With 3 children, clothing can get expensive. It wasn't as bad when my boys were younger, because I could easily pass down clothing from one to the other. Now that my 11 year old is older and "playing harder", his pants get holes in them, his shoes wear out sooner....and I find myself throwing clothes away when he outgrows them, rather than saving them for the 9 year old. Then there is my 6 year old daughter who is a total princess and wants the latest "sparkly shoes" and pretty dresses.
Here is how I save money on clothing:
:: Shop in Advance
Right now, it is May, which means that I am hitting the clearance racks for sweaters, long pants, flannel pajamas, etc. I just buy them at least a size larger than what they are wearing now...sometimes even 2 sizes larger (if the price is right). In late August and September, I am stocking up on shorts, sundresses, t-shirts and bathing suits. In a few weeks, I will be pulling out a bunch of name-brand shorts and t-shirts for my boys for which I paid $3 or less...and the same goes for my daughter with her "summer dresses".
:: Check out Yard Sales
I'm not a huge fan of buying "everyday clothes" for my children at yard sales (unless the tags are still on them), but I have picked up some great deals on special occasion clothes and shoes for my boys at yard sales. They wear dress shoes about 2x per size (if that) and if I can pick those up at a yard sale for $3 instead of paying $20-$30 at the store, then I am pleased at punch!
:: Accept Hand-Me-Downs
When I had my daughter, my neighbor started giving me BAGS of clothing that her daughters had outgrown. My sister also gives me the clothes that her boys have outgrown. They were thrilled to get the clothing out of their house and I was thrilled to have the clothes. With my neighbor, the clothes were mostly name-brands like Gymboree, Children's Place, Gap, and more. With the clothes from my sister, they have been all the things my boys loved (Spongebob, Toy Story, Skateboarding, etc)
Note: when receiving hand-me-downs, it is important to ask in advance if they are a gift or a loan and decide if you still want to accept them. Frankly, although I appreciate the generous offer, I don't accept clothing "on loan", because I don't want to have to worry about making sure that I get everything back to them when my kids outgrow them!
:: Shop Consignment Shops
Consignment shops are usually pretty picky about what they will accept, so you can usually find great deals on name-brand clothing in great condition.
:: Shop at Outlet and Discount Stores
Stores like TJ Maxx, Marshall's, etc can be a great resource for clothing on the cheap, especially when you can hit the clearance racks at those stores. If you have an outlet shopping center near you, make sure that you go when the stores are having their "Friends and family" or Sidewalk sales. Most outlet centers work hard to coordinate the stores so that they all have extra discounts and/or coupons!
:: Shop Online
Look for online coupon codes for your favorite sites. In most cases, the codes include clearance items on the site and you can really scoop up some great deals (especially when you are shopping in advance, as I mentioned above).
To stretch my budget even further, I cover a lot of these online purchases using retail gift cards. I earn them during my downtime—like while sitting in the school pick-up line—by using consumer reward platforms that pay you to interact with new mobile software. Whether I am reviewing fitness apps, playing puzzle games, or exploring casino apps, the points from these little digital tasks add up quickly and easily fund my kids' seasonal wardrobes.
