Yearly clothing budget per person?

[bobolove]

Just trying myself on track for the new year. Looks like like last year we ended up spending wayyyyyyy to much on clothing. Just on myself I think I hit $500, kids about $2000. We don't like the idea of buying used but I try to shop good sales. What is your budget?


This doesn't include shoes

 

[momto2inKC]

No budget, we just buy what we need when we need it. I would say maybe $1,000 total in a year for BOTH kids combined. I do shop sales, clearance racks and 2nd hand stores too. None of us mind gently used clothes here and there. And I almost always have some sort of coupon/code too when I buy stuff.

 

[scrapquitler]

I don't really have a budget for clothing, but I try not to spend too much. For our family (DH, me, DD15 & DS8) I probably spend about $1500 per year on clothing. That includes winter coats, boots and shoes as well as regular clothes. I don't do 'back to school' shopping, and I shop sales. Most of our clothes are purchased at Walmart, Target, Kohls (when I have 30% discount), and JCPenney. Shoes mostly come from those same stores and Payless. That budget does NOT include dance shoes and dance clothes/costumes for DD (the total for that is outrageous and totally separate).

 

[lisalis]

We don't have a budget, but I have 3 boys so we do quite a few hand me downs; although quite a few things just don't make it through all three! I almost always buy ahead for the next year during post season clearance sales at Dillards, Kohls, or Target. I also will buy 30% off at Kohls or Old Navy jeans when on sale. My biggest splurge for the kids is tennis shoes. I hate cheap shoes! I usually buy those at Shoe Carnival on the tax free day when they have BOGO half off sale plus an extra $5 coupon. We only buy one pair of dress pants, shoes, & shirt per year, which gets handed down to the next one since the kids rarely dress up. My boys are now entering their teens and almost out of boys sizes, so my expense will soon be rocketing! Thankfully, none of them really care about name brands, more about comfort I bought an abercrombie shirt for my 14 year old 2 years ago & he wore it once. I tried to give it to my next boy, and he told me he doesn't like to wear any clothes with the store name on it. American Eagle is his favorite, and I shop when I can get the t-shirts on sale for $5 - $7; luckily he doesn't like to wear long sleeves so we get a lot of use out of the t-shirts.

 

[StuckInKS]

Clothes shopping, especially for the kids, used to be my guilty pleasure before we starting going to Disney. Now, I'm lucky if I spend $100 on myself throughout the year and that is usually during or after having a baby. I have found that I am really thoughtful about if we *really* need something before I buy it (esp clothing) because that money could be going towards our next vacation.

For the kids, I found that I can get the same great clothes at kids consignment sales. I will not buy anything that isn't like new (no fading from washing, etc.) and $50 per kid will get them 5-7 outfits for half the year. Since all of my kids are close in age, we also do a lot of passing down from kid to kid. So, I'm going to say $600 on the kids (fall sale and spring sale) and $100 each for me and DH = $800 for a family of 8.

ETA: I will buy something new without much of a second thought IF it is a really good deal and we need it. Ex: I just bought myself an Aeropostale coat for $20 and DD5 a PS coat for $18. The rest of the kids got like-new, name-brand coats at the consignment sale in the fall.

 

[ilovejack02]

No budget , just try to keep it within reason . Only one kiddo home now , DS9 wears uniforms to school . I can get by with a three pairs of jeans for winter and several long sleeve tops. He is a slow grower so shirts usually last two seasons. I shop off season , clearance, and ebay. I did go over board this year for his Christmas outfit, 100.00 for sweater vest and shirt. He looked adorable and I really didn't have second thoughts about it. He has been wearing the same gorgeous Ralph Lauren red pullover for Christmas since he was 6 . Still looks great , passed it down to to a friend.
I have two swimsuits bought on big clearance for about $8 total in closet waiting for summer , along with two swim shirts . We have lucked out with him and so far no HUGE growth spurts. I also buy shoes on clearance , always a size up at Dillards. I stick with name brands. He isn't hard on any of his clothes or shoes .

