Budget for Kids' wardrobe?

[AustenFan]

Where's the option for "I will spend $150 total on four children this year, but it's only that high because I have to buy a brand new flower girl dress for DD1?"

Because I garage sale (and buy ahead) and put the younger ones in hand-me-downs, I can't imagine spending as much as $100 per child, per year. I mean, I guess I could easily go to Janie and Jack and do that in one shopping trip (!), but our closets are so full that I couldn't justify it to myself. Our total family budget for clothing is $200/year for the kids and me, plus $200 for DH's work clothes.

I will literally buy nothing this year for my younger two because I've saved all the still-decent clothes from my big kids. I recently bought DS a clearance suit coat for summer weddings/church and had to get DD1 a cardigan last month because she had suddenly outgrown all her sweaters and was insisting on running around in sundresses every day--together, less than $30. I just spent $20 at garage sales last week on 13 pairs of pants for DS in the next two sizes and about $3 for a few random tops for DS and DD1 in the next size up. All of DS and DD1's summer clothes from last year still fit them, and they both have a lot of hand-me-downs and garage sale clothes in their next-size-up bins. I'll probably buy everyone new flip-flops at ON this summer, though last summer's still fit everyone right now. I've budgeted $50 for the flower girl dress and have about $50 left over for whatever emergency needs (and basics like socks/underwear) might come up the rest of the year. MIL loves to buy them clothes and dress shoes, so I've learned not to even bother buying them coordinating Christmas/Easter-type outfits unless I really find something I adore, because they will get them from her. I used to splurge on matching Christmas pajamas, but I'm planning to make them this year because it will be too hard to find matching ones in their range of sizes. I buy like-new shoes at garage/consignment sales (I'm very picky about the condition--it's easier to find new girls' shoes than boys' shoes!) but spent $10 for DD1 and $2.50 for DS at Payless on new tennis shoes last fall because I had a gap in my shoe collection.

But I realized last time one of these types of threads came up, I was in the vast minority on these boards! I'd say it's my hobby to clothe the kids and myself as frugally as possible. It's truly not a burden--I get a big rush out of great deals; I have always hated mall-type shopping. It's also one of the many habits (like cooking from scratch) that allows me to stay home full time with my kids, which is my preference. (I will also say that my kids absolutely don't care if their "new" clothes have tags on them--they are thrilled when I come home from a garage sale with stuff for them or when a friend passes along a bag of hand-me-downs.)

[KrisM]

Where's the option for "I will spend $150 total on four children this year, but it's only that high because I have to buy a brand new flower girl dress for DD1?"

Because I garage sale (and buy ahead) and put the younger ones in hand-me-downs, I can't imagine spending as much as $100 per child, per year. I mean, I guess I could easily go to Janie and Jack and do that in one shopping trip (!), but our closets are so full that I couldn't justify it to myself. Our total family budget for clothing is $200/year for the kids and me, plus $200 for DH's work clothes.

I will literally buy nothing this year for my younger two because I've saved all the still-decent clothes from my big kids. I recently bought DS a clearance suit coat for summer weddings/church and had to get DD1 a cardigan last month because she had suddenly outgrown all her sweaters and was insisting on running around in sundresses every day--together, less than $30. I just spent $20 at garage sales last week on 13 pairs of pants for DS in the next two sizes and about $3 for a few random tops for DS and DD1 in the next size up. All of DS and DD1's summer clothes from last year still fit them, and they both have a lot of hand-me-downs and garage sale clothes in their next-size-up bins. I'll probably buy everyone new flip-flops at ON this summer, though last summer's still fit everyone right now. I've budgeted $50 for the flower girl dress and have about $50 left over for whatever emergency needs (and basics like socks/underwear) might come up the rest of the year. MIL loves to buy them clothes and dress shoes, so I've learned not to even bother buying them coordinating Christmas/Easter-type outfits unless I really find something I adore, because they will get them from her. I used to splurge on matching Christmas pajamas, but I'm planning to make them this year because it will be too hard to find matching ones in their range of sizes. I buy like-new shoes at garage/consignment sales (I'm very picky about the condition--it's easier to find new girls' shoes than boys' shoes!) but spent $10 for DD1 and $2.50 for DS at Payless on new tennis shoes last fall because I had a gap in my shoe collection.

But I realized last time one of these types of threads came up, I was in the vast minority on these boards! I'd say it's my hobby to clothe the kids and myself as frugally as possible. It's truly not a burden--I get a big rush out of great deals; I have always hated mall-type shopping. It's also one of the many habits (like cooking from scratch) that allows me to stay home full time with my kids, which is my preference. (I will also say that my kids absolutely don't care if their "new" clothes have tags on them--they are thrilled when I come home from a garage sale with stuff for them or when a friend passes along a bag of hand-me-downs.)

