To ask how much you spend on DC clothes?

Just stumbled upon this thread and I'm relieved that I'm not the only one who spends a fortune on dcs clothes! I love Next, they have the nicest range of outfits for kids imo, I don't think the other shops compare. I have a store card and it's too easy to just buy when it's "free" money (until I receive my statement 🤭)
I can't wait for the upcoming sale 😆

Too much! 7yo DS is growing like a weed and is really hard on his clothes (very outdoorsy). Unexpectedly he also LOVES fashion. Which is very nice but I’m on a budget, and he’s … eccentric. So we do have a lot of negotiation around clothes. (I love clothes and textiles too, so I’m hoping I’ve got a budding designer on my hands!)

I shop vinted for footwear if I’m sure of the size- only buy new with or without tags though -, but rarely clothes as doesn’t work out much cheaper than high street - if at all. I also buy stuff like vintage items or random stuff he’s decided he NEEDS (tweed cape, anyone?!), suits for weddings and fancy dress on vinted. That def saves money.

Most of his stuff comes from 2 big “high street” shops of basics for him a year (one “warm” one “cold” weather), and probably spend 2-300 each time. Shoes etc as and when needed - probably another 2-300 a year. And same again for school uniform.

Mostly shop H&M and Next in or out of sales. John Lewis at sale time (v good for knitwear etc). Outdoorsy shops like Craghoppers, Mountain Warehouse sales for school coats, wellies, beach stuff. Boden/Joules sales etc. Sometimes TK Maxx. Charity shops. George at Asda good for socks and pants and the odd item (girls often nicer than boys stuff- and lots of it looks unisex). M&S for school uniform, but do feel it’s become madly expensive.

Vinted is a leisure activity for me as I'm a single parent so lots of time in the evenings when I don't have the energy for anything else.
I don't think it's actually cheaper when I factor in all the 'misses' of shrunken/over-washed/stained/poor quality/too small/too big but not worth storing etc that has to go straight in the charity bag for rags. Vinted is good for puddlesuits etc and for sussing out the brands and the quality as I haven't got children clothing shops near me and can't be bothered with online shopping & returns.

I usually buy underwear and bodysuit bundles etc from Next, yes its expensive but it's then done. In general Next seems to be the only place where I don't end up sending stuff back. I'd never consider Next for myself though

Will hopefully get more savvy at buying lovely things from Smallable etc in the end of season sake for the next year, then those things will be worth selling on.

My DC doesn't seem to trash clothes and I'm good at looking after things so I'm hoping to nearly clothe them for free as expensive brands seem to hold their value very well on vinted.

That definitely seems like a lot to me. Mine are 10 and 6 now though so spend 90% of their time in school uniform or football kit so need far less of their actual 'own clothes'. When they were little we definitely leaned heavily on ebay bundles as Vinted not a thing then!

I budget £500 for spring and summer and £500 for autumn winter. That's to include wellies and jacket and all shoes too, pyjammas and dressing gown and clothes but does not include school uniform.

7 year old - around £200 in Zara twice a year plus shoes when needed. School uniform is separate (& just as much!)

I’ve just spent about 60 at George and 40 JoJoMaman (3 yo and 6mo).
I’m tending to buy the nursery staples of shorts and T-shirts at Asda or tu, and then some nicer T-shirts and baby onesies from JJM as they wear amazingly - ds2 is on the third child round and they still feel basicly new. Also buying more from nicer brands like jjm, frugi and joules on Vinted as they hold their quality really well.

Throwing money at the mental load is a good shout, esp if you can afford it.

Same with donating to charity. I couldn't be bothered trying to sell kids clothes. That said I do keep the very best of my oldest clothes for the youngest.

I agree with this. I had my children the website to look at on my phone and they pick out what they like. It’s delivered, and if it doesn’t fit I sent it back for a full refund. I haven’t got the time or energy to be arsing around with Vinted. When it doesn’t fit any more I take it to a charity shop, thus enabling those who need to to be able to buy decent stuff second hand. Everyone is a winner.

Sometimes it's just worth throwing money at the mental load.
If it all fits, vaguely co-ordinates and it's easy to send back if the reality is disappointing, just press buy.

It also makes reselling easier later on.

Once I got a grip of buying small kids clothes, I would ruthlessly shop the sales for the big stuff - coats, party clothes, PJs, waterproofs.

