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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To spend £600 every time my daughter goes up a clothes size?

668 replies

ivebeentotheyear3000 · 05/02/2022 05:34

Every time my daughter goes up a clothes size I end up spending about £600. DH thinks this is a ridiculous amount to spend but I don't really see how I could do it for much cheaper!? I buy from a variety of places but generally Asda, H&M, Tu, Matslan - nowhere really expensive.

Vests £10
Knickers £10
Socks £10
Tights £20
Jeans £30
Leggings £20
Shorts £20
Short sleeved tops £25
Long sleeved tops £25
Dresses £50
Fleece £15
Hoodie £15
Tracksuit £20
Winter coat £25
Summer waterproof £15
Pyjamas £40
Ballet uniform £75
School uniform £75
Trainers, shoes, wellies, sandals, slippers £100
Swimsuit £10

AIBU? How much do others spend and if less, how do you save money?

OP posts:
monkeysox · 06/02/2022 00:16

Buy bigger sizes in the sales ready for when they grow!

apprenticewage · 06/02/2022 00:26

@monkeysox I couldn't think of anything worse than storing clothes that MIGHT fit one day🤣 ( I'm minimalist) I would probably forget they are there anyway.

monkeysox · 06/02/2022 00:28

Things like vests pants socks PJ's they'll always need bigger of those

SkankingMopoke · 06/02/2022 07:54

[quote RussianSpy101]@ShallWeTalkAboutBruno some do yes, but a PP pointed out, this is MN where everyone is desperate to be both the highest earner and the most frugal.

This thread is like the clothes mumsnet chicken.

£80 on clothes per month and people are frothing at the mouth. One pair of Childrens shoes is easily £50 so I don’t understand this competitive tightness.[/quote]
I agree RussianSpy101 . Posters are often also finding ways to make their totals appear low, such as not including shoes. Eg the PP that only spends £50/yr, oh actually forgot the PJs so it's £70/yr but it is definitely under £100/yr total, then doesn't include shoes but recently had to spend £40 @ Clarks. 70 + 40 = 110 BTW... so we're already over their declared maximum total and they seem to only have included what DC has grown out of recently rather than over a year.
Then there are posters saying they spend next to nothing as their DCs get most of their clothes for Xmas/birthdays. That is still money spent! And the posters subtly giving totals for the younger siblings, who have benefitted from lots of hand-me-downs, but unsurprisingly not mentioning how much had to be spent on DC1 to acquire clothes to hand down in the first place...

liveforsummer · 06/02/2022 08:24

I don't think what others spend over the total if the year is particularly relevant as they could be buying designer stuff or as you say Clark's shoes. OP clearly isn't spending loads in shoes as she's getting shoes, trainers, wellies and slippers all for £100. DD's last pair of trainers alone cost £80 and wellies/boots weren't cheap either. It's more that OP is replacing stuff that doesn't need replaced and could cut her own personal cost and waste significantly by using another method. Her DH thinks she could do it far cheaper but she's can't see how. Posters are explaining.

Teethhelp · 06/02/2022 08:33

We usually get 2 winters out of coats and jumpers.

£75 on school uniform is a lot. Supermarket brands are cheap and durable. You can also use the second hand shop at school - ours does branded jumpers for £1.
It also seems a lot of clothes for a child that goes to school.

daisypond · 06/02/2022 08:34

@monkeysox

Things like vests pants socks PJ's they'll always need bigger of those
But those are the things that can last for years. And anyway, a new pack of knickers or socks or pyjamas is about £5.
CinnamonStar · 06/02/2022 09:21

I think the number of items bought is more relevant than the total spent on them.
But I also think £600 is pretty reasonable for you eldest child for the year, especially if it includes shoes.

