One of the smartest things I've done as a parent is buy used children's clothes. I'm not even kidding. For me, I can't stand knowing I paid full price or even $10 for a shirt and then watch it get stained after wearing it only one time. I can seriously count on my 2 hands how many times I have bought brand new clothes for my kids. It's not for everyone I guess but It's saved us hundreds or thousands of dollars! In my opinion, when it comes to kids clothes (especially 5 and under) it can be as expensive or as cheap as you want it! This is what I do to help me to never have to spend my own money on clothes for the kids!
1. I always shop consignment sales: In Knoxville, there are 3 consignment sales that come twice a year, every year. Picky chick, Jack N Jules, and Duck Duck Goose. They come once in spring and once in fall. I wait until these sales and shop all three. I usually figure out what my kids need before I go so that I don't over buy. If I need clothes for the boys and consignment sales aren't going on at the moment, then I always go to Once upon a Child. Its a used clothing store for kids and they don't accept stained or stuff with holes in it, etc. I find $5 polo's there all the time! If I am at a Goodwill store, I ALWAYS check the kids clothes section. Most of the time I don't find anything but every once in a while I find a piece of clothing that is amazing! I found a pair of Baby Gap seer sucker pants for Easton that he wore for Easter 2 years ago.
Easton in Baby Gap pants from Goodwill & a consigned baby gap shirt.
2. I sell my clothes at consignment sales: I lucked up so far. My kids are exactly 2 years apart and both born in January, so all of Easton's clothes get passed down to Sawyer. (Mostly. Sawyer is getting a little bit heftier than Easton was). As soon as Sawyer is done with a certain size of clothes, I sell them at a consignment sale and all that money I make goes into new clothes for Easton (that will then get passed back down to Sawyer). I donate some clothes too, but mostly I sell so that I can buy the boys new clothes! **I also sell clothes as soon as Sawyer is done with them instead of saving for another child, because I think the clothes will sell easier right now, as opposed to several years down the road. Plus, they have been through 2 boys...enough said :)**
3. Never spend more than a certain amount: This applies to used clothing: I don't spend more than $5 on a t-shirt, $10 on pants, and $8 dress shirts. I have to REALLY like/need something for the boys to spend more than any of that. If it is a special reason and I need to buy used clothing, I still try to follow that rule as much as I can. Shoes are harder to me, because they get so much wear out of them. I usually do 1 pair of dress shoes, Nikes, and a sandal or boot depending on season. I ALWAYS do consignment first, then eBay, THEN stores. I find $25 NEW Nike tennis shoes on eBay all the time!
3 pieces I got at Goodwill. $6 for all 3.
$8 Nike tennis shoes.
A haul from one of the consignment sales.
Keens for $10!
4. Keep clothes as clean as I can: I shout EVERYTHING. lol Stained clothes are the worst because they wont sell and you can't really put your kids back in them...soo I shout, oxy clean, scrub, do whatever I need to do to make sure they look nice so that I can get more wear & more money out of them ;)
I know that not everyone has 2 boys born in the same month and can only buy clothes for 1 child, but there is still consignment shopping and selling! I don't just buy clothes used either. A couple months ago, I bought a puddle jumper for sawyer (floaties) for $4! They are $20 in the store. I LOVE the feeling of finding something for more than half of the price! Eeek!
No comments:
Post a Comment