If you have kids, you are well aware of how expensive buying clothes for them can be. Good quality clothing is expensive on its own, but when you combine those high costs with how quickly kids grow out of clothes, you find that you have a very expensive problem. While there are a lot of ways to save money on kids clothes, there is one very simple trick that will allow you to save money on kids clothes all year long – kids clothing stockpile. Don’t worry, I’ll show you how!
What is the trick you ask? Buying larger sizes on clearance and putting them up until they’re needed.
To some this may seem as if it is a silly idea, however, it works on the same idea as building a food stockpile. When you purchase your kids clothing in sizes larger than they need, you give yourself the freedom to not pay full price later on. In essence, you are building a clothing stockpile the same as you should a food stockpile, but on a much smaller scale.
How Do I Build a Stockpile of Kids Clothes?
Because kids’ clothing does not change too much in style, you can also do so without worrying that your kids will look like Grandma dressed them. It also means you can stock as many as three sizes up without too much worry. When you combine this stocking with things such as clearance sales, coupon codes and cashback sites, you can really bump up your savings.
This trick is also especially helpful for seasonal buying. Things such as coats can be very expensive for a good quality item. However, if you buy up two sizes at the end of each season, your children will always have a warm coat when the weather turns again and your budget will not suffer. The same trick to save money on kids clothes can be used for accessories such as hats and gloves as well.
Back to school sales can be an especially great time to build your stockpile too. During this time, clothing sales can go as high as 70% off retail prices. Use these sales to your advantage and build not only a winter stockpile for your kids, but possibly even a spring one for the following year!
If you have multiple kids, keep hand me downs in mind when you’re building your clothing stockpile. Aside from shirts which often end up stained, most of the clothing you are stockpiling are going to be able to be passed down. This is especially true for things like jeans, coats and dressy type clothing.
Tips for Building a Kids Clothing Stockpile
While you could do huge shopping trips that involve buying everything all at once, this is not recommended. Not only is it exhausting, but it can also be a huge drain on your budget. Instead, browse frequently when you’re in the stores already or when you’re able to spend a few minutes browsing their website. This will allow you to buy slowly so you aren’t hurting yourself financially. It will also allow you to take advantage of any sales the stores might be having.
If you do decide to go the slow shopping method, it can be helpful to keep a record of what sizes your kids are currently in. You might have them memorized, but it is better to know for certain than to purchase something that is too small. Your size record will also help you know for certain whether the clothing you’re buying will fit now or if it is a good buy for later.
What Kids Clothing Items Should I Stock Up On?
As already mentioned, most kids clothing styles do not change too much from year to year. This means you can pretty well stock up on almost every piece of clothing your kids may need.
This can include:
- Jeans
- Tee Shirts
- Sweaters and Hoodies
- Winter Coats
- Spring Jackets
- Dresses/Suits
- Socks
- Underwear
- Pajamas
- Hats and Gloves
- Shorts
- Swimwear
One thing you won’t want to forget is shoes. Sneakers and boot styles hardly change at all from year to year. What does change, however, is the price of those shoes. By building a stockpile that includes sneakers and boots, you set yourself up to save considerably over having to pay retail.
Having a kids clothing stockpile may not seem like a conventional idea and on some levels, it is not. After all, not everyone takes the time or puts the work into building a clothing stockpile for their kids. However, in addition to helping you save money on kids clothes, it also eliminates the mad run to the store because your son or daughter suddenly outgrew everything they own or because their shoes are too small overnight. And conventional or not, once you’ve got a headstart on it, you will be glad you took the time to do it.
