Kids grow up super-fast. This can be a problem to parents especially when they seem to outgrow everything you get them in no time at all. Having to buy new clothes every few weeks or every other month is not fun.
The good news is that there are a lot of methods you can use to save money on kids' clothes. One of the best of these is buying their clothes online.
If you need a little help in finding the best kids clothes online on a budget, this guide is exactly what you need. Here's how to do it:
1. Buy out of season
One of the most common ways of buying kids’ clothes on a budget is by shopping out of season. Most retailers usually receive several new shipments of clothes per year for the upcoming season. To make room for these new clothes, they usually mark down the clothes for the season that is passing to get them off their shelves.
Most online stores hold end-of season sales for this reason. On this sale, you’ll be able to find clothes for your kids at discounted rates. You can shop for winter clothes for your kids to be worn the next winter. You can also take advantage of these sales to shop for clothes for the following year.
When shopping out of season, however, you need to take into account the growth rate of your children. You should buy the clothes in sizes that are slightly larger than what your children currently need. You do not want to buy a winter clothes that are your children’s size at the end of winter, only to find that they have outgrown them the following winter.
You should instead look for clothes that are one or two sizes larger than what they are currently wearing. If your children are in the middle of a growth spurt, you should shop for even larger clothes.
2. Shop at online thrift stores
One of the best ways of saving money when buying kids clothes is to buy them secondhand. Kids grow at an alarming rate and they tend to outgrow their clothes before they wear them out.
This means that most of the secondhand clothes you will find will still be in good condition and at a pocket friendly price. If you are lucky, you’ll even find new clothes with the tags still on that kids may have rejected for one reason or another.
There are several online thrift shops where you can shop for your kids’ clothes on a budget. Although some parents may find dressing their children in secondhand clothes somewhat off-putting, they are a good way of saving money. However, you have to make sure that the clothes are washed thoroughly before adding them to your child’s wardrobe.
One downside of shopping at online thrift stores is the fact that you won’t be able to examine the clothes in-person the way you would at a store. For this reason, you should read the product descriptions with extra care to avoid any unpleasant surprises. If possible, check for the exact dimensions of the clothes and the size on their labels to be sure that the clothes will fit your child before purchasing them.
3. Use coupon and cashback apps to find discounts
Coupons allow you to buy items at a discount. Most retailers offer coupons. To save money when shopping for your kids’ clothes online, you could download a coupon app and add a browser extension to your browser. This way, you’ll be notified of any coupons and offers available as you shop for their clothes.
Cashback apps, on the other hand, offer buyers a cash refund after making a purchase. Cashback apps help you find cashback offers on several products as you shop online. Adding a browser extension will notify you of any offers available as you shop online.
4. Compare prices as you shop
As you shop online, you should make effort to compare prices among different retailers online. This will ensure that you get the best deal available. Retail stores price their products differently. Comparing online store prices and offers in real time will allow you to get the best prices for your children’s clothes.
5. Have separate play clothes and school clothes
It is also important to remember to buy separate clothes for school and play when shopping for your kids. Play clothes do not have to be as nice as school outfits.
Children tend to be quite vigorous when playing and if their school clothes are subjected to such intense activities, they may get stained, torn, or worn out. This will force you to spend more money on expensive replacements.
Buying separate play clothes will help you avoid this problem. Simple clothes such as sweatpants, t-shirts, and shorts are quite easy to find online at a cheap price. These will make for good play clothes. Your kids can then change into these clothes when they get home from school. It won’t be emergency when these clothes get stained or torn.
6. Buy pieces, not outfits
Also, when shopping online, you should buy pieces, not outfits. Most retail stores will showcase their latest clothing collections on the first page of their websites.
These are usually outfits which all the pieces match. They do this to convince you to buy more, Single outfits aren’t useful, especially when you are on a budget. Instead, you should go for mix-and match pieces which your children can wear with many outfits. This will allow your children to have a wide range of options as they dress.
7. Buy versatile clothes
When shopping for clothes for your kids, it is important to buy versatile clothes. These are clothes that can be worn on any occasion. It is a good idea to select gender-neutral clothing when shopping online. This will make it easier for the clothes to be handed down to the younger sibling especially if your kids are of opposite gender.
Final thoughts
Since kids grow up so fast, buying expensive clothes is rather uneconomical, especially if you are on a budget. With the tips outlined here, you should be able to buy the best clothes for your little one without breaking the bank! Good luck!