I’m not going to lie; I’m down-right proud of how fast my boys grow. They are truly little ogre babies straight from their daddy’s butt cheek, and were not cursed with my more leprechaun-ish genetic stature. While I may be proud, it does mean my boys go through a lot of clothing — not that all kids don’t– and probably will continue to do so for quite some time. We’re not rich by any means, and even if we were, who doesn’t want to save money on children’s clothes? Many parents simply go to the store, and buy clothes when their child needs them, but there are other, free or almost free, options.
Freecycle and other recycling groups:
In most cases, you can find groups online that recycle goods they don’t need any more. Users post items they need asking others if they have them lying about, or post items they want out of their house for free. Freecycle is the best known of these groups. You can find Freecycle in your area with a simple Yahoo search for “Freecycle *insert your town*”. Chances are if you post a needed clothing post you’ll get at least one bite, but be sure to post your outgrown clothes for others to continue the cycle of giving.
Hand-me-downs:
Next, we all have friends and family. I was blessed with 16 nieces and nephews. I didn’t have to buy clothing for my kids until they were well into the toddler stage. Before you go and spend money on new clothing, consider asking family or friends that you know have children that are older than yours of the same sex if they have some hand-me-downs they want to get rid of.
Ebay and craigslist:
Moving on to the almost free category, many parents overlook the usefulness of buying second hand. Ebay, for example, can be wonderful for getting “lots” of children’s clothes, a “lot” being multiple items in a single listing. You may for instance get an entire large flat rate box of used clothes for .99 cents plus shipping. You can also look for sellers with multiple desired item and request combined shipping. Local listing sites such as craigslist can save even more, as they rarely require shipping. You may also check social networking sites like Facebook for buy/sell/trade/free pages, many areas have them.
Second-hand stores:
You can also go the tradition route and hit the thrift stores. Your children are not the only children that usually outgrow clothes before they wear them out. Many thrift store finds are in like-new condition, and priced far below retail prices.
Discount Racks:
Lastly, if you check-out just about any big department store-such as Walmart or Fred Meyer, someplace you’ll find a discount section. These items are often marked down 50% or more, and are simply the remains of clothing stock that didn’t sell, or possibly items missing parts like a set of clothing that someone has stolen a piece of. Discount racks can often be just as inexpensive as thrift stores, and you’ll be the first owner.
In any case, always wash clothing before use. If you are meeting in person to buy second hand clothing from an online source use good judgment and be safe. Meet in a public place, and do not get into any vehicles, if you do venture to someone’s home to pick up an item, come armed or with a friend. Pay in cash to avoid giving personal information to sellers.