thing that was truly needed was his winter coat for the past winter; everything else was optional. During a time when clothing sizes change every couple of months, it's necessary to save where you can. Here's how we've kept costs down, and you can, too.
Hand-me-downs
Since our son has no siblings, I didn't expect to have hand-me-downs for him. His cousins were all much older than him, so we didn't think we'd get them that way either. But a surprising thing happened when people found out that we were expecting. Friends and friends-of-friends asked us if we'd like to have their little one's clothes as they grew out of them. Umm, yes please! Our friends have been more than generous. Our son now has a nearly fully-stocked wardrobe through about four years old, apart from socks and underwear. Many items were still brand new because kids grow out of things so darn fast. So don't rule out hand-me-downs even if you have no other children.
Yard/garage sales
Confession: I used to be a yard sale snob. I didn't want to waste my time looking through other people's junk. Not until I was expecting did I start to notice all the baby clothes, toys, strollers, car seats and more sitting in those yards. And they're cheap, folks. I've never bought a stroller or car seat at a yard sale, but as long as you do your research to make sure they're safe (easy to do from a smartphone), then you should be fine. For toys, I stick to those that can be wiped down and disinfected easily. Again, you'll find plenty of new clothes at yard sales because they're outgrown before kids get the chance to wear them.
Clearance/end of season sales
Near the end of every season, stores refresh their inventory with the upcoming styles and put the clothes from the current season on clearance. This is a terrific time to buy clothes if you want or need new items. With infants and toddlers, it's a little trickier because they may stay in the same size clothes for months longer than average, or they may breeze through a size in just a month due to a growth spurt. For this reason, you may want to stay away from things like shorts and tank tops and stick to clothes that can be worn through several seasons.
Online sales
Right now, I shy away from buying anything brand new since it won't be used long, but when I find something I just have to have for my son, I usually shop online. At any given time, you can find several different promotional codes for your favorite online stores from free shipping to a percentage off your sale. RetailMeNot is a good place to start looking for codes. Close to holidays, the deals are even better. Most stores also have out-of-season clothing on clearance, but you may not always be able to apply discount codes to these items.
eBay
I don't shop on eBay much anymore (probably because I don't shop as much, period), but you can find some excellent deals on baby and toddler clothes, especially if you prefer name brand clothes. Often, clothes are sold in lots, meaning you'll get several outfits with one bid. We've received so many clothes for free that I haven't had to do this, but it has been tempting to hit the bid button while browsing.
Craigslist
If you live in larger towns, cities, and metro areas, Craigslist may be a viable option for you. In our area, Craigslist is, unfortunately, not particularly active. Friends in larger areas, though, have told us that they've gotten clothes, toys and other items cheaply or free from Craigslist.
Do you have tips for saving on clothes for your kids? Share them in the comments.
Pictures courtesy of author.
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