Buying clothing for kids is a frustrating job, as those cute outfits that fit perfectly today are seemingly outgrown overnight. While you may be willing to pay top price for a designer piece for yourself that will last for years, the rules are different with kids. Shop smart and save where you can so that you can afford the endless cycle of outgrown clothes and new items necessary for your children’s wardrobe. Try the following four ways to stock the closets for less.
Learn Simple Alteration Tricks
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A few basic alteration tricks can help you greatly extend the life of your children’s clothing. Buy pants that are long and hem them to the proper length for your children. You can remove and adjust the hem as needed to keep the pants wearable while they grow. A simple running stitch is all you need to know. This technique works for girls’ skirts or dresses as well.
If you have a beloved long-sleeve shirt that still fits great once warm weather arrives, you can cut off the sleeves and hem them to turn the shirt into a T-shirt. This technique will help the clothing last into the next season.
Search Out Sales
Keep a list of items that your kids need and follow store sales and online coupon deals at favorite retailers such as Kohl’s. Get the newspaper and check coupon Facebook pages such as JCPenney Coupons For Good.
Get to Know Consignment and Secondhand Stores
Secondhand stores such as Goodwill and the Salvation Army are great sources for cheap, used clothing. Since children outgrow their items so fast, you’ll often find clothes that look like new for only a few dollars. Goodwill has one 50 percent off day each month when everything in the store is available half-price, making many items only $1.
Consignment stores in your area can serve you well in two ways. These stores serve as other sources for gently used clothing, and they are more likely to carry designer names and top brands. If you prefer to buy clothing new, you can take your outgrown items and consign them. Roll the profits into your next shopping trip to help fund future purchases.
Set a rule that you’ll never pay full price for children’s clothing. With a keen eye and a little forward thinking, you can cash in on Target, Walmart, JCPenney coupons and promo codes, or Kohl’s coupons and offers for big savings on new and name-brand items.
Save Siblings’ Clothing
If you have more than one child, save outgrown clothing from older children in carefully labeled bins. Stash these outfits under beds or on hard-to-reach top shelves of the closet. When your younger children reach the appropriate sizes, you’ll have a ready-made wardrobe waiting for them. You may be able to arrange a clothing swap with friends or other relatives as well.
Resist the temptation to buy full-price outfits when you can, and use the strategies above to save on your purchases so that you can build adorable wardrobes on a manageable budget.