The next school year is right around the corner, and your kids will need more than just pencils and glue sticks. Your kids will inevitably need new clothes due to summer growth spurts or general wear and tear. Don’t burst your budget when you shop this back to school season. Try some of these useful tips to help you save money on your kids’ school clothes.

1.       Shop on a budget. Even if you’re planning to shop at a second-hand store, plan your budget ahead of time. It can be easy to spend a lot of money even on cheaper clothing when you don’t have a strict limit in mind. Having a solid budget beforehand will help prevent impulse buys. Share your budget with your kids if they are involved in shopping so they will be mindful of it as well.

2.       Know what you need. Before you run out and hit the stores, check your kids’ wardrobe first. Find out what needs to be replaced or what clothes your kids might not fit into in a few months. Be sure to take note of things you don’t need too so you don’t accidently buy something that you don’t really need.

3.       Update current clothes. If your kids have clothes they don’t like anymore or don’t fit into, pull out the sewing machine and try updating them first. Old jeans can be turned into stylish skirts and old T-shirts can be updated with some cutting or painting. Get creative and turn your shopping into a thrifty art project instead.

4.       Shop online. Many of your favorite stores offer amazing online only deals that you might miss if you go in stores. Shopping online makes it easy to comparison shop. You can find out exactly where the cheapest prices can be found with just a few clicks. You can save a ton of money by using online coupons as well. Websites like Coupon Mountain feature an assortment of coupon codes that can help you trim expenses.

5.       Visit thrift stores. Many thrift stores carry a great selection of gently used clothes. The prices will be much cheaper than anything you’ll find new and the clothing can be just as good! Inspect anything you buy for signs of wear. Try to find pieces that will be durable so that they will last the whole school year. Thrift stores have sales too, so check with your local store often to get the best prices.

6.       Shop off season. If you can hold off your back to school shopping for just a few weeks, you could save a ton of money. Fall fashions tend to go on sale not too long after the school year starts. Get the most out of the clothes already in your kids’ wardrobe before you purchase new clothes.

7.       Swap clothes instead of buying them. The best deal you can get on clothes is getting them for free! Ask your friends and family to do a clothes swap so everyone can get new clothes without paying a dime. Some stores like Once Upon a Child will even let you bring in your old clothes for store credit so you can use your kids’ old clothing to buy new clothes!

Getting stylish new trends for school doesn’t have to be expensive. Follow the tips above and your kids will look great and your wallet won’t be empty. Take your kids shopping with you and let them participate. Make shopping frugally into a game so they will have fun while saving money!

 

About the Author: Kiley Theiring is a writer for CouponMountain.com and a film student at Chapman University. She currently enjoys writing articles about saving money and living frugally in every aspect of life. She maintains a personal blog where she loves to write.