Yearly clothing budget per person?

[MinnieForMe]

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

I'm with you! I waited 8 years and 3 kids for my daughter. I enjoy dressing her as much as I enjoy a Disney vacation! We shop many of the same places except she is beginning to ask for Justice and Gap instead of Gymbo. I also like customs off of Ebay and Etsy especially for Disney vacations! I do shop clearance, sales and coupons but I don't want to add up what I spend on her!

Now, if you want to fall over ask me about my shoe budget. I'm handicap and need to have custom shoes made. They are not covered under insurance and cost over a $1000 a pair. My kids wear Stride Rites and New Balances so not quite on the level of my shoes. Thank goodness!

For my boys, I shop Lands End, Abercrombie and JC Penney (clearance and sales). An educated guess would be $500 for winter and a little less for summer.

Hubby and I don't buy alot for ourselves. I realized I needed clothes last month and spend $200 and that should get me through the season.

 

[2DisPrincesses]

I am so bad about buying clothes for myself that my mom still takes me shopping for my b-day and Christmas presents. I probably spend $100'a year on myself.

Dh probably $500 a year.

I have a Gymboree obsession, so my girls have large wardrobes. Maybe $1500 a year.... I don't really keep track. I actually have no clue. Not sure I want to know. Ignorance is bliss

I do buy lots second hand and sell at 2 mom-to-mom sales a year to help the budget. However, I'm looking forward to spending my $300 in Gymbucks next week!!!

 

[mjantz]

I don't honestly know. I enjoy shopping & expressing myself though clothing so I spend a fair amount but a lot of it is in thrift stores or outlet stores. One thing that makes it complicated is that DH & I spend a fair amount of money on costuming items for Ren Faires & anime conventions. So, its clothing but it almost falls under entertainment.
AFA the kids, DS doesn't care much about clothing at all. He has an unusual jean size that I can only find in designer brands so most of his pants come from eBay. I refuse to spend $70-$130 on a pair of jeans he may outgrow. DD, OTOH, has asked for money to spend on clothes herself as I am no longer allowed to pick stuff out for her. She wears a uniform to school but on weekends, watch out!!

 

[preschoolmom]

When my kids were babies and toddlers (and even preschoolers, LOL), money was tight, tight, tight. So, I really scrimped on clothing. They would have just the bare minimums, and I would do laundry daily.

Once they got to school age, I decided that it was important to me that they look cute! And cute costs money. I love dressing my girls, and I spend the majority of our clothing budget on the kids.

My kids have name brand coats - and shoes - and most of their clothes come from the mall (Justice and Gap) vs. Target/Walmart.

I admit, it's an area I splurge in. And I'd really struggle to give you an actual number. The clothing "budget" is not really on the budget I charge most of it on a Gap Card, and then turn around and use the rewards to buy more clothes, and I just pay it out of the budget without really holding myself accountable.

 

[kinntj]

I shop seasonally and for Christmas. I would break it down like this for an approx. and includes both kids.

$400.00 fall and winter clothes
$300.00 Christmas budget this year
$400.00 spring and summer clothes

Shoes $350/year for both kids (including boots, tennis shoes, flats, and flip flops)

 

[JamesMom]

Our family of 4 spends about $1,000 a year on clothes. DH shops at old navy while the rest of us are at Kohl's. This includes undergarments, coats and shoes. I was never really into fashion and so far my guys aren't either *knock on wood* We live in polos/t-shirts and jeans with tennis shoes. In fact, the guys only own 1 pair of shoes atm - sketchers I bought on sale in August - still going strong, lol. I still wear sandals I bought 3 years ag and tennis shoes I got a year ago. As far as coats - I am still wear my Disneyland Paris coat I bought in 2001 - great shape and a disneyland fleece jacket bought in 2003. Clothes last, even cheap ones, if you take care of them. BTW - consignment clothes creep me out so all is new (and on clearnace!). Note that I only paid $300 for my wedding dress on clearnace

 

[scnrc00]