My DSS22 grew out of everything I swear every two months lol. He cost me alot more, but I was also working full time while he was growing up , so I didn't bother to really look for big sales. He was also very hard on shoes , so if he didn't grow out of them in 6 months , they were trashed and had to be replaced anyway.

I spend prob 300 or so on hubby a year, he wears uniforms to work and I replace his casual stuff as needed. Won't discuss what I spend on myself haha, but still look for clearance when I can and now that I am a SAHM , it is alot less than it used to be. I don't skimp much on my really nice outfits as they last for years and I can get by with just two or three dressy outfits for a cpl of years as long as I bought good quality . Have a big Mardi Gras event coming up , plus two nighttime weddings . I will get one dress for all three events, hope to come in under 200.00 . I have a great pair of heels I bought on 70 % off last year, screaming to be let out for just these types of events.

 

[kydisneyfans]

No budget here either. We get things when we need them.

We probably spend $1500 a year between the 3 of us.

Kohls, JC Penney, and Macys get 95% of the clothing money, and NEVER without some type of coupon mixes with a sale/clearance.

Really have no interest in consignment/Goodwill type places. We get new garments at costs comparable or less on sale and with coupons, without wasting the time and gas to go store to store searching for our size.

 

[Marionnette]

Just trying myself on track for the new year. Looks like like last year we ended up spending wayyyyyyy to much on clothing. Just on myself I think I hit $500, kids about $2000. We don't like the idea of buying used but I try to shop good sales. What is your budget?


This doesn't include shoes

I spend wayyyyyyy more than you did on clothing. I didn't realize that this was considered to be overspending.

 

[Southernmiss]

Last year we spent $2300 on six of us. It was more than I usually spend.

I updated my wardrobe (babysat for a friend and made some extra $ that I spent on myself and I have passed an age milestone where I felt I should change out some of my clothes for more age appropriate ones) and then 3 of my kids completely grew out of all of their clothes and we had to do a big shopping trip for each of them. I am talking nothing left in their closets or dressers.

Like the others, I shop sales, discount stores and with coupons. I don't shop at second hand stores, because of the sales and discounts at major retailers work to my favor and I don't have the patience for the second hand stores.

My kids also don't mind wearing hand me downs from church friends and each other.

 

[crisi]

I spend wayyyyyyy more than you did on clothing. I didn't realize that this was considered to be overspending.

I do too, on me (the kids we dress from Pennys), but it isn't overspending, its a work wardrobe for a job where the pay makes the clothes possible - and even an asset. Everything is relative and depends on what you do for a living, how much your household income is, and what your overall obligations are.

I'm assuming that the OP is not a Wall Street investment banker, but someone trying to make an average income spread over a family.

 

[jacksmom]

I spend approx $500 a season winter/summer per person and that is with watching sales and clearances!

 

[naomi78155]

Yikes! You guys make me feel like a big spender! I like to dress my kids in cutesy stuff, especially DD4. For her I shop at Janie and Jack, Gymboree, GAP and Kelly's Kids and Mini Boden. For the boys I shop at Gymboree and GAP. DS7 wears a uniform, so he doesn't have that many non-uniform clothes (3 jeans and a few l/s and s/s tops).

I would say I probably spend around 3000 a year on kids clothes and probably 500 for mine. DH doesn't doesn't get new clothes too often.

When you look at it like that, we could do another vacation a year

 

[HelenePA]

School uniform clothes alone for the 3 kids run me almost 6-700$ I shop end of year clearance for their other clothes, their closets are packed (okay over flowing) and I probably spend another 500$ per season (summer/winter) per kid... Shoes alone cost me at least 100$ a kid a year... I and Dh on the other hand probably spend less than 500$ a year... I"m a SAHM... I have no one to impress so yoga pants and long sleeve t's are most of my clothes... Dh wears a lot of polos. I found them for 3.99$ at sears and got as many as they had in his size.

