Wednesday, July 29, 2009

Spending Less On Your Kids Clothing

By Jennifer Hess

Pregnancy is supposed to be a joyful time for expecting parents - certainly not one for them to spend time focusing on things like kids clothing. The woman is busy anticipating the day her bouncing baby will arrive, and her husband is getting ready for the pride in being a dad. For both, watching her stomach grow gets them even more eager for the times that lie ahead and making a life for their child through parenthood.

Indeed, babies are a joy to their parents, and are met with such excitement. But there is also some level of naivete before a child is born that quickly become obvious when the costs of raising that child become an issue. Many parents find themselves unprepared for these sudden additional costs and often make the situation worse by being unsure how to cover them.

Clothes are one of the most noteworthy of all the new costs there are to cover. Even before they're in regular clothes, children have to wear diapers, which add up very quickly. Then consider having to buy all types of clothing later on, and things can easily be overwhelming. If you feel unprepared, here are some tips to save money on clothes.

Before you buy clothes anywhere, you should set a budget to keep from going overboard. The amount of money you make the number of kids you have, and what you can afford to spend on clothes for them all affect your budget. Try to remember that you must always be prepared for the unexpected and be able to adjust your budget if necessary.

You can save a lot of money by shopping at places where you can get a discount on clothes, such as stores that specialize in items often between 45% and 75% off, and nearly as good as their more expensive counterparts. Clothes at second-hand stores might not be quite as good in quality, but they're certainly not of bad condition, and are usually even cheaper. Do the same as they do at home, with older kids giving things to their siblings.

You don't have to limit yourself from department stores completely. Try shopping during closeout sales, where you can find overstocked items or those from struggling factories at great prices. Similar discounts, typically applying to items in bulk, aren't always as well advertised but are just as good.

As sales can teach you, timing plays a big role in determining the best deals. Even online, you can get discount coupons good for a set amount of time. Different months bring sales on different things for much of the retail market. Kids' clothes are usually cheapest during September, November, or December, so try to do most of your shopping then if you can.

Lastly, as difficult as it might be, you really need to ignore your kids' pressure to buy them what's in style. The latest clothes are more expensive and the cost just isn't worth it. Just like the styles before them, these fads will be gone in a few months and those clothes you spent so much on will be cast aside in favour of whatever things are next to be popular.

About the Author:

No comments: