Saving Money on Children's Clothes

Need to save money on your children's clothes? Here are some ideas!

During this economic recession, dressing your children can become a challenge. The U.S. Department of Agriculture recently came out with figures that are supposed to reflect how much it costs to raise a child. They budget $60 a month for children's clothes.

I have been raising two children as a single mother for the past ten years and I have never spent anywhere near that for my children's clothes. There are much cheaper ways to buy kids' clothes if you know how to do it.

Here are my tips for saving money on children's clothes!

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Free Children's Clothes

Let people know that you love hand-me-downs. This is the best way to save money on children's clothes. After all, what is better than free?!

If you have a friend who has a child slightly bigger than yours, who is willing to pass along her child's outgrown clothes, then this is a great way to get free clothing and shoes for your child.

Be sure to pass along the favor and give your child's outgrown clothes to another child.

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Several websites now offer the exciting option of swapping your children's clothing with others. Check this out!

Looking for more ideas? Check this out! You can get this book free for your Kindle!

Check Freecycle in your area. This email list is designed to keep useful objects out of the landfill. People write to the list to advertise the stuff they would like to give away.

Watch the list for clothing in your child's size. When you see some, write and ask for it. It helps to be very polite and friendly when you make a request for something on freecycle. Some people just send an email that says, "I want it." You will have greater success if you write a friendly note stating why you would really appreciate the item(s) in question. For example, if it is true for you, "My husband was just laid off from his job and we have three children. These clothes would fit my son and really help us out during this time."

When your children outgrow their clothes and shoes, you can offer them on freecycle and help someone else. This seems like good karma to me!

Craigs List is an online bulletin board that allows people to advertise things they want to sell. You can often find great bargains there.

Garage sales are a great source for cheap children's clothes. Check carefully for any damage to items, because naturally you will not be able to return anything.

I have found garage sales to be good for picking up play clothes. Usually you have to go to quite a few sales to come across one that has things that are appropriate for your child. If you enjoy the thrill of the hunt, this may work for you.

One strategy you may find helpful is to scan the ads for neighborhood or multi-family sales. These are more likely to have items in the sizes you need.

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Thrift stores can be good sources of children's clothes. Good Will and the Salvation Army can be wonderful sources of children's clothes.

It is often easier to have success looking in stores in upscale neighborhoods, but this varies because stores move merchandise to fill in gaps.

The key to thrift shopping is to go frequently. They will not have the same items on Friday that they had on Monday. Keep checking.

Usually thrift stores have weekly sales based upon the colors of the price tags on the items. For example, on Wednesday everything with a blue tag will be 50% off. Check the sign in the front of the store for sale days to save even more money.

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A Great Source for Cheap Kids' Clothes

Resale is a great way to buy children's clothes. Children's clothes cost a fraction of what they would cost new, and you can find designer items, as well as items that still have the store tags on them.

When your child outgrows her clothes, take the ones still in good shape to the consignment store. You can usually get either store credit or cash. Usually the store credit is worth more than the cash. Use that to get more clothes for your child in the larger size.

I have had great success finding adorable clothes for my children at the local kids' consignment shop. I have even found brand new items that I have used as Christmas gifts for my girls.

In addition to clothes, consignment stores usually have a good selection of accessories, including shoes. They are a great place to look for dressy shoes, as well as dance shoes.

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At children's consignment stores, such as Once Upon a Child or Children's Orchard, you can buy and sell your children's outgrown stuff.

Find out the days children's clothes are marked down at your favorite stores. Stores such as Target often have good markdowns on clearance items. Often, if you ask a salesperson, they will tell you what day and time things go on sale. Armed with this information, you can be first in line to find some great bargains.

I have found a lot of items up to 75% off. This is a great way to pick up some things at the end of the season to save for next year, if you can estimate what size your child will be.

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EBay is a great way to buy children's clothes. Usually sellers will combine shipping if you buy multiple items from them at one time. If you find someone who is selling a lot of items in a size you want, it is worth the time to write to her and ask about a bulk discount or reduced shipping.

Often people will sell their children's wardrobes as a whole, called lots. This can be a very economical way to buy children's clothes.

This is a great time to learn to sew your children's clothes, if you do not already know how. Children's patterns are often very easy and they do not take much fabric.

Sewing can be an expensive option if you buy all new patterns, fabric and notions. Often that will cost more than buying storebought. Here are ways to save money when sewing for children.

1. Buy patterns only when they are on sale.
2. Use store coupons when buying fabric, patterns or notions.
3. Check the remnant bin for lengths of fabric that have been marked down.
4. Combine different prints in one garment to use up smaller pieces of fabric from your scrap box or the remnant bin.
5. Reuse fabric from other items to make children's clothes. For example, a sheet from the thrift store can become a little girl's dress. An old fleece blanket could become a little boy's jacket. You can't wear your favorite robe because you spilt coffee down the front and it won't come out? The back is still good! Make a top for your daughter out of the fabric.
6. Save lengths of elastic, buttons and zippers from worn out items to be reused for new garments.
7. Shop garage sales and thrift stores for fabric and sewing notions. Estate sales are a great place to buy sewing supplies in bulk.
8. Shop for patterns, fabric and notions online. Two great places to check are eBay and Etsy.

Find bargains on children's clothing patterns at eBay!

Check these tutorial videos for instructions showing how to sew children's clothes without a pattern! Some of them show you how to make kids' garments from your worn out adult clothes.