 

[indimom]

I don't break it down per person. Our budget is $2,500 a year for our family of four. We get most of our clothes from consignment stores, Pennys, Target, Kohls, Walmart. So mid to low range prices. We get a few hand-me-downs for the kids from my sisters which helps, but the kids are starting to grow into different body types so I don't think that will last much longer.

I may have to up our budget next year (mainly for athletic wear). I started running early this year and need good shoes ($100+). They lasted about six months and I'm sure that pattern will continue. Our daughter just this month started running and (if she sticks with it) I will need to invest in some good running shoes for her also. She doesn't really have any work-out wear so she's been using mine (thank goodness we are a similar size), but she will need her own eventually. In the long run, I figure the added expense will be worth it for the health benefits.

 

[momof3ds]

If I had to guess, it would probably average out to $500 per year per person (2 adults and 3 kids).

 

[ilovemk76]

Just trying myself on track for the new year. Looks like like last year we ended up spending wayyyyyyy to much on clothing. Just on myself I think I hit $500, kids about $2000. We don't like the idea of buying used but I try to shop good sales. What is your budget?


This doesn't include shoes

See my reply in your food thread. Clothes are part of the "life".catagory.

 

[neatokimmo]

I am trying to keep it to $300 for me and $400 for DD this year. I buy her stuff a year in advance and I have the next few seasons done. I have poor impulse control for her stuff and she normally gets more than she can wear. So I am trying to cool it. As for me, I work from home 4 days a week so I don't need much.

 

[ccgirl]

Just trying myself on track for the new year. Looks like like last year we ended up spending wayyyyyyy to much on clothing. Just on myself I think I hit $500, kids about $2000. We don't like the idea of buying used but I try to shop good sales. What is your budget?


This doesn't include shoes

Like with anything, I ask myself is this really a need or more of a want? I can tell you my budget is nowhere near that. My children don't get new shoes unless they have outgrown them or there is a hole in them. Same thing with jackets. We don't usually buy the big name brands unless they are on sale. It would probably take me 3 years to hit $500 in clothing for myself. We also buy the previous year. For example, after the winter season I will buy their winter jackets for next year.

 

[tinker&belle]

For the 4 of us I have a budget of $75 every two weeks. This works out pretty well and I just rotate what we get and who is getting it. If someone needs shoes that eats all or most of it. Sometimes I go a bit under or over but it pretty much evens out.

 

[DisneyLoverUSA]

I probably spend around $600 per year total for me and my 2 youngest kids that still live with me. That doesn't include socks, underwear or shoes.

I make about 2 trips per year to some thrift stores in the next big town from me (around 35 miles away)

This year I won't have to spend as much because right at the end of last year we made a big thrift store trip for all the kids and got everybody's current sized clothing.

My daughter has recently grown into my clothes that I have outgrown in the last year so she got an entire wardrobe of Dress Barn and Cato clothes. She's happy.

We even bought the step son a whole pile of Denim shorts, T-shirts and jeans off of Ebay for less than $200 right before our Disney trip. We got him 8 shorts, 6 jeans and 8 tops.

Every once in awhile I will let the kids pick out a few new items from JCPenneys and I sometimes go to JCP's end of season sales and buy next year's sizes for the kids. I have been lucky a few times and found shirts for the boys at JCP's for $2 each. I bought one of every shirt they had in each size, for DS and DSS and spent less than $50. My DS is still wearing those JCP's $2 shirts this year too.

My biggest expense is usually buying myself new shoes every few years. I will replace my brown and black mule/clogs, my brown and black sandals, and my tennis shoes and it will run me around $500-$700. But I don't do that every year. I buy Rockport shoes for myself or I buy at Dillard's if they have a good sale.

I always buy the kids brand name shoes. This year the kids got 2 pair each when they started school and each pair cost around $70. If you add in our shoes, socks and underwear then it would bring the total way up.

My DH buys all his own stuff separate so I don't really know what all he spends.