11 of 23

Write now Article Tools

With today's economy on a slowdown, parents need to budget themselves when it comes to purchasing clothing for their children. Gas prices are nearing $4 per gallon and the price of milk, bread and even rice is skyrocketing. You still want your child to wear nice clothing, however with other life necessities taking precedence, you need to prioritize and budget.

I can tell you that as the mother of three children, two of whom are twins, I have learned quite a few tricks to buying nice, brand name clothing on a serious budget. You can dress your child up in stylish clothes without breaking the bank.

ASSESS THE STYLE
First and foremost, check out different websites and catalogs to see what the "style" is for children today. There is nothing more life shattering (in the eyes of a 13 year old) than wearing outdated clothes. Yes mom thought she was getting a deal on those pink leg warmers but your pre teen daughter is mortified to wear them. By checking out websites, catalogs and the sales papers you will be able to determine what is "in" for the season.

EBAY
When shopping for my children, the first resource I look into is Ebay, the most popular online auction site. Usually you can snag good deals on name brand clothing for half the price. Sometimes people will even list their child's whole wardrobe online as a "lot", where you will get quite a few outfits at a really good deal.

COUPONS
Almost every company releases coupons to the public so they will shop at their store and still save money. However, in order to obtain these money saving cards, you will need to be on their mailing lists. Go to websites that are popular for children's clothes, such as The Children's Place, Gymboree, and Old Navy. They usually mail coupons as well as email online coupon codes to their subscribers. Gymboree even has a promotion they run twice per year called "gymbucks" where you spend a certain amount at their store and you get "bucks" which essentially is money off your next purchase. These add up and in no time you can score $100 worth of clothing for $50 or less. If you are shopping online, be sure to do a google search for coupon codes such as "online coupon codes." Sometimes these codes are floating around the Internet and you can save with promotions such as free shipping or a certain percentage off the total price.

YARD SALES
During the spring and summer months, you can usually drive out on any Saturday morning and find yard sales. People sell their unwanted items for pennies; literally.

• 1
• 2
• next page >>

Add your voice

Know something about How to dress up your kids on a budget?
We want to hear your view. Write now!