It’s back-to-school shopping season soon and buying clothes for your children each year can really add up. Fortunately, there are several ways to save money when it’s time to buy new clothes before the school year begins that also help the environment!
Sell Their Old Clothes
A great way to spend less on your kids’ back-to-school shopping is by selling the old clothes they’ve outgrown. There are many secondhand stores that will purchase the garments for cash that you can put towards the new purchases.
The stores are also known for giving even more money in-store credit. There are also many different apps available where you can sell their items and ship everything to customers throughout the country. ThreadUP, Mercari, OfferUp, and Poshmark are all easy to use on your phone or tablet to sell your items or find discounted clothing for your kids to wear. You can even get your teenagers involved with selling clothes that they no longer want.
Visit Thrift Stores
You don’t have to pay full price when you’re buying clothes for the new school year. Thrift stores are a great place to find used clothing in great condition. Some of the items even have the tag on and have never been worn. This can be an adventure for both you and your children to dig through piles of clothes to find what they want.
Shop During the Off-Season
Another great way to save more money on new clothes is to shop during the off-season. Consider buying the school clothes during the winter season when they’re discounted and are on sale due to less demand. Many retailers slash their prices on items that didn’t sell. Shopping in advance will allow you to get great deals but just be sure to anticipate how much your kids’ will have grown by the time the season for when they will wear these clothes rolls around.
In addition to off-season sales, you can find online retailers like Lazada that offer discount codes or cashback on anything you buy through their online store.
Create a Budget
It can be easy to overspend on your kids’ school attire when you see a cute dress or the perfect boots. This can make it easy to spend more than you anticipated. I know my nemesis is the discount rack because I am tempted by a bargain! Creating a budget will make you more aware of how much you can spend. You can get your kids involved by giving them their part of the clothing budget so they make the trade-offs of how to spend their money.
Encourage kids to choose clothes they can get more use out of, which includes pants, plain tops, jean jackets, and neutral sweaters. Find items that are easy to match with different types of outfits to ensure they can be worn more frequently.
Getting your kids involved with back-to-school shopping doesn’t have to be an extra chore. It can also be a lesson in personal finance for them in learning to budget, find bargains, and resell their clothes. And the best part is you can stay within your budget and avoid purchasing items that are overpriced or barely worn. Learning a few tips to save money on the clothes is a gift that keeps on giving. These skills will last them a lifetime and can be applied to the real world when they grow up and leave the nest.
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