Since the pandemic began, so over the past 2 years roughly, I have bought for dd1
Wellies x2
School shoes x 2
Sandals
Trainers
Walking boots
Swimming costume
School jumper
School shirts x 6
School trousers x2
School skirts x 2
School blazer
Waterproof coat
Lightweight coat
Jumpers x3
Hoodie x 2
T shirts x 14
Joggers x5
Dresses x 2
Shorts x 4
Week's worth of underwear
Tights x3
Pyjamas x 5.
Dressing gown.
Gloves for sport
Gloves

Some of that still fits, not all.

I got some of it second hand, and in the sales.

I actually spent about £600 (I know because I keep a spreadsheet), but if I'd paid full price for everything, I'm sure it could easily have spent £1200 over the 2 years, and that's with only replacing things when needed.

In contrast, Dd2 has had:
All dd1's hand me downs

Trainers
School shoes x 2
Sandals
Walking boots
School PE tracksuit
Winter coat
Which were all bought new and cost over £250 just for those.

Skyla01 · 06/02/2022 09:26

Can you buy second hand? Or get hand me downs from relatives or friends?

RussianSpy101 · 06/02/2022 09:51

@Teethhelp £75 on school uniform is cheap!

Jumpers / Cardigans with logo - £18 each
Shirts - can find in most places
Skirts / trousers / pinafores - easily £20
PE kit - £55
Trainers for PE - £50 ish
Tie - £5
Blazer - £40
Shoes - £40-50
Coat - £50
Tights, socks etc £10

endlesssighing · 06/02/2022 09:52

Where is everyone buying underwear, socks and pyjamas that last for YEARS?!

Ours discolour/shrink in the wash/stain/get holes in/get lost etc.

I feel like I'm living in the twilight zone. WHERE DO YOU ALL SHOP?!

RussianSpy101 · 06/02/2022 09:53

@endlesssighing I feel the same, I don’t get it at all.

RussianSpy101 · 06/02/2022 09:53

@firstimemamma how?

liveforsummer · 06/02/2022 09:55

@endlesssighing

Where is everyone buying underwear, socks and pyjamas that last for YEARS?!

Ours discolour/shrink in the wash/stain/get holes in/get lost etc.

I feel like I'm living in the twilight zone. WHERE DO YOU ALL SHOP?!

Tesco mostly for pj's however I don't really care if they end up discoloured or with a little hole or a bit short in the arms although that doesn't seem to happen. Pants I get from H&M they really do last forever
Mothermorph · 06/02/2022 10:01

My DC seem to wear pants for years (not continuously, obviously I wash them!!) But I can literally only remember updating DS pants supply about 5 times and he's 12!Blush
DD seems to need new socks every few months Confused
Neither of them regularly wear PJs. DD wears oversized tshirts and DS occassionally wears pjs but I'd expect them to last at least 2 years.

PinkWaferBiscuit · 06/02/2022 10:01

Where is everyone buying underwear, socks and pyjamas that last for YEARS?!

Why wouldn't these items last for years? Pants and Pyjamas especially don't need to be hard wearing they aren't exactly experiencing anything extreme in terms of wear.

Also does it actually matter if they become discoloured or if the legs of Pyjamas are slightly too short?

I'd also be reviewing my washing habits if these things kept shrinking when I did laundry. An odd accident is normal but surely its uncommon to repeatedly shrink clothes?

apprenticewage · 06/02/2022 10:01

Boden underwear lasts literally YEARS!!! I have attached the style we buy. My daughter is nearly 9 and I found an age 6 pair in her drawer the other day and they were perfect!! I had washed and sterilised the rest and passed them on to a younger cousin. They are still going strong.

They are so comfy and thicker than any other underwear I have seen.

To spend £600 every time my daughter goes up a clothes size?
liveforsummer · 06/02/2022 10:03

Yes the socks i can't answer, there is a fairy who steals ours long before they develop holes or are grown out of but in the absence of said fairly I'd expect them to last a long time

endlesssighing · 06/02/2022 10:05

@Teethhelp

We usually get 2 winters out of coats and jumpers.

£75 on school uniform is a lot. Supermarket brands are cheap and durable. You can also use the second hand shop at school - ours does branded jumpers for £1.
It also seems a lot of clothes for a child that goes to school.

