Budgeting for back to school clothes

[czycropper]

Ok, here's the deal my DH has asked me to give him an idea on how much I need for my two DDs back to school clothes. They are your typical tweens, DD9 loves Justice clothes and DD11 loves Aero, Hollister and A&F (which I've already prepared her that we're not going there!!!!).

In the past, I've paid for it all but since now I have cut my part-time hours to basically nil I need help with paying for them. My DH has never really paid for much other than school supplies.

Can you tell me an approximate amount you have spent in the past or how you evaluate setting a budget, so I have some idea what to tell him? This is what I get for not giving myself a budget or keeping track on their clothes in the past few years. I worked full time up to a couple of years ago and then went part-time but now I'm super part-time-only working about 4 days a month!

TIA!

 

[Darcy03231]

First, I go through all the clothes to determine what the kids actually need to start school. One year DD really didn't grow much at all and still had plenty that fit. I bought her a couple of new outfits, but that was it. Also, its still pretty warm here for the first few weeks of school so the kids tend to wear their summer clothes. I find I do pretty well by waiting until after school starts and they really start running the sales.

Once you know what they need its just a matter of then pricing things out, ie, one needs 5 shirts at x per shirt and 3 pants at x per pant and the other needs 2 shirts at x per shirt and 5 pants at x per pant. Both need shoes at x per pair of shoes, etc.

 

[mamalle]

I go through the kids clothes also and than make a decision on what is needed. Mine do not need any pants until after the holidays normally so I do not buy anything winterish now. Its still hot down here for many months so shorts are fine. I spent $60 on some new shorts and shirts for dd from Justice to start out and give her something new. Once school starts I can redeem my bucks and spend another $25 on some of the fall items that will be on sale by then.. so Im looking at $85 out of pocket for her. I will buy her a new pair of shoes but thats it..

ds is easier and hasnt grown that much so he is getting some new shirts/short from gymboree that I just used my gymbucks on and spent $35. I may or may not buy him a new pair of sneakers for school. It all depends if his feet grow any bigger by next month..

I have really scaled back from previous years.

 

[mickeyboat]

Well, I think you can go about this in more than one way.

You can decide what they need after weeding through what they have. We live in Vermont, but we can still get by the first couple weeks of school with summer stuff, so I tend to buy a few new outfits on summer clearance, then fill in with whatever else they need.

Another idea would be to decide how much you are willing to spend on each, and shop to fit within those guidelines. My parents used to do this with me when I was growing up. If I spent all my money on brand name stuff, I made due with whatever else I had. This idea might work well for your 11 year old.

My DDs' birthdays are right when school starts, so they get a couple of outfits then, too. Most of the time I can hold out on the rest of our school clothes shopping until Christmas.

 

[KELLY]

Well we shop at gymboree pretty much for all the girls clothes. I had gymbucks and I spent 300.00 on 10 full priced outfits. The will need more. I'm planning on spending another 500.00. But the quailty is there and there clothes last. I spend 2400.00 a year on 2 girls. But I also live in maine and Jackets,snowpants and boots take a chunk of that also. I'm sure you can do way cheaper than I do. We have about 3 season. So 400.00 per a kid per a season. Or you can figure 200.00 a month. We don't really buy to many spring clothes here. I try to buy capri's so they can be worn dufing the summer also.

 

[semo233]

I find I do pretty well by waiting until after school starts and they really start running the sales.

I do this also. Use this as an opportunity to teach your children how to get the most for their money. I have a DD12 who is also into A&F, Hollister, Juicy, etc. Before school begins, we take stock of what still fits her. Depending upon how much she needs, she gets a budget. Within that budget, she can buy what she wants. If she heads straight for the sale rack, she can buy more. If she opts for Old Navy over A&F, she can buy more.
It is also a good time to teach how to mix inexpensive with expensive. for example, you could buy a cami at A&F for $20....or you can go to Target and buy it for $7. If you are layering it anyway, no one will know the difference.
Also check out TJMaxx and Marshalls. Last year, they had tons of American Eagle stuff, including winter coats that we were able to buy pretty inexpensively.
It makes me so proud to see her head straight for the sale racks when I bring my DD shopping! She still wants those brand names, but has learned how to be a bargain shopper.