One thing you have to consider is that you probably don't need super warm coats, snow pants, and snow boots, which add a lot to my costs. Right now, all 3 kids have Lands End coats and I got them for great deals, at about $20 each, but it adds up.

Plus, as they get older it's harder. My oldest is almost 9 and wears a size 6 shoe. They are near impossible to find in good shape and I can rarely keep shoes for hand-me-downs now either.

But, I do make it my goal to spend as little as I can. I like shopping the garage sales, thrift stores and mom2mom sales for things. I dread the day when the kids are so big that it's nearly impossible to find good things!

[vludmilla]

I buy for 2 seasons. In the past, I spent very little on DD's clothing because she had so many hand-me-downs. These have petered out now and I don't like some of the clothing that we receive from hand me downs so now I buy most of her clothing. Including shoes, coats, swim suits, accessories...I spend way more than $200 per season. I don't have time to shop consignment or in store sales and I like to buy clothing that I will enjoy seeing her wear.

[AnnieW625]

I voted don't keep track, but that isn't necessarily true, I do, it's just . We buy for two seasons. Spring/Summer/Fall, and winter. We have the least amount of winter clothes, and by winter clothes I mean, we'll buy a warm jacket, a few more long sleeve shirts, and some more jeans. Maybe a new hoody, but hoodies are worn almost year round here as layering items and can be worn year round. It makes shopping very simple. I have had to buy new swim suits each year.

DD1 goes to a private school and wears uniforms 5 days a week. I have spent about $260 on uniforms this year, which includes 2 blouses, 2 polos, 2 skorts, 2 plaid skirts, 2 PE shirts, and 2 PE shorts (they wear their PE clothes all day on PE days so they do get dirty. I also just spent an additional $124 on 2 jumpers, a pair of capris, and a pair of long pants. The jumpers I sized up on so they should get worn for next year as well. I am not sure about the pants, but bought them anyway to try and see if she liked them or not. Most of this stuff could also be worn by DD2. Our school also has a uniform exchange so last year I got two jumpers, two blouses, and two other skirts. I only bought the two new skirts this school year because they were a better option for her when she had a full leg cast on.

I spend about $150 on shoes max for her in a calendar year. I have been buying her New Balance sneakers, and Pedipeds dress shoes. I don't mind spending more money on good sneakers if I know they are going to last. Her sneakers usually still have some wear when she outgrows them. I could litterally give a pair or two away she had last year and another kid could get a lot of wear out of them.

Right now other than the uniforms for DD1 I only have to buy her about two or three pairs of jeans (Old Navy is working well for her now), some long sleeve shirts (also from Old Navy), and I bought her two pairs of velour sweat pants, plus a matching jacket at Target. The sweats were a must because they could go over her cast. I might have to buy her some summer clothes as well, and those will be from the usual suspects of Gymboree, Hanna Andersson, and Target. Last year she did really well with Target, and Gymboree. Some of it I anticipate she'll be able to wear again this year.

For DD2 she wears a lot of hand me downs, but I still try to buy her one or two outfits, usually from Gymboree, Target, or Hanna Andersson (on sale of course).

I haven't bought anything in a while but most of DD2's Hanna Andersson stuff is the same stuff I bought for DD1 and was bought second hand from Ebay.

[AustenFan]

One thing you have to consider is that you probably don't need super warm coats, snow pants, and snow boots, which add a lot to my costs. Right now, all 3 kids have Lands End coats and I got them for great deals, at about $20 each, but it adds up.

You're probably right in general, though we lived in cold weather states until 18 months ago, and my budget was less back then. It was a lot easier to find deals on winter gear there than it is in SoCal. I spent $3 on the red 4T LE coat that DD1 is wearing (it was DS's), DD2's 24 month LE coat is a hand-me-down from our Chicago days, and I did have to spend $15 last year on DS's coat (new online). I bought ahead snow boots and snow pants through 6x ($1-2 apiece) when we lived in PA, and obviously the girls could wear DS's hand-me-downs if we ever needed them here. We went to a "snow" day at the zoo back in Dec, and that is probably the only time they'll all wear snow clothes here before they outgrow them!

[AustenFan]

I just had this thought yesterday when a friend handed me a bag full of hand-me-down Gap Kids clothes for DD1--I'm glad there are so many of y'all who spend more on clothes than I do! If everyone were like me, the used clothing market would be way harder to do on a shoestring budget.