4 Ways to Dress Your Kids for Less

When my first child turned out to be a girl, I was ecstatic. And while you might say that the whole “becoming a mother and falling head-over-heels in love with my daughter” was the cause of my ecstasy, I’m embarrassed to say that there was another factor involved:
 
The pretty pink outfits that you can only buy for little girls.    
 
I’ll admit it – when my daughter was young, I spent way too much money on her clothes. She wore beautiful, smocked dresses that she outgrew in less than 3 months, and overpriced Ralph Lauren onesies that spent more time in the laundry covered in poop than they ever did on her tiny body. What can I say? For first-time moms, the learning curve is steep.
 
And while I wish I could say differently, I still swear that I ovulate on the spot every time I walk past the frilly dresses and fancy booties at my local mall. It's not that I want another baby (I DON'T), but I DO want to buy more baby clothes.

Or more specifically, more cute baby girl clothes. Because I learned the hard way when my second child turned out to be a boy that ducks and dump trucks just aren't as much fun.
 
Fortunately, almost 9 years after first becoming a mom, I’m now (at least a little) wiser. I’ve learned that kids have a knack for somehow getting clothes dirty without even wearing them, and that said clothes are usually outgrown before you have time blink.
 
Those expensive ensembles might be pretty to admire from afar, but they aren’t exactly practical once you get them home. And there are many great ways to find stylish, good-quality clothes for your kids (both girls and boys) without blowing through their college tuition – you just have to know where to look and how to shop.  Here are a few of my favorite tips:
 
1.  Resale shops are your best friend.
 
Resale shops are great for two reasons.  First, most offer gently used children’s clothing at extremely reasonable prices, and many resale stores today are stocked with brand name items from popular stores like Target, Gap, and Gymboree. Second, you can actually make money by reselling the clothes that no longer fit your own kids.
 
If you make enough money selling last season’s clothes, you have the potential to stock up on new clothes without spending a dime. And if you sell at a store that pays you cash, you can shop for those clothes anywhere you like.         
 
2.  Never pay full price.
 
Even if you prefer to avoid resale shops, there are still many ways to save on kid’s clothing. A few examples:
 
• Sign-up to receive emails or direct mail pieces from your favorite stores so that you will always be notified of sales and can receive extra coupons.

• Shop the sale rack. If an item you like isn’t on sale, wait! It will go on sale eventually. (And if they run out of the size you need, maybe it just wasn’t meant to be.)

• Complete customer surveys. Many stores will offer a discount code to shoppers who complete online surveys about their shopping experience.

• Always browse coupon websites and apps like RetailMeNot and Coupon Sherpa before you shop to find the latest coupons you can use at the stores you plan to visit.   

• Shop at the end of the season, when merchandise is on clearance, instead of at the beginning. You’ll need to be able to predict next year’s clothing size (which I’ve never managed to do successfully), but many parents swear by this method of saving.     
 
3.  Free is always good.
 
Free clothes aren’t as hard to find as you might think. Family members are often willing to buy clothes as gifts for birthdays or holidays, so try sharing your preferences beforehand, or asking for a gift card. And if you do receive wrong sizes or styles, you can always make an exchange or get store credit.
 
Simply asking is another great way to find clothes you won't have to pay for. Because children grow so quickly, most parents find themselves with closets full of dresses, pants and jackets that are no longer being worn. Think about who you know with children a bit older (or maybe just bigger) than your own, and then ask if they would consider passing outgrown clothes along to you.
 
4. Go Virtual.
 
Thanks to the Internet, we’ve been able to shop online and have new clothes from popular retailers delivered right to our door for years, but until recently, it was trickier to buy and sell used children’s clothing in the online world.  
 
Today, companies like ThredUp and Spruceling are changing that, and making it easier for parents around the globe to purchase and swap gently used kids’ clothes. At the newly launched Spruceling, for example, you can post the items you want to sell, ship them in the provided shipping materials when they do, and collect 60% of the proceeds from your sale – all without ever leaving your house.
 
You can even find fancy pink dresses at a fraction of the original price. After all, I may never have another baby girl to shop for, but hey, it doesn't hurt to look.
 
Or does it?          
 
How do you save money on clothes for your kids? What are your best tips and tricks for finding good deals?
 

By Alyssa Chirco, SmartMama blogger for SmartParenting

Alyssa Chirco is a St. Louis freelance writer, mother and margarita lover, not necessarily in that order. In addition to writing for St. Louis Kids, she is Contributing Editor for Parenting Squad, writes regularly about parenting and family for Lifetime Television's The Balancing Act, and firmly believes there are few problems in life that cannot be solved with a good margarita.