£75 on clothes your children wear 5 days a week for 9 months of the year is a lot?

£75 would see us through a term maybe?
Just DS in reception, if I had to BARE BONES his uniform.

  • 3 pairs of trousers (£9 for a two pack at sainsburys)
  • 5 Polo shirts (£6 at Sainsburys)
  • 3 Jumpers (Ours are £11 each branded compulsory but for arguments sake £8 for 3 at Sainsburys)
  • 5 Pack school socks (£2)
  • School coat (£15)
  • PE Kit (£6)
  • Pumps (£5)
  • Book Bag (£5)
  • School Shoes (£20+)

That's £76 already and that's before we've even factored in summer uniform. The socks will wear out. The trousers will need replacing. He'll outgrow his shoes. The polos will discolour and get stained with god knows what. The jumpers will bobble and fray.

3 jumpers is generous. With DD's hand-me-downs he has 6 that are acceptable but the spares are visibly worn. I already wash midweek because he can never rewear more than one day. He goes through at least one shoe size a year.

It's probably nearer £150.

This thread is the clothing equivalent of the mumsnet chicken. Who can clothe their kids for the cheapest. Endless thrifting is a luxury. Our charity shops are mostly dregs and you have to rummage for anything from past 2002.

Ebay is fine but it is often overpriced and you need to know EXACTLY what you want and be organised enough to know what they need. Maybe half of my kid's clothes are second hand but it's always an added difficulty to buy second hand. Especially with DD.

endlesssighing · 06/02/2022 10:07

@apprenticewage

Boden underwear lasts literally YEARS!!! I have attached the style we buy. My daughter is nearly 9 and I found an age 6 pair in her drawer the other day and they were perfect!! I had washed and sterilised the rest and passed them on to a younger cousin. They are still going strong.

They are so comfy and thicker than any other underwear I have seen.

Makes desperate notes! Thank you!

Do they stretch well? And are they thick/bulky on the seams?

liveforsummer · 06/02/2022 10:08

I get these, lovely soft cotton lasted years in fact have not had to replace either DC's yet couldn't actually tell you when I bought them long before covid

To spend £600 every time my daughter goes up a clothes size?
liveforsummer · 06/02/2022 10:12

They come in lots of patterns like bat girl and unicorns too for those who don't like plain. My girls both prefer the boxer style and they have some sensory issues around clothes

daisypond · 06/02/2022 10:12

Where is everyone buying underwear, socks and pyjamas that last for YEARS?!

Just basic supermarket ones. Underwear lasts for years. Socks do end up getting lost here and there, but a sock size covers quite a few shoe sizes. Pyjamas - it doesn’t matter if they’re a bit short.

RussianSpy101 · 06/02/2022 10:13

@apprenticewage I was following til you said you hand down underwear.

endlesssighing · 06/02/2022 10:15

@PinkWaferBiscuit

Where is everyone buying underwear, socks and pyjamas that last for YEARS?!

Why wouldn't these items last for years? Pants and Pyjamas especially don't need to be hard wearing they aren't exactly experiencing anything extreme in terms of wear.

Also does it actually matter if they become discoloured or if the legs of Pyjamas are slightly too short?

I'd also be reviewing my washing habits if these things kept shrinking when I did laundry. An odd accident is normal but surely its uncommon to repeatedly shrink clothes?

Because children grow and every day seems to be an assault course.

It's not pyjamas go in and come out a size smaller. They're washed properly but they lose quality with time. The same with all clothing. They're washed after usually one use/maybe two after being spilt on or wee'd in, stained etc worn/rolled around in/played in/stretched/pulled etc. The elastic slowly goes, the knees droop and hole, the neck becomes baggy, there's stains that don't come out.

Of course it doesn't matter that they stain - 90% of their pyjamas have some kind of washed in muck on them but lots of people are insisting on this thread that these clothing pieces are like new. I could keep my kids pyjamas for years but they'd be little more than outgrown rags by then. The same with underwear and socks, I've found this regardless of quality.