How to Buy Kids Clothes

Buying kids' clothes can go from being a delight with your first baby to a challenge with your preteen. Whether you're shopping for a child who's growing like a weed or locked into a battle of wills with your toddler or preteen, planning before you shop is the key to saving time, money and sanity--all valued commodities for busy parents. Borrow as many infant clothes as possible, especially undershirts, onesies and sleepers. It's hard to have too many.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Socks
• Underwear
• Shopping list

Shopping for infants and toddlers

1. Keep in mind that babies grow fast and have the next size ready to go. Many new parents and gift givers don't realize that some babies never fit, or fit only for a few days, in clothes sized zero to three months. If you receive a lot of gifts in this size, exchange most for sizes six to nine, or nine to 12 months.

2. Shop at a local used clothing store that specializes in children's clothes, and check out auction Web sites such as eBay.com. Used clothes for infants and toddlers are a great deal because they outgrow clothes before they wear them out.

3. Shop when and where you can. Cruise the clothes department at Target for deals when you're there buying diapers. Shop online anytime at sites such as Babycenter.com and Babystyle.com and keep your eyes peeled for frequent sales.

4. Remember that toddlers need clothes that pull on and off easily when they're in the "I can do it myself" and potty-training stages.

Shopping for older kids

5. Take inventory. At the start of each season, pull out and sort all the kids' clothes. Box any outgrown items for selling, donating to charity or storing. (See How to Sell Used Baby Gear, Toys, Clothes and Books.)

6. Make a season-specific shopping list that includes categories such as basics, school clothes, outerwear, and athletic and extracurricular attire. When considering quantities, consider how frequently laundry gets done in your house.

7. Keep kids' preferences and ages in mind, and ask for their input. Many kids will reach for sweats before khakis. By second or third grade, expect them to have firm opinions about what's cool and what's not. Look at Web sites and catalogs together at home to see what they like before venturing out to the mall. Explain any limits you have regarding styles you're willing to purchase, but use your veto power sparingly.

8. Set a budget and use it as a teaching tool. As soon as your kids are old enough to understand, tell them how much you plan to spend and let them help decide where to spend it. If the namebrand wardrobe your daughter must have costs too much, a compromise might be a few T-shirts from her favorite store and less expensive jeans from a discount store.

9. Buy socks and underwear to fit, in bulk and in the same color, style and/or brand for each child. These items wear out fast and are uncomfortable if they're too big. You don't want to have to throw out a good sock just because its mate got lost. If you have more than one child, assigning a color or brand to each also decreases laundry mix-ups. Limiting styles to one choice also eliminates fussiness on busy mornings.

10. Take a child shopping if you have a question about size or an exceptionally picky child. Make sure everyone is well rested and fed to cut down on short tempers. Consider shopping without the kids for expediency. Just make sure you can return anything that doesn't work out.

11. Shop Sears or JCPenney for a large selection of children's plus and husky sizes. Lands' End and Limited Too also offer some styles in larger sizes through their catalogs and Web sites.

Shopping for all kids

12. Purchase seasonal outerwear large to leave room for growth spurts.

13. Find the retailers that work best for you. Outlets can have great prices but can be hit-or-miss for busy parents. Catalogs and Web sites, such as Hanna Andersson, Gymboree, Gap and Old Navy, let you shop from home and often have online specials. Land's End overstocks, for example, are a great source for bargains.

14. Join frequent-buyer programs and sign up for mailing lists for your favorite retailers. For example, Limited Too offers a discount coupon when you spend a certain amount. Check out wear-out warranty programs. Sears and ShopKo will replace certain items if they wear out before kids outgrow them.

15. Focus on buying durable basics such as jeans that will hold up after many washings. Inspect items for quality construction. Feel the fabric to see if it seems sufficiently heavy to withstand wear and tear. Check that buttons and zippers fasten securely.

Tips & Warnings

• Make sure you understand return policies, which have gotten stricter in many stores, and file your receipts, which are also important for any items with a wear-out warranty. See How to Make Returns.
• Don't waste your money buying clothes your children won't wear. You might think it's the bees knees, but your rascal might not agree.

Who Can Help:

• Are you tired of cakey makeup? Try RawMinerals Free.