School Clothes can be a huge expense especially for bigger families with more than two or three school age children. With the tightening economy finding ways to save money on school clothes has become more important than ever. There are a number of ways to save money on school clothes, with the most important tips starting at home before you ever head out to shop.
1) Take an Inventory - Before you even head out to shop, go thru your children's clothes and shoes. While we are all trained to think that are children must have new clothes at the start of every year this is not necessarily the case. Check to see what you child has that is still in good condition fits. Make a list of what each child needs before you set out to shop.
2) Do not be afraid of Hand-Me Downs - Much has been said about the unfortunate child that has to wear his or her siblings hand me downs, most younger children especially really do not care about hand me downs, and if you make a point of getting them one special outfit that is all theirs it can work to soothe any hurt feelings of entitlement they may feel when you buy newer clothes for the eldest.
3) Be creative - This tip goes hand in hand with the last two tips, help your child to see last year's clothes or hand me down clothes in a new light, by teaching them to combine clothes for a new look, or add accessories that brighten up their outfit. This can especially work well for young girls giving their clothes a new personality that suits them and separates them from their older sibling. Embroidery, patches, a new sweater, colorful socks, or a scarf can breathe new life into an old outfit.
4) Repurpose Old Clothes - Paint, tie-dye, and scissors can create an entirely new fashion out of an old fashion. You can turn old jeans into a new skirt; you can bleach and recolor jeans and other clothing, or cut the sleeves of an old shirt making it a short sleeved shirt or even a vest.
5) Host or Attend a Clothing Swap - If you have neighbors or friends within your community with young children then plan a clothing swap. This is a great way of getting new clothes that will not cost you a dime.
6) Check your Community for Clothing Giveaways - many communities host clothing giveaways for families that are really struggling with the expense of school clothes. Contact your school district, local church or local family services office for information on clothing giveaways in your area.
7) Take Last Year's Clothes to a Used Children's Clothing Store - many shops will offer you a better store credit than you will get in cash for clothes traded in. You should be able to get at least a couple of outfits free this way depending on the amount of clothes you trade in.
8) Shop Used - yard sales, second hand stores and consignment shops are great places to find rock bottom prices on your children's school clothes. Be sure to inspect clothing carefully for wear, stains or tears and shop early to make sure you get a good selection.
9) Clearance Sales - You will need to shop early in the year to take advantage of this strategy, but many stores aggressively mark down last years and last season's styles, and you can get bargains on clothes as low as 90% off if you know where to look. Do not discount the mall boutique or big department stores either. Although full price they are very expensive, they tend to have deeper discounts than discount stores do, often making the prices on their clothing as low as thrift shop deals.
10) Wait Until After School Starts - Stores gear up for huge sales and heavy shopping during the months of July, August and early September. Whatever is left over by October is usually put on clearance and can be bought for a reasonable price.
One last tip, do not wait till the last minute to shop, keep an eye on deals and shop all year long, buying a shirt on sale this month and pants on sale next month. By buying it in stages all year long you can minimize the big bills of shopping all at once. Not only will you catch the best clearance sales this way, but you can stretch the cost out over the year and avoid the high prices and crowds of the back to school crowd.
