As a new stay-at-home mom, I have learned several different ways to save money when shopping for clothes and toys for my daughter. With how fast kids grow, there is no need to pay full price for certain items.
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Thrift and Second Hand Stores
Thrift and second hand stores are located in most cities and carry a range of sizes and items. If you need help finding a thrift store near you, go to TheThriftShopper.com.
Popular children second hand stores are Kid to Kid and Once Upon A Child. If you prefer to shop online, Poshmark, Kidizen, Thredup and Ebay are great alternatives to find deals on gently used clothes.
Do NOT over look the small mom and pop owned thrift stores. My parents found a nice wooden high chair for $10 and hardcover children’s book ranging from 10 cent to $1. These stores generally carry older items, but you never know what you might find.
Consignment Sales
This is by far my favorite way to save HUNDREDS each year! Not only do you get great deals, but you can make extra cash as well. Check out Consignment Mommies for a complete database of consignment sales near you.
Head to the large item section first! Large items are picked up quick at all consignment sales. Most events have a holding area or table for you to continue shopping, but some do have time limits.
I spend the majority of my time in the clothing section. Having a child that went from 0-3 month to 24 month clothes in one year can get expensive buying retail. I look for gently worn clothing under $5 and a few sizes up.
If you are interested in learning how to consign your kids gently used clothes and toys, check out my post How To Sell Your Kids Gently Used Items At Consignment Sales.
Store Email List & Reward Programs
I have to admit the Christmas shopping season is my favorite time. My inbox might be overflowing, but I am looking at each email for great deals.
Children’s Place, Carter’s, Gymboree, Kohl’s and Target always have great deals on kids clothing and toys. Plus, when you sign up for most email list you will receive a coupon for your next purchase. Target’s Cartwheel program is one of my favorites. I scan my items as they are going in the cart to see if they might have an extra discount. I have purchased items before that were clearance and also extra cartwheel discount. Talk about a win-win!
Scanning Receipts
For some people, scanning your items and receipts can be time consuming. If you are a family on a fixed budget, this can be a game changer!
I personally use Ibotta, Receipt Hog and Fetch Rewards. My favorites are Receipt Hog and Fetch Rewards. They both accept most receipts from grocery stores and retailers.
Receipt Hog will reward you coins on the total dollar amount of your grocery store receipts and hog slot (spins) on all other accepted retail receipts. They also will enter each receipt you scan in monthly sweepstakes to win extra coins.
Fetch Rewards will reward you a certain coin amount for each receipt you scan. On top of that, Fetch Reward looks at your receipt image for items with special offers.
Right now, Fetch Rewards is offering a bonus amount of $2 in points for your first receipt scanned. Click here and enter code – PAB66 for your bonus.
Ibotta is great, but you can only receive points if you purchase certain items. Since I have a diary allergy and try to eat healthier, Ibotta does take longer for me to accumulate points grocery shopping. If you enjoy online shopping like me, the Ibotta Chrome extension or app is great to earn additional savings. The Chrome extension will notify you if the site you visit is part of the 150 companies that participate or you can search by the company name on the app.
If you would like to try Ibotta, click here and enter code – kqgoglx for a sign up bonus.
Hand Me Downs & Gender Neutral Clothes
Growing up, we lived on one income for several years and most of my clothes were hand me downs from my brother. This is a very popular option for families with multiple children or a large extended family.
Hand me downs are also great to re-purpose for different seasons. Maybe your child has a pair of pants that are too short, instead of trashing them make them into shorts! We used this method a lot growing up.
Gender neutral clothing has become very popular lately. With more parents wanting a light and modern nursery look, they also want less vibrant colors in their clothing choices.
Shop The Clearance Racks
The clearance rack is your friend!
This is my first stop in every store. When shopping for your kids, be sure to look several sizes up. For instance, in early January Target had toddler shorts on clearance for a few dollars. Since we live in the South, I grabbed a couple different sizes.
On a more recent trip to Target, they had winter clothes on clearance. Jeans and sweatpants were more than 80% off! You cannot beat that price! Like before I grabbed a few sizes up and several of the size my daughter is currently wearing. We keep our house on the cool side, so sweatpants are great for lazy days around the house and PJs.
Facebook Marketplace & Local Yard Sales
Facebook Marketplace has exploded in the last several years. I have not personally used this feature, but several of my friends have. They have found appliances, children’s costumes, etc. at discounted prices.
However just like shopping on Craigslist, you need to be careful. Always meet in a safe, public and well lite location. I recommend you NEVER meet at someone’s house. You never know who might also be at the home or coming by. It is better to be safe than sorry. Let a friend or your spouse know where and who you are meeting if you are going alone.
Even though we are moving to a more digital age, yard sales are still very popular. Some people enjoy the hunt or touching their item before they make a purchase. Newspapers and online searches are a great way to find a local yard sale near you. This is a great article on how to find year sales near you.
I love how you suggest using reward programs to save money on kids’ clothing. I think it would also be smart to find an affordable kid’s clothing boutique. I’ll keep this in mind when I am buying my children’s clothes.