How to parent without going broke.
One of the greatest things I have ever done in this life is becoming a parent. There is nothing that makes me happier than to spend time with my three kids and guide them through life. Unfortunately, parenting also comes with a lot of expenses, like SO many expenses! I do have good news though. There are some tips to save money while raising kids that can be super helpful!
We can give our kids a wonderful, happy, joy filled life….without having to spend a fortune! In this article I’ll share a few tips for saving money on kids clothing, toys, and activities, so that you can parent without going broke.
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How To Save Money On Kids Clothes
I know that it can be so tempting to buy all of the cute, fresh and trendy kids clothing, but I promise, with a little work and practice you can find JUST as cute clothing, for a fraction of the price. Here’s how!
1. Buy Gently Used Clothing
Gone are the days where the only place to get gently used clothing is from your Great Aunt Lucy’s attic. Now, we are so lucky to have many, many options to purchase used kids clothing.
Here are a few of my favorite places to shop for preowned kids clothing:
Garage Sales
Garage sales are one of my favorite places to buy used clothing for my kids. They seem to always have the lowest prices, I can easily walk away with a huge bag of kids clothing for less than $10.
Here are a few tips for buying kids clothing at garage sales:
- Search Facebook Marketplace the night before you want to visit the yard sales (usually Thursday night or Friday night) to find a few listings that are advertising kids clothing. Only stop at the houses that have said they have kids clothes for sale.
- Make a plan and map out which sales you want to go to first, and in which order.
- Leave first thing in the morning to start yard sale shopping. A good rule of thumb is to get to your first stop 5-10 minutes BEFORE it was advertised to open. This gives you first pick of the clothing, which will also be the best quality!
- Clothing at yard sales are negotiable. Never be afraid to offer a lower price than marked. The worst thing that can happen is they will say, “No”, but they almost always say “yes”.
Thrift Stores
Another great place to purchase preowned children’s clothing is at kids thrift stores. These stores are picky about what items they purchase, meaning that you can feel confident you will be buying high quality clothing for a fraction of the price.
My favorite children’s thrift stores are Kid To Kid and Once Upon A Child. Bonus! You can sell your used kids clothing to these stores to earn money!
In addition to the kids thrift stores you can find some great deals at multi-purpose thrift stores such as, GoodWill, Deseret Industries, and Savers.
- Related: Legit Ways To Earn Money From Home
Facebook Marketplace
You can also find some great deals on used clothing on Facebook Marketplace. It’s so easy to search for the exact size and gender you are looking for on Facebook Marketplace with their search and filter options. If you don’t find what you are looking for when you first check, make sure to set up a notification so you can be alerted when it is listed.
2. Host A Kids Clothing Swap
Most moms are looking for a cheaper option for kids clothing. Find a group of moms, such as in your community, school, church, neighborhood, etc. and organize a Kids Clothing Swap together. This way everybody wins!
I’ve participated in a few of these before and love the concept so much!
Here’s how it works:
- Invite moms to join you for a Kids Clothing Swap.
- Plan a day and time that will work for most people.
- Everyone brings any used kids clothing that they want to swap.
- Organize the clothing by sizes and gender.
- Let everyone pick a few new-to-them pieces of clothing to take home.
Learn more about hosting a clothing swap here!
3. Never Pay Full Price
Make a habit of only buying clothing if it’s on sale or discounted. Here are a few tips for shopping clothing sales:
Sign Up For Store Emails
Sign up for store emails so that you will be the first one alerted to the current sales. I am very picky about who I hand my email out to. But, I have signed up for emails at just a few of my favorite kids clothing stores (Target, Children’s Place, Old Navy) because their sale emails have been so helpful in knowing when the sales are happening.
Shop Off Season
Like I mentioned earlier, shopping off season is a great way to get brand new clothing for a fraction of the price. In spring, buy winter clothing for your kids to wear the next year and in the fall buy summer clothing.
Use Store Reward Programs/Cards
Many stores will offer points on purchases made through their store reward programs. My favorite store reward programs are:
- Target: Sign up for their red card and get 5% off of each purchase made. This makes for an even greater deal when you use the card on clearance items!
- Kohls: When you make purchases using your Kohls card you will be given 5% in rewards. These rewards will then be turned into Kohls Cash to spend at the store. You can use your Kohls cash with clearance items and coupons!
- Children’s Place: Another great store rewards program is Children’s Place. When you sign up for the program you will begin receiving points each time you make a purchase. These points can be redeemed for cash rewards that you can spend at the store. Plus, they send out a birthday coupon each year!
Shop Online Deal Sites
You can find great deals on kids clothing when you shop at online deal websites. A couple of my favorite sites for cute clothes and good discounts are Jane, Zulily, and Burkes Outlet.