I don't keep up with how much we spend exactly but I have a rough estimate. Now as far as myself I am a SAHM so I don't spend much on clothes/shoes, approximately $150 this past year. I am still wearing tennis shoes I bought on Black Friday 2010 and they still look new and I have a pair of boots that I bought April 2010 that I still wear so no new shoes for me since then. DH on the other hand goes through shoes a lot do to work. SO I probably spend about $350 on him with clothes/shoes. Now my most money is spent on my DD's 8 & 11. The 11 yr old has hit junior sizes and now ask for name brands when possible but I buy 2nd hand when the item looks new, clearance and always hit up sales or I don't get it and I probably spend about $700 on her this past year but that includes her new boots that cost $100 and band uniform. Now I probably spent the most on my youngest cause most of hers came from Gymboree, Childrens Place, etc. I love the cutesy clothes for her and they are my weakness lol. I spent $400 alone in the months of September and October at Gymboree on her so her total for the year was around $1000+ this past year. So our total for last year was around $2300. but planning on cutting back a lot this year.

 

[HelenePA]

Sears is having amazing sales right now on clearance clothes. All of them are marked down and are an extra 30% off. Plus until tomorrow if you spend 50$ you'll get a 10$ gift card to use starting on the 18th...

 

[mickeysaver]

I tend to not buy for myself until I just have to buy for myself. My partner is a huge clothing and label fiend, but in the past year has reeled it in quite a bit with the move revealing that she had about 4 times as many clothes as anyone really needs. In her defense, to an extent anyway, she was traveling for business week after week, so her business attire stockpile was huge, so that she could pack up her 4 clothing suitcases just once a month and be done with it. I am proud of the fact that she is going through her wardrobe and sending off box after box to Goodwill. We still have a dozen boxes of clothes that have not come out of storage over the past year. We still need to go through those and most of that will go to Goodwill too.

We also became caregivers to our great niece in the past year. She was in a size 9 month this time last year and is just now settling into a size 24 mo/2T. Being that we have to send her for visitation to see her mother and her father on occasion, we know that the clothes that we send her with, typically do not end up coming back to us, so I have been working the clearance deals hard to keep her in nice, but really cheap clothing for those visits. I am also super picky about what I put on her in the way of design. I refuse to put her in clothing with any wording that is remotely smart assy, anything that is blatantly advertising, anything with unhealthy food items on it, or anything with images of girls that promote an unhealthy body image. Yes, I am that parental unit.

With that said, I will say that in the past year, I have more than likely spent over $1000 in clothing for her. I think that was really freakin' good considering that we went through size 12 mo, 18 mo, and 24 mo/2T purchases during that time. None of the clothing that I bought was second hand. I am new to the area down here in Florida and am still trying to figure out where to go to find "good" children's consignment clothing. In Georgia, I know exactly where to go, but Florida has proved to be a bit of a challenge in the whole children's clothing dept. I have had to rely heavily on the internet for finding clothing that I feel is appropriate for the little one. I have a friend who had a baby last year and she is loving the "hand me overs" as she calls them. The clothing has all held up well and looks new even after plenty of wear and world exploration on the part of my little one.

These are the places that the majority of her wardrobe has come and is coming from.

http://thechildrenswearoutlet.com/ <- Seriously nice quality clothes for CHEAP!

Amazing Clearance Deals
http://www.belk.com/
http://www.macys.com/
http://www.jcpenney.com/
http://www.dillards.com
http://www.sears.com
http://www.kohls.com/kohlsStore/kids.jsp

Nicer stuff in general, but not always cheap. You have to work for a deal.
http://www.oshkoshbgosh.com/
http://www.gymboree.com/
http://www.hartstrings.com/index.cfm
http://oldnavy.gap.com/
http://www.childrensplace.com
http://www.ae.com/77kids/index.jsp

Cheap, cheap, cheap, and did I mention cheap, but the quality isn't always there.
http://www.beallsflorida.com/
http://www.target.com/
http://www.walmart.com/

Honestly, the majority of the clothing that I tend to purchase is bought a size or two, depending on the deals, of where she is at. I buy a lot of very basic pieces and that tends to allow a very cute shirt from one store to work well with a cute pair of pants/shorts from another and no one would have a clue that it was pieced together and wasn't meant to be an outfit off the rack. I love to put her in pretty dresses. She has a closet full of dresses for the spring that I can't wait to start putting her into. She is a girly girl and a tom boy all at the same time. You should see her in her coveralls and hiking boots.