But honestly saved souch time and money not impulse buying every shopping trip 'just picking up bits'

It also means you model a strong consumer rule to your kids - shopping should not be a leisure activity. Constantly searching for bargains, second hand, bundles etc in partly about the dopamine hit. If you have the money, buy a capsule of stuff, size up, wear it for as long as you can then buy another one.

My son (3) has a limited wardrobe. I've just bought his base set of summer clothes from H&M for £60.

4 x striped t shirts
2 x cardigans
2 x chino shorts

All mix and match colour ways.

I then buy a 1950s shorts and shirts pattern and make him...

4 x shirts
4 x shorts

...with fabrics that he chooses. He's gone for florals this year in pinks and purples!

His vests, bobby socks and 60s straw hat still fit so all I've got left to buy is a new pair of t-bar plimsolls.

We spend around £300 per year (maybe less) per DC. Range 16-4yo

My kids got clothes from Tesco and Sainsbury's. So did their friends whose parents were both doctors.

They all looked lovely.

loads as I have two teens and that is with buying from Vinted, this weekend has been expensive though some summer stuff from Subdued and Brandy Melville for youngest! However, £300 on a 2 year old seems quite a bit, it is hard to advise as with inflation I’m unsure what is reasonable but I suppose it will last if you have variety!

@SpringBunnies I have boys, I suspect they're easier to dress 😂 mostly just buy adidas t shirts from there!

If you think it's expensive now wait until you have teens!

It’s more I have to carefully look how new they look from the photos. Also my kids are 9 annd 13 and don’t have the kind of imagination of what the clothes look like when not on a model. I give the girls the websites to shop from and they tell me what they want. About 1/2 or 1/3 of items are often returned because they don’t look like how the girls imagine. Often it can be wrong size, or the fabric is itchy, or leggings too tight. I can’t be bothered with the refund process with individual resellers. The ones I buy from are all good with returns and drop offs are often at post office or evri.

I live in Germany where kinder Flohmarkts are popular ( same as NCT sales). I buy bundles on eBay and FB marketplace then sell what I don't want at car boot sales. DH is a high earner and I would baulk at spending 300 on clothes for one season, much cheaper second hand.

DD is 2 and all her current stuff has been 2nd hand (either free or cheap)- charity shops/Vinted/Facebook/hand me downs, presents from family or us for Xmas/birthday or brought in sales (mostly marks/next with a little frugi/Toby tiger).
The only thing I spend lots of money on is her main shoes as I believe that's important- however her current ones for £17 in the clarks sale. Wellies are 2nd hand mostly (pick up the next size when I see them) and sandals will be 2nd hand (likely free for the amount she will wear them!).
However it does take some thinking ahead: I have been picking up bits in 2-3 for about the last year and asked for things we needed for Xmas/Feb birthday. She got a lovely winter coat in 2-3 from PIL that will be for next winter.
We are also helped by DD not going to nursery so no doubles of wellies/coats etc. I also try to think carefully about what we actually need/use. I don't get it when toddlers have multiple pairs of shoes etc- DD has 1 pair of shoes (sometimes 1 spare pair I pick up free), wellies and will have sandals. Same for coats- 1 water proof warm coat and 1 light weight water proof for spring/summer. She does also have a puddle suit.

Buying for a two year old is a long time ago for me so prices have changed - that seems like a lot though . I always bought big so things tended to last more than one season and also shield from the sun a bit , and then everything was passed onto DS2 and then on to my friend who had 4 boys . At the time I loved Boden sale t shirts , then it was good quality and lasted . I wouldn’t say Next will last my teens destroy it pretty thoroughly .

we never buy/bought full new outfit.

we replace clothes when worn out or grown out of if and when.

@SpringBunnies what do you mean you don't have time to "do Vinted" I understand the selling element, I give away our clothes as it's not worth the effort of selling, but how is it time consuming to buy on Vinted?

I don't have time to do vinted. I have two DDs, 13yo and 9yo. I got all their clothes from H&M, Sainsbury TU, Asda George. Some Next but not often. The only thing I spend a lot more on are shoes and coats. £300 seems a lot given they will last only a season. Can you buy less and wash more? If you are too busy to run a load every other day, then you'll just have to buy more I'm afraid.

I’m guessing amounts, but probably:

New pyjamas x8
New socks x10
Swimwear x3
Shorts + Tshirt sets x 6
Rompers x10 for DS/ Dresses for DD
Sandals
Raincoat
Sun hat

What did you buy for £300??