8 smart ways to save money on kid’s clothes now

Are you looking for easy ways to save money on kid’s clothes? Are they constantly outgrowing them and needing new ones?

Kids clothing is not cheap! Especially when you consider the amount of outfits they need throughout the year. There’s school clothes, holiday clothes, pjs, winter clothing, waterproofs, swimsuits, and sunhats to buy each year. It all adds up.

If, on top of that, you have a kid who’s less-than-gentle with their clothes and shoes then you’re spending hundreds each year only for them to outgrow everything when they hit another growth spurt!

I remember when my son started primary school, he had holes in the knees of about 5 pairs of jeans within the first few weeks! I genuinely through he must have been crawling about on the concrete to rip them all so fast!

And don’t even get me started on the ends of his shoes when he first learnt to ride his bike. Instead of using the breaks he slowed himself down using the tips of his toes and his shoes were wrecked! We even designated a specific pair of shoes as the bike shoes in an attempt to save his school shoes!

When they grow so fast and are so rough on their clothes and shoes, it is so important to find more affordable ways to update their wardrobe. It also helps to make a spot of money selling on any outgrown clothes! There are so many ways to save money on kids clothes, which I will delve into below.

If you’re looking for more ways to save money then check out my free eBook Parenting on a Budget for more ideas.

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1. Save money on kid’s clothes online

There are so many ways to save money buying and selling kids clothes online.

Whilst of course you have your discounts and sales, mentioned further down this article, there are also lots of second-hand options. We frequently use the well-known brands, like Ebay, Vinted, and Amazon when looking for clothes and shoes for our kids.

Then there are some newer, sustainable, companies worth knowing about. Sustainable Blogger, Karen Maurice, has a great article on her blog with all the best places to buy second-hand kids clothes online.

There are also lots of apps out there that can help you save money on your kids clothes on the go. I never really considered using apps to buy and sell second-hand kids clothes but they are actually a very convenient way to save money.

I found this list of 6 Free Apps for selling or buying kids clothes really helpful as you can not only buy second hand kids clothes on them but also make a bit of money from selling your kids clothes on once they have finished with them.

2. Local opportunities to save money on kid’s clothes

If you look for them, then like me, you will probably find multiple ways to save on your kids clothes locally.

In the UK, I find jumble sales and charity shops are great places to pick up gently-used kids clothing. I know that in the US, yard sales and thrift stores can be a great option.

It is down to luck a lot of the time. However, the more you look the higher your chances of finding a gem or two! I find second-hand baby and toddler clothes are often high quality. They are only worn for a short time.

Where I live, there is an active Facebook selling page for second-hand kids clothes. I save loads buying bundles of kids clothes from there. If you can plan ahead and buy things as you see them you are guaranteed to save some money.

3. Save on shoes by buying a shoe sizer

Kid’s shoes cost a ton! I remember the first pair of shoes I bought for my son. I took him into Clarks so he could get his feet measured by a professional. Then we chose some lovely winter shoes for him. The cost shocked me.

Now obviously, they are great quality, and you pay for that. However, at the rate my son’s feet grow, and because of how rough he is with his shoes, I do not want to be paying THAT each time! My boy frequently comes home from school with his shoes soaked through from playing in puddles. He manages to get scrapes all over them and there are pieces peeling off within weeks.

It was driving me nuts. I didn’t want to be ‘that mum’ who is constantly nagging her kids to take care of their shoes while they are playing.

To solve this problem, I decided to buy him good quality shoes, second hand. I still wanted them to be good quality for him, but I knew that if I spent less on them, then it wouldn’t bother to be constantly replacing them. Mostly, I buy his shoes from Ebay now.

However, I faced a dilemma. I didn’t always know what size shoe he needed.

I felt it was just too awkward to keep going into Clarks to get his feet measured without buying anything. So, I was delighted to discover this Shoe Sizer, on Amazon.

It’s so handy being able to check his foot size at home. Then when his feet have gone up a size, I just search through my box of shoes for the next size up. It saves me time as well as money.

4. Save money buying in bulk

Just like when you shop for groceries, when you buy kids clothes in bulk they are usually cheaper.

I look for packs of patterned t-shirts for my kids, especially when we have found a brand we love.

On online second-hand platforms, I have found that buying a bundle of kids clothes works out much cheaper than buying individual items. I have saved with a winter bundle for my daughter from a local second-hand selling group and a jeans bundle from Ebay for my son.

Another benefit of bundles when shopping online is that you only pay one lot of postage!

5. Think ahead to save

I found that making that change to think ahead was so crucial for me, in my money saving journey.

Kids outgrow clothing so fast that it really helps to be prepared.

One of the best pieces of advice I can give, is to keep your eyes open for clothes and shoes in the next size or two up from what your kid is currently in. Now, if I’m passing a second hand shop, or scrolling through a Facebook selling group, and I see something a few sizes too big for my kid, I’ll grab it and stash it away ready for them to grow into.

There’s nothing worse than suddenly realising that their shoes are wrecked on a Friday evening and they need new ones for school on Monday. You can almost guarantee that you’ll end up forking out for brand new ones that will probably need replaced again in a few months!

Thinking ahead saves the stress, as well as your money.

6. Check out clothing rental services

I have only recently discovered that this is a thing. What a great way to save time and money on kids clothes!

You can shop online, in one place, whilst getting a range of good quality kids clothing from different brands.

Environmentally, it’s great as you are saving used clothing from going into landfill.

If you are interested in learning more about this and the best companies out there, I found 6 best kids’ clothing rental services for shopping more sustainably a helpful article to read.

7. Swap and Save

It didn’t take me long to realise that most of us are in the same boat when it comes to buying kids clothes.

We are all looking to save a bit of money where we can. Swapping clothes with friends and passing on outgrown items to others helps so much. It helps create a swapping culture within your friendship groups. This is beneficial to all of you and saves so much money in the long run.

We get clothes passed down to our kids from their older cousins and a few mums I met through playgroup and school have passed on items that their kids have outgrown. I return the favour with our kids outgrown clothes.

I love that this is becoming the norm. It not only saves money for everyone, but it’s so much better for the environment.

If this isn’t done much in your area, you could suggest to your school’s parent council or local playgroup that they hold a swap shop. These are great ways to raise a bit of money for them, whilst also helping the local community.

8. Don’t miss the sales

Whilst I love shopping second hand, for environmental reasons, I know it’s not for everyone.

If you like to buy your kids clothes and shoes new, whilst saving money, then you need to keep on top of the sales. Depending on which store you shop at, the discounts can be massive!

The key is to make sure you find out about them early, so you can get to the deals first. If the idea of wrestling other people in store for a bargain doesn’t appeal, then remember there are loads of sales happening online too!

Love the Sales is a website that helps you stay up-to-date with all the sales that are currently going on. You can search for a category, like girls shoes for example, and it lists loads of girls shoes that are on sale on different websites right now. It also allows you to search by shop and brand if you’re after something more specific. It’s got some good reviews so definitely worth checking out, especially if you are into designer brands at discount prices.

Save money on kid’s clothes

I hope this list has given you some valuable ideas on how to save money on your kid’s clothes.

It’s not cheap keeping our little ones wardrobes stocked. Thankfully, there are so many little things that can help us save money along the way.

The best thing that I have done to save money on my kids clothes is to keep one step ahead. I try to buy clothes for them when I see something good, even if it’s a few sizes too big.

This not only saves money, but it also reduces stress significantly as I feel more organised and on-top of things.

If you’re looking for more ways to save money, check out my free eBook, Parenting on a Budget.