How do you buy children's shoes for future seasons?

[AnneBerlin]

I've got 3 year old twins, and shoes are expensive, so I try to get them on sale wherever possible. But if I saw some winter boots now, for example, how do I judge what size to get?? Their feet haven't grown for about 6 months currently, but I'd imagine a spurt is just around the corner and they might jump a couple of sizes. Who knows how they will have changed in another 6 months. Does anyone have a method for this, or do you just need to take a bit of a gamble??

I don't, I just accept the cost when they're needed as it's impossible to guess. I buy most clothes second hand but not shoes.

I don't basically
They're the one thing that I don't buy in advance.
Although that's not the only reason.
In my experience you can't tell if shoes will fit unless you try them on
That's why it's really great to find shoes in the sale when you need them

This thread is useful I was wondering the same thing. If you think about it OP it's not worth the sale price if you get it in advance and it doesn't fit, because then you've wasted that money (I've just realised that myself, got two pairs of shoes on sale and thought they were a bargain, now thinking they probably won't fit next season!)

I'd buy at least one size up for the next year at that age

All you can do is buy them on sale and if they don't fit sell them in as "brand new". If they're cheap enough on sale it's worth the risk, if not? Then don't bother.

Our community nursery used to take donations of wellies and pass them onto other children.

I tried this when mine were around 3 for the same reason. It just didn't work I'm afraid. Never got quite the right size for quite the right time/season and ended up wasting more money then I saved.