Saving Money On Kids Toys
Kids want all the toys, and parents naturally want to give our kids everything that they want. I honestly remember buying my oldest a toy just because my husband and I thought it looked fun for US to play with….not because she actually needed it…..
Now, there isn’t anything wrong with buying a few toys to keep your kids entertained and to stimulate their minds and encourage imagination. But, try to shop using these tips to save money on kids toys.
1. Buy Quality Not Quantity
I know it can be tempting to always purchase the cheapest toy you can find. I’ve spent way to many shopping trips wandering through the Dollar Tree aisles grabbing a few $1 (remember those days….) toys and thinking we were all set for only a few dollars.
Unfortunately, those toys often broke quickly and the excitement of them wore off fast.
I’ve found that if you are willing to spend a little extra money on a quality toy then it will last much longer, and in the long run you won’t be spending as much money.
I suggest investing in some high quality wooden blocks, puzzles, and legos. These will last for years!
2. Rotate Toys
Another tip to save money on toys while raising kids is to rotate their toys.
Try to set up a system where certain toys only come out at certain times of the year.
For example, you could get four different storage bins and label them each for different months of the year; January-March, April-June, July-September, October-December.
Load each of your four storage bins with a variety of toys and then stash three of them away, but keep one out. Let your kids play with the toys in that bin for three months, until it’s time to stash those toys away and get out the next bin.
With every toy rotation your kids will have new toys that they had forgotten about to enjoy and play with!
3. Thrift Toys
Check Facebook Marketplace, thrift stores, and garage sales for gently used toys. Kids grow out of toys so quickly, you can often find great condition like new toys for a fraction of the price. Sometimes all they need is a little hand washing to be bright as new again!
- Related: Cheap Staycation Ideas
4. Get Creative With DIY Toys
Use items that you have around your house to DIY toys! Kids can have so much fun using items you already have laying around the house.
I have a few ideas listed below:
- You could turn a large empty box into a fort, a car, or just let them draw all over it!
- Let your kids play with your pots and pans and form a marching bad.
- Make homemade playdough or this edible peanut butter playdough for your kids to smash and create with.
- Fill your sink with water and bubbles and let your kids play in the bubbles with plastic dishes.
- Use toilet paper tubes to make binoculars or other fun activities. I have an entire list of things you can make with toilet paper tubes here!
- Let your kids dress up in your clothes and play make believe!
There are so many things laying around your house that can be turned into a fun toy or activity for your kids! This is such a great tip for saving money when raising kids.
Saving Money On Kids Activities and Entertainment
A big part of raising kids is building family memories, and giving your children meaningful experiences. I know this has been something important to me and my husband as we have raised our family.
These type of activities can get very expensive. But, there are many things we can do to to make the best family memories while on a budget.
1. Take advantage of free community resources
Did you know that your community has loads of free activities and resources for your family? They do! A few of my favorites are:
- Library. The public library is one of my favorite free community resources. They offer more than just books! Take a minute to check out your library and take advantage of all the free things they have available.
- Parks. Take your family to the parks for picnics, to play on the playground, or for a fun family game of kickball.
- Farmers Market. Take your kids for a stroll around your communities farmers market. They often have live music and free food samples, and just a lot of fun things to see.
- Splash Pads. My city has a few free splash pads and my preschool and toddler aged kids loved them! It was a fun free family activity to help us get out of the house and make memories.
- Free Museum/Zoo Days. Many museums or zoos will offer free or discounted days. Try to watch for those discounts days!
2. Invest In a Get Out Pass
A few years ago I was looking for ways that my family could affordably get out and enjoy local attractions, while also being able to stick to our budget. My oldest was just a couple of years away from graduating high school, and I knew she would be moving out and on her own soon.
I then learned about the Get Out Pass. Get Out Pass is an annual subscription service that gives you free access to a huge variety of fun local attractions.
You pay a one time yearly fee to get access to their user friendly app. Within the Get Out Pass app you can search through all of the attractions offered in your area. Choose where you want to go, show the pass in your app at the ticket counter, and you are let in for free! You can learn more about my experience with Get Out Pass here.
This app has been such a great way for my family to make more memories, and enjoy fun outings without having to pay full price for anything! We only have to go to one amusement park to get out moneys worth out of the app. It is a GREAT resource!
3. Be Frugal With Kids Sports
If your child wants to participate in sports, it can get very expensive fast. Here are a few tips to help you save money on kids sports, so they can still be apart of it without the huge price tag.
- Shop thrift stores for sports equipment.
- Try different leagues, some will be cheaper than others.
- Carpool to practice, games and tournaments.
- Volunteer in the league for a discount.
In Conclusion
You don’t need to spend a fortune to raise happy, thriving kids. I hope these tips to save money while raising kids will help you save money on clothes, toys and activities. Parenting on a budget is possible! Prioritize your spending, get creative, and stick to your budget! You got this!
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