As much as we love our children, the cost of raising them seems to be constantly increasing. Let us look at the figures – it costs over £200,000 to raise one child until the age of 21. That does not take into consideration educational costs, should your child want to go on to university. Now we’ve taken a moment to let that hideous sum sink in, it makes good sense to ensure that you save as much money as possible, without compromising quality.
Kids have a knack for growing out of everything that they own at the time you need them to last. Naturally, we want our children to look smart and presentable, but by ensuring that they look their best we do not have to part with huge sums of money in the process. It’s not like I’m letting you in on the world’s biggest un-kept secret that kids grow out of their stuff fast!
There are so many ways for frugal parents to save a fortune on kids’ clothes. Clothing outlets tend to sell big names for a nominal sum. While the clothes may be from last season, this does not mean you have compromised quality. Your kids will look like the bell of the ball once you have decked them out in their finery. Buying clothes ‘out of season’ will save you a fortune, and they will still look adorable.
Be Sure to Check Online Retailers
Do look online for significant savings on children’s clothes. There is a wide range of online retailers that offer designer second-hand children’s clothes at incredible prices. It is always worth checking them out, especially if you have a big occasion coming up and you want your little ones to look their best. Do remember to check your clothes thoroughly and ensure that they are in good condition. Do remember to buy kiddies’ clothing in half a size bigger. That’s not to say your kid’s clothes should swamp them, but giving them some ‘growing room’ allows your bank balance some breathing space!
Shop Secondhand
Secondhand stores are an excellent way to get what you need at a fraction of the cost. While secondhand stores used to have a stigma attached to them, these days they can offer high-quality items from popular brands that may not be sold in department stores anymore. Shopping secondhand means you won’t have to worry about spending too much money on trendy clothes that your child outgrows within weeks or months—instead, you can buy classic pieces from reliable brands that will last through multiple seasons and many different growth spurts.
Buy Basics in Bulk
If there is one item of clothing that every child needs, it’s basics like t-shirts and socks. These are the items that are worn most often and tend to wear out quickly—which means they need replacing often as well. To save money in the long run, buy basics like these in bulk from discount retailers like Walmart or Target (or online sites like Amazon). This way, you’ll get more bang for your buck and won’t have to buy replacements as often!
Other great ways of saving money on children’s clothing is to buy gender-neutral clothes, especially for newborns and babies. For some unbeknown reason, retailers seem to hike the price up of pink or blue clothing, by sticking to gender-neutral colours, you can accessorise with different colours should you want to make a statement.
Reusing clothes is a great way to save cash too. Should you have a large family, pass down clothing that is still in good wearable condition to siblings. It seems that we often sell our kiddies good clothes on to others, but reusing them within the parameters of your own family is a great way to save money.
For savvy parents, saving money on kids clothing is the tip of the iceberg. There are so many ways to keep your children looking beautiful, without breaking the bank. Giving your child, or children, a good wardrobe is incredibly easy when you follow the aforementioned money-saving tips. You do not have to compromise style when saving money, and your kids will still look super cute!
