Thrifty Tip
Lowering the Cost Of Children's Clothes
1. Calculate exactly how many clothes your children actually need. I have two boys the exact same size. My husband's instinct was to buy 10 pairs of pants and 10 shirts for the boys. WHOA! Slow down. There are six people in my family so I will probably have to wash on Wednesday just to stay on top of the laundry. My two boys have six pairs of pants and six shirts for school. We use T-shirts and $6 track pants for the weekend. Between the two of them, they have three pairs of jeans. This works for us.
2. A bargain is no bargain if you didn't need it. In the past I have gotten in consignment sales and gone crazy. I would buy things thinking it is so cheap and a namebrand. I-Must-Have-It! For the time being, I will not be going to consignment sales. The items I have bought in the past at a bargain have either been the wrong color so it doesn't match anything we own or too big/too small for the recipient. For my little girl, I have chosen to allow her to choose things from the fabric store and make very simple designs off the internet. It just eliminates arguments in the morning. More work for me but less hassle in the end. The skirt I have been making takes exactly fifteen minutes to sew. Pair it with a white shirt and I am good to go.
3. Mend or repair clothing. My boys are notoriously rough on their school pants. Recently, one of them came home with huge stains in the lower leg of the pants. I tried everything I knew to get the stains out. Before sewing my little girl's skirts, I would have thrown them away. One day this week I will cut them off and hem. I actually need more uniform shorts in that size so my boys will have one more pair to work with this spring.
4. Think outside of the box. If you are at the thrift store or consignment sale and see something that has a good shape, see if you can transform it. Either my adding some dazzle or simplifying the piece, you could have a beautiful piece. Many times old smocked dresses have ruffles that date it but by removing the ruffle, the item is transformed. Put those creative skills to good use.
I have used these ideas and have seen my clothing budget go down considerably. Try and see if you have the same results. Sewing is not hard; you just have to be willing to gain a new skill.
2. A bargain is no bargain if you didn't need it. In the past I have gotten in consignment sales and gone crazy. I would buy things thinking it is so cheap and a namebrand. I-Must-Have-It! For the time being, I will not be going to consignment sales. The items I have bought in the past at a bargain have either been the wrong color so it doesn't match anything we own or too big/too small for the recipient. For my little girl, I have chosen to allow her to choose things from the fabric store and make very simple designs off the internet. It just eliminates arguments in the morning. More work for me but less hassle in the end. The skirt I have been making takes exactly fifteen minutes to sew. Pair it with a white shirt and I am good to go.
3. Mend or repair clothing. My boys are notoriously rough on their school pants. Recently, one of them came home with huge stains in the lower leg of the pants. I tried everything I knew to get the stains out. Before sewing my little girl's skirts, I would have thrown them away. One day this week I will cut them off and hem. I actually need more uniform shorts in that size so my boys will have one more pair to work with this spring.
4. Think outside of the box. If you are at the thrift store or consignment sale and see something that has a good shape, see if you can transform it. Either my adding some dazzle or simplifying the piece, you could have a beautiful piece. Many times old smocked dresses have ruffles that date it but by removing the ruffle, the item is transformed. Put those creative skills to good use.
I have used these ideas and have seen my clothing budget go down considerably. Try and see if you have the same results. Sewing is not hard; you just have to be willing to gain a new skill.
Wonderful ideas for the handy among us. Thank you for joining the Frugal Tuesday Tip. http://juliecache.com/2012/02/06/learning-from-the-frugal-tuesday-tip/.html
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