How much do you budget for clothes?

[LingDiLong]

If you're on a tight budget...how much do you budget for, for children and for adults?

I'm trying to work out a much more comprehensive budget and this is something I always get stuck on. I buy clothes as and when they're needed and how much I spend is dependent on how much money we have at the time. So sometimes it's ebay, sometimes it's high street.

Oh yes, sorry I should have said, I really can't afford to buy things because they're wanted or 'nice' - only ever for growing or seasonal purposes. So new winter and summer clothes if they've outgrown last years. So I've just had to restock the 1 year old's wardrobe because all she had was summer stuff.

Just wondering how much others on a tight budget spend on clothes that are 'needed' iyswim.

Well she only had 1 cardi, so I'd have had to buy a few more cardis and tights/leggings to go with the summer stuff. Although yes, that would have probably been cheaper than the warm/winter clothes I bought on Ebay. I shall bear that in mind for next time. I do already make use of hand me downs and ask for clothes for presents at Christmas/Birthdays.

Not really sure what's so confusing about the idea of needing to buy some clothes for growing children somtimes .

Freecycle/Freegle usually have plenty of people offering outgrown children's clothes, especially in baby/toddler sizes.

Ah, thanks AgonyBeetle, I hadn't thought to look at Freecycle.

I always look out for a local NCT sale and stock up on the next size up for my little one. I always come away with outfits for her. There are quite a few NCT nearly new sales in October so look out in your area or look on their website. I do tend to pick up the odd jumper or cardigan for the season for her (tends to be TU when they have a 25% off day look in the charity shops/ebay for one).

We are cutting back this year. So I plan to spend about £10 at the next NCT sale and hopefully will pick up the Autumn/Winter outfits for her in then next fortnight. Apart from that I don't spend anything else.

I don't really budget for clothes either - Although I think I should. I'm really lucky in that I have many hand-me downs. Also charity shop/Ebay.

I know what you mean about looking and seeing only summer clothes. A clothes bundle on Ebay is often our solution.

I have bought for 'next year' before, and that has backfired in that trousers are too long/short at the required time. Leggings too bagggy/tights too short...

So in conclusion I don't know!

I really need an answer to this question with regard to my ten year old.

Who always has had charity shop/jumble sale/hand-me-down clothes, and thankfully is still happy with them. NCT sale clothes probably too posh for us?! So for a 1yo I wouldn't budget hardly anything, tbh. But at some point I need to have an idea of a reasonable budget, too. I have seen quotes of 5-15 quid/month, including shoes, for teenager clothing budgets (sport/school clothes excepted).

Sorry if this is a stupid question, whats NCT?

I probably spend about ?300 per year per child on the older DCs, nothing like that on DD3 as she already has 2 lots of handme downs (DD1 and 2 are close in age and by age 5 were the same size).

50? on winter shoes + boots
30? on winter coat
100? on winter clothes
20? on summer coat
40? on summer shoes and trainers

Which only leaves 60? for summer clothes and assumes only 1 pair of trainers per year, so I guess I spend much more than that really.

We don't have school uniform though, so that has to include school clothes.

I am lucky enough to have most clothes passed on to me by lovely SIL, neighbour & hubby's colleague (actually a TV star so some good quality stuff there!), but I would strongly recommend car boot sales, which I use for any other bits I need.

Yesterday I got for DS2 (6-9 months size, DS1 was in summer clothes for that age) a BHS snowsuit, a Next zippy hoodie, pair H&M joggers, 2 Tesco 'Baby Boutique' sleepsuits, 1 Marks sleepsuit,1 Disney store sleepsuit, 1 fleecey sleepsuit & 1 pair fleecey dungarees all for £6.50, and most barely worn (oh, and a spider costume for DS2 for Halloween)! You have to look for stalls that are just parents having a clearout rather than traders, but there really is such beautiful stuff to be had at a reasonable price, it just means getting up early on a Sunday occasionally.

Also, don't know about all stores, but my local Tesco Home (massive 2-storey shop) is selling off lots of clothes for £1 at the moment (this week I think), and kids' clothes have an extra 25% off too! I got a gorgeous black duffel coat for DS2 the other day for a princely 75p and am kicking myself that I didn't get more to store away as presents! I'll be going back tomorrow when DS1 is safely ensconced in nursery

I'm on a budget and only ever had 1 batch of handmedowns in 3 years. I prob budget around 20 per month but dont always spend it iyswim. I dont buy clarks shoes. I use cheap brands and dd doesnt wear shoes at home.

I shop for the next age group so as dd is in 2-3 i'm always buying 3-4 at the moment. Its harder with 1's and under as they go through clothes quarterly. I look on every sale rail in all the shops. Because i've been doing it for a year i've got a good seasonal mix. Party dresses ready for birthday and xmas that were 15 quid down to 3. Lots of asda bits for a pound etc. I also look on the clearance pages for tesco, matalan, asda and get a vip slot for the next sale.

I havent used ebay for kids clothes but i will because i just had some great maternity tops and ive sold some lovely bits myself. I also try to buy plain stuff from sale rails but ask for things like funky tights packs as presents so i can jazz up the accessories.

Well I picked up a fab Boden dress for my little one at the weeknd for £3.50, it will do her nicely with a pair of tights over the winter period. Also got a lovely Monsoon coat for a £5 which will last a good few years for her. I spent in total £17 but kitted her out for the Winter time and a few years ahead.

NCT - national childbirth trust - do a search online for NCT nearly new sales. You do a search for sales in your area with the postcode and pay a £1 to get in, most people turn up early and queue and it can be a mad rush to get to the second hand toys or clothes. But I always come away with things for my little one. It is also a good place to sell things on, but you won't make the price you get on ebay, but you might only pay 20% to sell and no hassles about posting it.