To think keeping kids in clothes is so expensive??

[Namedilema123]

When they go up a size and you have to replace everything...tops, leggings, vests, socks, coats, shoes, jumpers, cardigans....it is so expensive! I often find myself on eBay or Facebook marketplace buying second hand clothes for them and feeling bad that I don't buy them new things. I have a 6 month old and twin 3 year olds and we definitely earn more than the national average, but sizing up for all 3 is really expensive. Am i missing something? Someway to have presentable kids in nice clothes without breaking the bank? How people kit their kids out in head to toe next/gap/m&s is beyond me. Maybe im being tight rather than U.

I don’t buy it all at once. I buy as and when I see things that I like in the next size normally so I’ve never felt the need to do a full ‘kit’.

It’s very rarely everything goes at once though!

Keep an eye on in sales for next size up clothes to have in ready.

Keep clothes from the 3 year olds for the 6 month old.

Shop in Primark while they are still growing go quick. No need to spend out on clothes that will last 5 minutes.

Asda george is my friend! Especially when you can get decent t shirts for £2-3 pounds and leggings, joggers etc. Wait till school starts, I've just forked out £200 for my 4&5 year old!! X

Where are you shopping?

I keep an eye out in charity shops for really nice stuff.

I always buy a size larger so i get more wear out of it.

Like others said, not everything goes at once.

For example i always buy leggings/trousers from boots as they are really long in the leg compared to say tesco.

Asda is really good for tshirts lasting a bit longer

It's not so much the clothes for us, thanks to primark/supermarkets - it's the shoes! Absolutely extortionate if you have kids with massive, very wide feet who hammer their shoes to death rapidly. At least clothes can be passed down and bought second hand if they're in good nick.

There are some lovely shops about for used children's clothes Op. Also charity shops have some absolute bargains. There's one by me that often has twins clothes in.

Nearly all of my DC's clothes were hand me downs or bought from eBay! If I needed to buy clothes for them, I normally bought them from the supermarket ranges,

I really object to spending a lot on clothes that they will grow out of within months. They were always clean and presentable and I didn't have a second's guilt that they weren't brand new or from the 'better' brands.

You can get really decent clothes for babies and small children at car at car boot sales, and also charity shops.
Also check out local fb selling pages.
Don't know if it's just me, but I found once I let it be known that I would use second hand stuff, I was offered loads by friends and family.

I buy mostly second hand and top up from the sales. I sell old clothes to fund new ones.

My little boy is always beautifully turned out and I don't think that he is hard done by for having second hand clothes

Yanbu. I usually have to get the lot at once too. Suddenly their 2inches taller. I try get a summer and winter wardrobe in the sales.
You could try Facebook, there was a post recently from a lady with 2DDs she was going through a hard time she posted on the local page and I gave her all my DD's old stuff. I wish more people would offer I would happily take seconds. I genuinely find it difficult and expensive and I never get myself a summer winter wardrobe.

I often sell what i can on local Facebook sites, takes the sting out of the cost a little. I also try and buy better quality longer lasting clothes and then just get charity shops pieces for basics

I buy ahead in sales like ds2 is 8 but has some 10-11 tops that were 70% off in his wardrobe.

Family buy odd bits clothing as presents

Mine wear a lot of scandi brands and organic brands as they habe good resale and we live prints and ethics too and if brought at 20-40% off then by time resell if in good condition you often on my lose a few pounds which is same price as a supermarket top.

Have you tried local Facebook selling pages often cheap bundles on there.

NOT sales

I am part of a Facebook group kids clothes pay as you feel so people pop up items with just postage n fees to pay and you add what you can afford/feel item is worth.

Today on that group I sold a lady 11 items (full price I paid over £100 but had done both my boys and still in good condition) was £3.33 postage and fees and she paid me an additional £5 you can't refuse any payment so someone could pay 10p or £10

We get very little in the charity shops near me but FB, eBay and hand me downs are my saviours.
And keep everything from the older ones.
Never buy too much that you wouldn't put on a child of the opposite sex (DD has a few dresses but basically wears DS' hand me downs).

Asda, sainsburys, H&M and sales - though I was pleased to get hand downs at that age. Charity shops might but I've found that's much more area dependent.

First place with children got lovely items - second there was never anything really - I think it was passed on within families and freind networks or sold on.

Spreading cost as well - getting things before the they are needed - when on sale or spotted and bit by bit.

I agree with pp it's really shoes that are the problem - they just don't last.

Mine don’t have loads of clothes, (I hVe 4 Boys) I’ve kept a lot of stuff nice to hand down but they don’t wear that much and no fancy party clothes as they don’t wear that sort of stuff. So school clothes, t shirts and jogging bottoms for after school and lazy Sunday’s and a couple of jeans, hoodies for weekends,

I just wash regularly as x4 it can get very expensive and the kids aren’t really bothered what they wear, it’s any cheapo stuff as primark doesn’t wash great for handing down so I tend to go for quality - my eldest is 17, then 13, 8 & 7. Shoes are the expensive outlay as I never reuse or have them wear second hand shoes. Just don’t go mad with how much you buy as they don’t much at all,

I don’t really get why people say kids grow out of things within a couple of months. But I always size up so they last longer, most of my eldest’s clothes were from last summer and they still fit. A lot of our boys’ clothes are second hand or from Tesco, but I found them to be worn out by the time they are outgrown by my eldest so can’t then pass them down to the younger one. The more expensive stuff lasts longer and can be passed down and sometimes even sold or passed on again so ends up being more cost efficient.

Eastmids - what Facebook group is that?

I agree primark is bad for lasting though I've found expensive doesn't mean it will last to be past down.

I have found supermarket and H & M good on price and well lasting.

My son is head to toe frugi, maxomorra, duns, jo jo etc.

It’s all pre loved or last season so in the sale

If you get them measured in store you can order sale shoes online from Clark’s outlet. It’s saved me loads on school shoes.

Elllicam - thanks that's interesting.

There is a Clark’s outlet in a nearby city that had huge queue when I first saw it around this time - we couldn't get in the shop I wasn't aware they were on line as well.

I get a lot of second hand from friends and pass on my things.
I do not buy whole seasonal wardrobes but just add bits where necessary.
Surely you'll have loads to hand down to the baby as well.