How to Save Money on Kids Clothes

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Are you looking for some easy ways to save money on kids clothes? Here are my top 10 tips to dress your kids for less!

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According to the USDA, it costs $1,280 annually to dress one child. I have to laugh out loud at that statistic! I don’t even clothe my entire family of 6 for that much a year. Honestly, it’s probably half that! No wonder so many younger generations are opting to forego children. Want to know how I save so much? Here’s how I save money on kids clothes in 10 easy ways!

Keep Minimal Wardrobes

The biggest way I save money on kids clothes is simply by keeping a minimal wardrobe. I’m not asking you to become a minimalist family, but keeping a smaller wardrobe definitely helps eliminate clutter, keeps your home tidy, and saves you money in the long run. Why buy 10 pairs of shoes if they only want to wear the same pair over and over?

Shop Second Hand

Shopping second hand is far less taboo than it was when I was a kid growing up in the late 90’s/early 2000’s. Now, it’s almost TOO easy to shop second hand. I know several people who prefer to keep their children in all name brand. Many thrift stores, online thrift stores, children’s consignment stores, and children’s consignment sales sell quality, affordable, name brand children’s clothes. There’s really no reason why those resources shouldn’t be utilized before buying new.

Embrace Hand Me Downs

Hand me downs is how many families survived during leaner times in our nations history. Even when families weren’t necessarily struggling, it still made good economic sense to pass down your clothes to your younger sibling or family member. We have been blessed to be given thousands of dollars worth of nice, good condition clothes and baby gear over the years. Once we are finished, we will pass it down to our nieces and nephews. And on and on.

Take Good Care of Them

Clothing is so cheap in this fast fashion world, that people tend to just throw things out instead of taking the time to keep it in good condition. I spot treat my children’s clothes, use bibs, remove their clothing at meal times, avoid light colors, or whatever else is necessary to keep their clothing looking nice. This saves money in the long run. Even if I got something cheap or for free, the longer my child can use that item, the more money I am saving. Then, passing it down would help someone else save money. Not to mention, it shows my children that it’s important to take care of our possessions.

Buy Classics or Neutrals

Another way I save money on clothes is buying clothes that can be used with lots of different pieces. Instead of a pink pair of leggings for my toddler that may only match a few shirts, I will opt for a black pair. This way, I don’t need to buy a ton of pants. I can buy fewer pants that match more items.

I also try to buy neutral things when I can, especially for baby clothes. Plain, neutral colored clothing can be worn by either gender.

Avoid Trends & Holiday Specifics

I get it, there is nothing cuter than super trendy baby clothes, but usually these items aren’t very comfortable for the child and may be out of trend by the time you need it for your next child or go to sell them. I also avoid holiday specific clothing. I used to love getting my children birthday shirts with their name and age on it, but guess what? They only wore it once or twice and then, no one else wanted it because it was SO specific. I usually only do Christmas shirts I get as hand me downs. I try not to spend any money on any clothing that has a specific holiday associated with it.

Sell What You Have

You can sell what you own at garage sales, kids consignment stores and sales, and even online. This way, you can use the money you make to purchase new items you may need. When my son was a baby, we had no hand me downs for him. His older brother had a good 6.5 years on him and his sister had girly hand me downs. I would go buy him clothes a size at a time. He would wear them for a good couple of months, then I would sell them, and buy him the next size he needed. I’d do this over and over. Eventually, my nephew came along and he gets a few of the items, but I still do this with baby gear and toys.

Don’t Buy Shoes Before They Can Walk

As a mama of 4, I cringe thinking of this phenomenon. I get it, they’re SO. Darn. Cute! But what a waste of money. Not only did my eldest have shoes before he could walk, he had pricey shoes. And guess how many times he wore them? Maybe a few, AT MOST. My youngest just turned 14 months and has been walking for 2 months and just got his first pair of shoes. Most new walkers aren’t walking around out in public much yet, anyways. So save your cash and wait until they actually need them. Opt for cute slippers or socks instead to keep those toesies nice and warm!

Ask for Gifts

You can ask for clothes for gifts. All of my children’s favorite character shirts, that they adore, were gifts for holidays. These are the clothes that generally get the most use and didn’t cost me a dime. When I buy gifts for other’s little ones, I always like to include a toy, snack, and an outfit. Something fun, something consumable, and something practical. I usually get the outfit at the second hand store, by the way. They do sell things still with tags, ya know!

Check Out Sales & Clearance

Always be sure to check out sales and clearance, even at second hand shops! I get clothes at my local kids consignment store when they have 90% clearance. That’s usually cheaper than garage sales. You can also shop sales and clearance for new clothes too. Keep an eye out at the end of seasons for deeply discounted clothing items.

There you have it! My top 10 tips to save money on kids clothes. Do you do any of these? Have any tips of your own? Let me know down in the comments!