I am currently running on a tight budget until my car is paid off in another 4 or 5 months. Once that happens, I will start buying more for her again. Currently, I am only allowing myself $40 a month to buy for her. I am focusing on size 3T stuff right now. I am trying not to go too crazy. Her custody situation is always a challenge due to the drama that her parents bring to it. We just continue to love her, provide a safe place where she knows that she is always safe, loved and wanted, and attempt to focus on the magic that each day holds without dwelling on the uncertainty that her biologicals continue to cloud the thoughts of the future with.

 

[bettymae1121]

Including shoes (which I spend a lot of money on to get quality shoes), DH and I spent $700 (total for both of us) in 2010. In 2011 we spent $1100 but I had to buy maternity clothes so I'm sure that's why there was such an increase.

 

[HelenePA]

Including shoes (which I spend a lot of money on to get quality shoes), DH and I spent $700 (total for both of us) in 2010. In 2011 we spent $1100 but I had to buy maternity clothes so I'm sure that's why there was such an increase.

It will never go back down to 700$ Congrats on the new to be!

 

[Alli76]

OH wow - I should not have looked on this thread. Made me look into detail as to what I spent. I keep pretty accurate track of my spending - but not so great on keeping with a budget. I just looked back on my spending for last year and we spent $5500 on clothes for myself, DH, DS and DD. Now my DH has lost a ton of weight and he needed almost an enitre new work wardrobe.... but I still find that unacceptable.

My DH and I don't need anymore clothes.. and DS should also be set for clothes at least for the rest of winter and spring. My current goal is no more than $1200 for the year... hmmm that will be a CHALLENGE for me!

 

[mickeysaver]

Had to post this. I just spent $0.10 on clothes for the baby. We had a $40 gc and I had a $5 promo gc for TCP. I picked up 3 long sleeve shirts for next year, 3 short sleeve shirts for the late summer/fall, a pair of leggings for early next year, and a new pair of sneakers for whenever her feet grow to the right size. Gotta love a 10 cent purchase like that!

 

[Katy Belle]

My kids are big, 12, 14, 16, with big feet. Just shoes for the 5 of us per year, runs over $1000 a year. Whole clothing budget is around $4000.

 

[DawnM]

I am a complete cheapskate when it comes to clothing. My boys don't care about name brands and so far I have been able to find 2nd hand clothing for very little.

I think we spend about $500 per year on clothing for the 5 of us. We have a great thrift store that sells kids' T-shirts for .25. I have found near new jeans for $1-$3 per pair, even for the 14 year old. These are from folks who spent $25 per pair but their kids grew too quickly to actually get use out of them.

Dawn

 

[StuckInKS]

Everything is relative and depends on what you do for a living, how much your household income is, and what your overall obligations are.

This is soooo true. DH and I both work from home, so there is no need for fancy work clothes. We also have a large family, so (just like everything else) we have to make our clothing budget stretch. We would have a larger per-person clothing budget if we had a family of 4 or 5, but with 8 people we cannot spend $1,000 or even $500 per person/year without sacrificing things like vacation (which is soooo not happening!)

I like to buy mall-type clothes for my kids (Gap, Janie & Jack, Limited Too, Justice) and I used to be happy to get a pair of Gap jeans on sale for $12 (when we had fewer kids). But now I take that $12 to a consignment sale and get 2 or 3 pairs of new with tags or like new Gap jeans. Instead of paying $16-$20 (on sale!) for a J&J button down, I pay $3-$5. I have been lucky with these sales. They are HUGE so I can find plenty of items for each kid and I have been able to find name brand clothing with tags or without tags and no signs of use at all. I don't do consignment shops, as they charge too much.

Also, one thing I will NOT purchase used is shoes and that is not included in the $100/person/year budget.

 

[DawnM]

I also have to say THANK YOU to this board. About 4 years ago (maybe 5) there was a deal for Dockers on this board. Spend $100 on Dockers and get a $75 Shell gift card.

We were able to use it twice (DH once and me once) and got him 6 or 7 brand new pairs of Dockers from Sears (they were on sale too! )

Deals like the above really help too.

DH can now wear business casual which also really helps the budget. He used to have to wear suits. Although we quickly learned that unless he was going to meet a client, he really only needed nice end dress pants, a nice button down shirt, and a tie. 90% of the guys in the office stopped bothering even taking in their suit jacket. So we bought him 10 pairs of dress pants or so and saved tons of $$ right there. If he had to meet a client, he wore the pants that went with the suit jacket.

Dawn