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Original poster

Do you advance buy clothes for your kids for the next couple of years?

76 replies

GingerBreadTeddy · 20/08/2021 21:24

I’m an avid secondhand shopper & can’t resist a bargain!

My DD is 3 but I already have some (not loads) clothes for ages 5/6 - I don’t specifically look for them but if I see a bargain or something I love I sometimes buy it and put it aside. She’s very tall so to be fair is already in age 4 clothes.

Appreciate not everyone could afford to do this, but wondering if it’s common or if I am a bit crazy?

I won’t buy too far ahead as appreciate she’ll reach a point where she wants to choose for herself.

OP posts:
InpatientGardener · 20/08/2021 22:07

Yes if I see sale things in a size or two ahead. Last Christmas I bought DD a coat for this winter in the next sale for £7 reduced from £24. Also got her some jumpers for £3 or so each in sales for her to wear this winter. Its quite handy when you suddenly realise they've grown and you have some stuff ready.

purpleme12 · 20/08/2021 22:13

Yes I buy in the size up
Mine is in 6-7 at the minute
It's always worked well - she's liked most of the things I've got her
Mainly I buy things in the sale really but there will be the odd time where I see something I love so much that I want to get it at full price

Timeisavirtue · 20/08/2021 22:19

I do, I don’t actively shop for the next size up, I’m if it’s a good price I’ll buy it kinda person. I don’t think any of dc clothes I’ve ever paid full price for they’ve always been from sales.

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Bananarice · 20/08/2021 22:26

It depends on how good it looked.

LockdownCheeseToastie · 20/08/2021 22:28

Absolutely when they were small, no point when 8 ish + as they know what they like and refuse to wear anything else.

ursuslemonade · 20/08/2021 22:38

I do it mainly with school shoes and trainers. I always have the next size up so I won't have to rush around buying footwear when they don't fit suddenly.

aiwblam · 20/08/2021 22:40

I just always bought my kids pretty big clothes that they could wear for about 3+ years without outgrowing. Better than going through each individual size.

IceCreamAndCandyfloss · 20/08/2021 23:10

I did until they started school, then only did it with basics like jeans and underwear etc. They liked to pick their own clothes so they did two big shops a year online and then odd thing as they saw it.

BertieBotts · 20/08/2021 23:12

Yes I buy the next size up as and when I see it. Very occasionally I buy two sizes up. Once they're out of toddler sizes they tend to wear one size for about a year so the season thing doesn't matter too much.

I couldn't afford to go shopping for an entire wardrobe for them every time they grow and this way I get to look for bargains second hand or in sales. I try to keep track of what I have in a note file on my phone, just vague notes like what size is needed or what not to get, for example DS2 doesn't need any more long sleeved tops in size 3-4 which are blue, and it's all stored in a big bag in the wardrobe so any time their current clothes are looking small I go and raid the bags. Not out of sight out of mind.

Sometimes it backfires, last summer I got DS2 loads of shorts which would fit through this year and next but it turns out he's developed a fear of buttons and refuses to wear half of them. But to be perfectly honest it's still cheaper than buying them brand new, because second hand shorts cost way less than half the price of new shorts. So I've topped them up with a couple of new pairs from cheaper shops.

PissedOffNeighbour22 · 20/08/2021 23:19

I've done this and it absolutely hasn't been a bargain. I have clothes up to 4-5yrs and she's only 1.
We spent a fortune on 'bargains' that I couldn't resist but she was a small baby so all her clothes are out of season and pretty much useless as she'll fit into all her shorts and vest tops just in time for the middle of winter Hmm.

I really wish I'd have waited to see what we actually needed as I'd have saved a lot of money.

MotherWol · 21/08/2021 08:07

Generally no, as @Aroundtheworldin80moves I found it just meant I had too much of the wrong things and I wasn’t saving money. I currently have a 6-7 coat stashed for DD5 that I got in the sale, but I prefer to do a restock twice a year when she’s grown out of stuff and needs new summer/winter wear.

bookh · 21/08/2021 08:54

Yes absolutely, I'm always buying one year ahead.

Sainsburys TU in particular do massive reductions, next sale often as well, plus bundles on marketplace. As soon as DD is into next size I will move on to buying for the following year.

