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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To buy second hand school shoes from ebay for my ds1?

71 replies

lookout · 26/03/2012 12:31

I always go and get feet measured then buy plimsolls or cheaper sandals in store, then go onto ebay to buy the more expensive school shoes, as ds, like all kids, grows out of them so quickly that we can't afford brand new shoes 3/4 times a year.

I thought this was perfectly acceptable, but my mum has just made me feel super guilty for not buying properly fitted shoes.

So am IBU? Or is my mum?

OP posts:
Fuzzywuzzywozabear · 26/03/2012 12:36

Sorry YABU

I'm happy for my children to wear any second hand clothes but never shoes. They're feet are growing and another child will walk in them differently so you'll get them worn in different places.

I don't even pass shoes between my own children

cornflowers · 26/03/2012 12:48

Well I definitely would not do this myself. My younger dc have inherited second-hand wellies, crocs & ski boots but school shoes should be new & fitted.

McHappyPants2012 · 26/03/2012 12:49

Yabu shoes mould to people feet and wearing 2 nd hand can cause feet problems, happy with any thing else 2nd hand

WorraLiberty · 26/03/2012 12:50

No I wouldn't buy them secondhand shoes

Shoes (no matter how sturdy) mould into the shape of your feet after a while. Also, we wear them down unevenly but in a way that suits us.

This wouldn't necessarily be right for your child.

squeakytoy · 26/03/2012 12:50

YABU. A child deserves decent well fitting shoes.

smokinaces · 26/03/2012 12:56

Yabu. a new pair of shoes from a supermarket are better for their feet than second hand named brands.

WhereTheWildThingsWere · 26/03/2012 12:57

I pass most of ds's shoes on to dd, most peole I know do this, I have also bought second hand shoes off of e-bay. A huge amount of people must do this as good quality second hand kids shoes sell really well.

DinahMoHum · 26/03/2012 12:59

meh, my children often wear passed down shoes, and i pass them on.
Id do it

ThatVikRinA22 · 26/03/2012 12:59

i wouldnt, how long are they going to last really when someone else has worn them and got the best out of them first anyway?

i would have anything else second hand, but not kiddies shoes.

ICantFindAFreeNickName · 26/03/2012 13:03

I would not do this with school shoes, as they are wearing them all day long 5 days a week. I would be happy to do it for other shoes though, such a party shoes or wellies which are not worn so frequently.

Mrsjay · 26/03/2012 13:23

I wouldnt scrimp on shoes either not saying mine had clarks ihated clarks shoes when mine were younger , But i would make sure They got new shoes , just to make sure they fitted properly , 2nd hand shoes can be mishapen or worn down/out. buy your son school shoes

undercoverPrincess · 26/03/2012 13:25

I probably wouldn't do this, I don't, however, buy really expensive school shoes as they grow out of them much too quickly. I do make sure they are well fitted and have a proper sole on them (none of these ugg type soles or the ballet type pump are evil for feet).

KatAndKit · 26/03/2012 13:56

Good fitting shoes are really important, especially school shoes that are worn five days a week all day long and they are walking to school in them and running round the playground wearing them. Second hand shoes have taken the shape of someone else's feet. For example I have always walked over slightly to one side so my shoes would be no good to anyone second hand as the back of the heel wouldn't be flat any more.

Save the money by not buying so many of the sandals or cheaper shoes so that you can get at least the one pair of proper new shoes. Even if they are supermarket instead of Clarks. Or buy other stuff second hand instead.

You could always save money buy getting new unworn shoes online - ebay probably have unworn ones.

SuperScrimper · 26/03/2012 14:01

Never would I put my children in second hand shoes. Sorry. I wouldn't want to wear shoes someone else has sweated over for a start! Secondly, having properly fitted shoes is so important for healthy feet. I wouldn't want my children wearing shoes that have moulded to another child's foot.

CockyPants · 26/03/2012 14:03

Hi OP, sorry but shoes should always be brand new. For all the reasons stated above.

HexagonalQueenOfTheSummer · 26/03/2012 14:03

I wouldn't buy secondhand, but it's not necessary to buy expensive brand new shoes, cheaper shoes fit well too. Have you got a Clarks or Start Rite outlet near you at all? Also shoes from shops like BHS and Shoezone are generally available in width fittings and are a lot cheaper than the more expensive brands

Original poster
lookout · 26/03/2012 14:07

Gosh, well that certainly answers my question! That's exactly what my mum said.

FWIW, he doesn't wear school shoes all day as they wear plimsolls inside, but he does walk to school in them every day, so I guess that's a lot of wear. I never really considered the fact that second hand shoes were moulded to another person's feet, but it makes perfect sense of course. We buy most stuff second hand, so no savings to be made there, but I guess we could save on the sandals and plimsolls

Thanks for all the replies. Will have to reconsider my choice, I guess.

OP posts:
frumpet · 26/03/2012 14:08

I would do this , if you go on the startrite website you can measure your own childrens feet at home and so get a better idea of the width fitting aswell. I very much doubt your children are going to end up with hideous deformed feet as a result of wearing the odd pair of second hand shoes . After all even if you go to clarks or startrite or any of the excellent independent shoe shops , they measure the childs foot and then get out a pair of mass produced shoes in that size , they are not made specifically by elves in the back of the shop just for your child Grin

Original poster
lookout · 26/03/2012 14:10

Hexagonal we do have a Clarks nearby but even they're expensive in my book! There is a Shoezone near us though, will have a look there next time.

OP posts:
HolyLentenPromiseBatman · 26/03/2012 14:12

I think it depends how much they've been worn before tbh. I've bought second hand shoes from ebay for the DC's that are described as having been worn a few times and when they arrive you can clearly see they are nearly brand new. They won't have moulded to the shape of the wearers foot after two wears!

ThisIsNotMyLife · 26/03/2012 14:14

Veruccas. Do I need to say more?

sparkle12mar08 · 26/03/2012 14:15

www.shoesforkids.co.uk does reduced price Clarks, Startrite etc, often last seasons styles, or limited range of colours/styles, but all brand new and about 20%-25% off. I get ds1's school shoes from there. I've also bought second hand shoes from ebay on occasion for ds1 - it's just a matter of reading the descriptions very carefully - I got two pairs of once worn Clarks for about £7 each, they were absolutely mint condition.

nalubeadsgirl · 26/03/2012 14:16

Save money by buying second hand clothes etc...not shoes for your children. All the reasons as stated above! Sorry..it's the ONE thing you should pay out money for (along with baby car seats!). I'd happily sacrifice what I was wearing etc to save up ££ to get them. (sympathetic...we also have zero money!)

Original poster
lookout · 26/03/2012 14:16

ThisIsNotMyLife He has a verruca! Damn 2nd-hand shoes... Why didn't I think of these things before???

OP posts:
Sprogged · 26/03/2012 14:19

Oh my god I am such a bad mother, all my daughters shoes have been second hand off ebay/charity shops (apart from 1st pair) and she's only 18 months old!!! Shock Sorry to hijack op, is it okay to buy those pretty Peppa Pig doodle type shoes out Asda then? For an 18 month old?