 

[wdwmom0f3]

Something to keep in mind is the free sales tax weekend. That could save you even more.

 

[LoriNSC]

Actually aero & american eagle are good places to buy. They have all kinds of good sales. I have 3 kids & I shop there, wlamart, target & children's place. Children's Place & American Eagle have reward cards to earn %off coupons & that on top of sales is not bad at all. We also take advantage of tax free weekend here. My kids will start in the shorts they already have & I'm buying some new jeans, shirts & shoes for school. We do Shoe Carnival buy 1 get 1 free (or 1/2 off) deals.

I'm a big couponer so I use any coupons I can find & shop sales. Good luck-it can be done on a tight budget.

oh-we also go to Plato's Closet. It's a nice consignment store that has tween/teen name brands (Hollister/Amer Eagle/Aero/Abercrombie). They are very picky when accepting clothes there so it's always nice clothes.

 

[Dawnand4kids]

We have a consignment shop here that only takes those brands ya mentioned, and only in good condition..that is where we are taking my son this year. we just can not afford all new things. PLus I can not see paying 30 bucks for a tee shirt, but that is just me. So, they have the newer type clothes for 6-10 bucks, which i s a lot more affordable for me.
So, the kids could mix and match, look for a shop near you, and check it out?

 

[G's mommy]

It makes me so proud to see her head straight for the sale racks when I bring my DD shopping! She still wants those brand names, but has learned how to be a bargain shopper.

My DS13 has learned the same thing! Last time we were at Hollister, he went straight to the back of the store to the clearance racks and he found jeans for $20! They looked the same as the ones up front that were $60 and $80. Same thing at AE, go through the clearance racks first, also found jeans there for $20. We are planning on doing a little shopping the end of this month, it is hot here until October so he will still wear shorts and short-sleeve shirts the first two months. We will buy new shoes and maybe some clearance shorts to start with.

 

[czycropper]

Thanks so much for all your ideas!!!! I usually try and shop the clearance rack and I'm hoping to get lots of cheaper summer stuff soon since my DD11 always wears short sleeved shirts in the winter because they keep the heat on so high at school.

One thing is that I'm lucky that I live in New Jersey so I NEVER pay sales tax on clothing I guess that's trying to offset the high property taxes we pay

 

[KAMKIM]

School supplies for 2 kids about $100 (including new backpacks)
Clothes for DD8 - $500 (includes new shoes/sneakers)
clothes for DD5 - $500 (includes new shoes/sneakers)

I wait for snowpants/boots/coats etc until October and that is usually another $200 each - fall/winter is our biggest time to get a new wardrobe because in Buffalo its always fall/winter lol

 

[dbmarie]

I school shop throughout the year it's alot cheaper. For example dicks sporting goods had spider/columbia jackets for $30-50 this week. Justice had there 40% off sale and I picked up a lot of t-shirts for about $7 a piece.

 

[mamalle]

I buy on sale year round also.. My kids are still growing so no reason to buy everything at once.. By January they will need new shoes, etc.. I love that one has a bday in Nov, Christmas and another bday in Feb. so I can buy them clothes, etc as gifts..

 

[Jill in Chicago]

I have never understood the whole concept of going out all at once to buy clothes for school. At the end of the school year, here in Chicago it's hot. At the beginning of the school year it's even hotter so they are wearing the exact same clothes.

I never went out and bought jeans at the beginning of the school year as there is always the possibility of an inch growth spurt. Then the jeans/pants would be too short.

My boys never cared about fashion, so that was not an issue. If your girls do care about fashion, and you buy ahead of time, and they fall in love with "something new" that a friend has you are stuck. If you wait to buy clothes later you have more room for those different choices.

So as soon as the weather begins turning cooler we go through the pants and shirts and see what still fits from last year. Then we figure out what we need.

I have always shopped at resale shops. Fantastic deals. For about 5 years I had a woman I bought directly from for her son's clothes. Years later, through my own garage sale, I found a woman to buy my younger son's clothes! She would come before my garage sale and have her pick of everything she wanted.

I love the idea of a budget for your girls. I would buy all of their regular necessities though: underwear, socks, tights, winter coat.... That way you know those things are covered. I would also only have the budget work for say 2 months at a time. It is a lot for a younger child to handle for longer than that, and really tough for them to think through.