7 ways to dress your kids inexpensively

Okay so we've talked about swapping our own clothes with one another to save money but today I'd like to talk about something that appeals to me even more.  Swapping kid's clothes!  My goodness kid's clothes can be expensive and as a stay at home mom of three kids, it's essential that I do whatever I can to keep the cost of their clothing down.  I do this via a number of ways and none of them involve paying full price.  In fact I can't remember the last time I purchased new clothes for my kids.  I don't really think it's necessary unless of course you find a great sale somewhere.

1.  Hand me downs - I've been very fortunate to have a generous friend in my life that gives me hand me downs for my youngest without wanting them back.  This of course is ideal because I don't have to remember whose clothes belong to whom and I don't have to be worried about them getting stained or ripped. However I have taken clothes in the past from friends that needed them returned and the only way I felt comfortable doing this was by marking the tags with a Sharpie.  Trusting my memory with this information meant cluttering my brain with facts that didn't need to be there.  Also I'm going to have to agree with Kristen from Dine & Dish on this one, handing down underwear is just icky.

2.  Consignment stores - I love to buy and sell with consignment shops.  Typically whatever I make from the clothes I bring in, I turn around and re-invest in the next size required.  Basically I'm just doing a straight across swap.  Now that's what I call saving money, works for me!  Izzymom's post on what she found at her consignment store totally made me laugh.

3.  Garage sales - I haven't had much luck purchasing clothes from garage sales but I don't typically have the patience to sit there and sift through mounds of unorganized clothes either.  This isn't to say I haven't done it if it looks promising but typically from my experience it's not worth my time.  However this all depends really on the community you live in so be sure to check out the garage sales in your area to get a feel for what's being offered.  You never know what gems you'll find, at great prices to boot!  But before you go you might want to check out these great garage sale tips from The Mom Crowd.

4.  Thrift stores - one of my favorite methods!  The local thrift store in my town is super organized by sex and size so keeping an eye on what's new and what's couldn't be easier.  The trick is to check in at least once a week in order to hopefully get first dibs on anything new coming in.  Also it doesn't hurt to make friends with the owner.  Let them know what you are looking for and often they will call you when a match comes in. Be wary of big name thrift stores though as often their prices are no better than what you'd pay new.  The Thrifty Chicks know a thing or two about thrift store shopping.

5.  Ebay - the best way I found for this method to be cost effective was to purchase "lots" of clothing.   This usually provides you with a better deal per item and as well saves you on shipping costs.  Having said that I haven't shopped Ebay in a number of years as I found the prices just couldn't compete with some of these other methods listed.  

6.  Swap Meets - these unfortunately don't occur too often in my area but I know they are super popular in bigger centers.  Basically women with children's stuff to sell rent a table as part of a bigger group.  This gives you more specific selections (very popular with baby stuff) with greater volume in one area. Check out these BlogHer tips for starting a Back to School Clothes Swap in your area.

7.  Clearance Racks - of course we can't forget the clearance racks.  Often a great deal or two can be found be keeping an eye on the clearance sections of your favorite stores.  Discounts usually continue to go down as time goes on so in many instances patience can net you some sweet deals.  However you risk losing the item you had your eye on if you wait too long.  Most online retailers also have a clearance rack so don't forget to check them out also.

Which one of these methods have you had the most success with?  Share your success stories here!

This week's giveaway ~ $100.00 grocery store gift card!