Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

Money matters

Find financial and money-saving discussions including debt and pension chat on our Money forum. If you're looking for ways to make your money to go further, sign up to our Moneysaver emails here.

Flip

Original poster

How much would you pay for clothes?

12 replies

wabblyo · 07/03/2017 00:35

Hi people,

New here

Well me and the other half have been arguing as to what is a reasonable price when it comes to baby clothes. I for one think we shouldn't go crazy and buy too many clothes (or expensive ones for that matter) as the baby will grow out of them soon.
But my partner just wants to spend the entire salary on baby clothes so it seems!

As we are new to this maybe we are underestimating/overestimating the real value. Either way I think it would be good to get some input from people who have been through this already and help settle a debate!

What is the average you guys would actually pay? Surely £16 for a sleepsuit is too much? I was thinking more along the lines of under £5 for one? Is that reasonable for a decent quality sleepsuit?

OP posts:

sleepydee9 · 07/03/2017 00:42

The first year they grow out of things in a matter of weeks. You can get a pack of 3 or more babygrows for £5, and an entire collection of clothes for that on ebay (plus postage) in almost new condition. It really depends on what you want to do. I think it's nice to have a few really special outfits and don't mind paying more for them, i balance it out by everything else being reasonable. For a newborn i like organic bamboo which costs a bit more but they're well used. You really don't need that much clothes and it's very easy to end up with too much.

Notreallyhappy · 07/03/2017 08:47

Keep spends to a minimum when they're babies. Supermarket babygros are fine. It's what you can afford.
My ds lived in 6 babygros & vests for weeks.

BarbaraofSeville · 07/03/2017 08:58

As long as baby is clean and warm, it doesn't matter what they wear. It's going to get pooed and puked on, no matter what.

You can get bundles of clothes off ebay and probably other places if there are particular brands that you like. Unless you are very wealthy, buying new expensive baby clothes is a waste of money that could probably be better spent elsewhere.

Original poster

wabblyo · 07/03/2017 10:57

Thanks for the replies guys. So was I right in thinking £16 is too much and £5 is the way to go?

OP posts:

JoJoSM2 · 07/03/2017 11:37

It's not for other people to decide what your budget should be. Have a grown up conversation with your partner. If they feel strongly about the baby having some cute clothes, perhaps you could compromise by going mostly for more affordable bulk stuff + 1 or 2 special items that your partner could choose.

Bluntness100 · 07/03/2017 11:40

You can't ask other people what is acceptable to spend, it depends on how much you can afford. For many 16 is fine for a sleep suit, for others a fiver is enough, no one knows uou or what you can afford, so it's down to you guys to decide a budget.

Bananalanacake · 07/03/2017 11:42

I didn't buy any newborn clothes at all as I knew I would get given clothes, and I did. All I buy for my DD is clothes from charity shops at around 2 to3 pounds an item, waste of money to buy new, they only grow out of it.

TeenAndTween · 07/03/2017 11:45

What you do need to realise is that for every £10 spent on clothes that the baby quickly outgrows or doesn't appreciate, that is £10 you haven't put into savings for something your 10yo or 17yo will really really want such as to go on that school trip abroad, or driving lessons or whatever.

£10 wasted a week is £500 in a year, or £5000 in 10 years.

I think one or two expensive special items are fine, but spending £££ you can't really afford because you want your baby to have the 'best' just means they won't get th e 'best' when it is more important later.

NerrSnerr · 07/03/2017 12:16

It depends on your own priorities and budget. We can't say how much is too much for you. We spend hardly anything on baby clothes, mostly EBay and charity shops but that's our choice.

VacantExpression · 07/03/2017 14:51

Local facebook selling groups can be a godsend too- no postage costs. I buy lots of second hand stuff in good condition and then don't feel guilty if I have the odd splurge.
Local playgroup/ baby group sales can be a treasure chest of bargains too.

Sung · 08/03/2017 12:50

Most of our baby clothes were either gifts, hand-me-downs, second hand eBay purchases. For the first year or so the only new clothes I bought were 3 pack John Lewis sleepsuits (they now sell for £16 for 3 - so yeah, about a fiver each).
As they got older I bought increasing amount of new clothes (mainly Boden) but still got many from eBay - as you got more wear out of them + I got some enjoyment from buying these clothes.
I agree - unless you are very wealthy then spending loads on baby clothes isn't that savvy - better to save the money for baby or yourself for later when it is more needed.

specialsubject · 08/03/2017 18:04

everything gets rapidly outgrown and covered in body fluids. Spend as little as possible.

You've got two decades of expense coming up so it is time to prioritise!

Flip