ButteringMyArse · 21/08/2021 08:54

Usually a few months rather than years. I buy a lot second hand, so if I go perhaps 6 months ahead it usually means I'm purchasing out of seasons, which is cheaper. Also gives me a better idea what size I need.

InvincibleInvisibility · 21/08/2021 08:59

I used to. But now I only do it for things like pants, pyjamas and joggers. Had a load of age 7 & 8 trousers go to charity unworn cos both DS changed body shape at that age and couldn't wear that brand/fit anymore.

I will no longer buy anything for my 7 year old without consulting him cos he refuses point blank to wear certain things. My ten year old couldn't care less what he wears

Doyouhearme · 21/08/2021 09:03

I buy clothes bundles from ebay or similar I pay 40-60 pounds which clothes them for a year.

MegaClutterSlut · 21/08/2021 09:05

I used to when the kids were little but most of their clothes were from bootsales so hardly cost anything to stock up.

MrsPumpkinSeed · 21/08/2021 09:07

I do (small amounts)
I keep a uniform in the next size up and also if I like tops - say in H&M that I know will look nice in the autumn but I worry there won't be anything nice in the shops then I will buy those.
Not loads - just a few bits.
Also have things like Halloween costumes and Christmas jumpers that I pick up in the sales for next year.

ememem84 · 21/08/2021 09:09

Yep. Mine are 3 and 2. So when next have a sale I tend to buy things in the next size up.

Onestep2021 · 21/08/2021 09:10

Yes! But I’ve got nothing for a 7year old plus. But I have bought stuff that is 2-4 years out of date because it is such a good deal.

woodfort · 21/08/2021 09:12

Yes for my youngest. I’ve been given a load of second hand stuff and it’ll fit for a few years. Also she wears her brother’s old clothes.

My DS is v particular about what he wears so doesn’t have a big wardrobe and he just repeatedly wears one of about 3 things. So you know, even though they’re bought new it’s environmental! Although he gets gifted a lot of stuff and it’s quite annoying as unless I think it will go to his sister it’s just waste.

Am aware that DD might become v particular with her clothes too so after this lot of clothes runs out in about 2 years we’ll have to re-assess.

TheWayTheLightFalls · 21/08/2021 09:15

Yup, in the sales mainly/out of season. It’s brilliant for jackets/winter gear especially.

Original poster
GingerBreadTeddy · 21/08/2021 09:22

6/7 is my cut off point as I expect by then she’ll be much more particular about what she wears!

OP posts:
woodfort · 21/08/2021 09:23

@PissedOffNeighbour22

I've done this and it absolutely hasn't been a bargain. I have clothes up to 4-5yrs and she's only 1. We spent a fortune on 'bargains' that I couldn't resist but she was a small baby so all her clothes are out of season and pretty much useless as she'll fit into all her shorts and vest tops just in time for the middle of winter Hmm.

I really wish I'd have waited to see what we actually needed as I'd have saved a lot of money.

Yes doing this with a baby doesn’t work as they might say, never fit 6-9 months over winter. But unless your child is extremely picky with clothes like my oldest, I don’t see how it doesn’t work. I mean, if you buy an age 3 coat you are almost guaranteed it will fit over winter. It might be at age 2, 3 or 4 but it almost certainly will fit at some point. Plus clothes last a lot longer when they get older. A dress can be worn a bit long, just right and a bit short. Most of my friends with DDs have been wearing favourite dresses for years!

I’ve had two years out of our coats as they can easily wear them slightly big (although this is why I wouldn’t necessarily advice to stock up on every size available because you can generally skip some sizes too. I think mine will go straight into age 5 coats for instance because we had two years in age 3. Age 4 would have fit of course at some point so I’d have got use out of it if I’d been gifted it but it was never necessary.)

toolazytothinkofausername · 21/08/2021 09:34

I never used to, then Primark closed for months on end and my eldest DS lives in Primark joggers so once it reopened I bought many years worth of joggers.

SnoopyLights · 21/08/2021 09:40

I don't but I have a friend who does.

It has backfired a couple of times, she bought winter coats for a couple of years ahead, put them away, forgot about them, bought more in the same sizes, and only found the first ones when they were too small to be used. The older child is now objecting to having the same things as the younger one, so some things she's bought in advance are the same and he won't wear them now.

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