This is the 3rd post in the Baby On a Budget series. You can read all of the posts in this series here.
Have you ever walked through the baby or kids section of a clothing store and checked out the prices lately? Most of the time I look at the price tags and think to myself that I wouldn’t spend that much on clothing for myself, a grown woman who stays the same size and could potentially wear something for years, let alone a child who may grow out of it in one months time!
I guess before having children I was completely oblivious to the cost of baby clothing. Plus, babies need a decent amount of clothing to cover all of those changes that can happen over the course of a days time. (I once changed my first son 11 times in less than 24 hours!)
I knew I needed to find ways to save money on all things related to baby in order to afford to be a stay at home mom. Clothing was one of the best places we were able to find major savings for our baby. Here are the 6 strategies that have helped us save hundreds!
1. Accept Hand-Me-Downs
I love hand-me-downs! I grew up in my cousins, my sister grew up in mine, and my son has received some from family and friends! If the clothing items are basics, they can be used for years. The best part…it’s FREE! If someone offers me children’s clothing that is in the right size and are items I need, I would definitely accept it!
2. Shop at Garage Sales and Consignment Events
Probably 75% of my son’s clothing has come from garage sale and consignment stores or events. I’ve found that clothing under size 2T is usually in great condition most of the time. These sizes are worn when kids grow so quickly that they don’t have a chance to wear items very long.
3. Borrow from Friends
I have actually lent out clothing more often than I’ve borrowed items from friends since I’ve been able to purchase items so cheaply. I have a few friends and family members who had boys the same season as my boys just different years. I know that handing them a tub of clothing full of everything they need for their child is such a blessing to them. Plus, I would much rather the clothing I have get used rather than be stored away.
4. Shop Sales Racks and Use Coupons
Now that Caleb is a little older, I have a harder time finding items in good shape at garage sales and consignment events. I have turned to shopping the sales racks and using coupons.
I am able to purchase a lot of items off season from Target for just a few dollars per item. I also get great deals shopping the clearance rack at Kohls and stacking that with a 30% off coupon, $10 off $25 coupon, and Kohls cash. I have actually found that I can sometimes get better deals on new clothing doing it this way than I did when shopping used clothing.
5. Only Buy What You Need
The very best advice I can give is to only purchase as much as you need. As cute as that newborn denim jumper is, it’s probably not the most practical. You don’t need 25 sleepers in each size or 18 shirts in size 12 months.
I make a list at the beginning of spring and fall to make a list of what we have that fits and what I need to still purchase or borrow to fill in the gaps. This way I know exactly what to buy and I’m not overspending on things that we already have.
I have found that babies under 12 months will pretty much live in sleepers and onesies. I try to keep on hand at least 10-12 outfits in each size, usually a combination of footed sleepers and onesies with pants. You might be able to get by with less. I would say start small and you can always add a few more if need be. I also don’t buy more than one “special outfit” in each size. This may include a pair of Osh Kosh overalls or a nice sweater with jeans.
6. Save Clothes for Subsequent Children
For my second son, Ben, we haven’t purchased very many items of clothing at all. We actually saved all of Caleb’s clothing that were in good condition for Ben in large Rubbermaid bins in our garage. Now all I have to do when Ben grows out of one size and into another is go into my garage and grab the next size bin. It’s so nice to know that we don’t have to worry about clothing for Ben.
When we purchased clothing for Caleb, we kept in mind that the items may be worn by more than one child. We looked for items that were in great or almost new shape and were not trendy. We stuck with basics like sleepers, onesies, denim jeans, khakis, basic shirts and shorts, athletic tennis shoes, and white socks. I’m sure girls are different. Maybe one day I will find out! 🙂
These 6 strategies have really helped us to keep our out of pocket expenses for clothing our babies very low. We generally budget about $50 twice a year for Caleb’s clothing now that he is older. My mom and mother in law also pick him up a few items each season which is a huge blessing to our family.
How do you save on clothing for your babies?
If you missed the past two posts in this series, you can find them here: