I get a lot of compliments on how I dress Adelei.
The truth is, when we're going to be at home all day, she's either just sporting a diaper or a plain jane onesie.
But when we go places, I like to take the time to fancy her up. We all like to get dressed up from time to time. Back home, one of my friends said, 'She's always dressed so cute, you must spend a fortune!'
[Insert evil laugh here] I've had several 'mommy' friends ask me how I can afford so many clothes for her & where I get them from.
So, here are my secrets.
The biggy:
*If it's not on sale, I don't buy it.
Okay, okay..there have been MAYBE 2 times that I bought her a onesie/shirt that wasn't on sale, but it was already a really great price.
*I buy what's on sale now in sizes for next year.
For example, last summer, before Adelei was even born, she had a full winter wardrobe [6-9 mo], and half of a summer wardrobe [12-18 mo]. Now, I am buying her clothes for next summer [2T] & I'm not breaking the bank!
*Shop weekly.
Once a week, I make my rounds. No, I don't spend a fortune. I set myself a limit [let's say $20] and go from there. SOME days, there will be more to choose from, therefore I up my limit a little. It's okay because next time there may not be much, so I won't end up spending anything. I've heard friends say that they can't afford to do that. I get it. Times are hard, so don't spend $20, spend $5 or $10. But trust me, it's a lot better to start stocking up NOW than it is to wait until that season comes in & have to buy everything full price. My favorite places to shop for Adelei include: The PX, TJ Maxx, Ross, Burke's Outlet, Target, & Kmart.
Let's take this season, for example. It's summer. Some people think that stores don't start marking down summer clothes until Fall. This is so, so wrong. Most stores do mark downs weekly. This includes clothes that are in season now!
*Don't buy just anything.
I don't get everything in her size that's on sale. I only get the items that I think are really cute! This helps me save money & I don't fill her closet too fast. That may sound silly, but there will be cuter stuff next time!
*Eye the racks that aren't on sale.
Just take a few minutes to look around & see what they have. That way if you see a really cute outfit you like that isn't on sale now, you can keep it in mind for the weeks to come. I've gotten a few great deals this way! That carter's dress that you saw last week for $18 will probably be 25% off in 2 weeks, and 50% off in a month. Just wait & see. Not all stores are like this, but a lot are. Never buy full price!
*Carter's outfits are usually cheaper elsewhere.
I LOVE Carter's. But I also love having money in my bank account, which is why I don't [usually] shop at the actual Carter's store [or online]. If you have access to a PX or BX, you should definitely get your Carter's fix there. They have awesome selections, and if you look on the clearance rack, you can usually find them for 50% or 75% off. My other favorite places to get Carter's outfits are TJ Maxx & Ross. Just last week I got a 5 pack of super cute Carter onesies for just $9.
*Don't be afraid to thrift!
I cannot tell you how many outfits I have gotten from the thrift store that still had the original tags on them! Any thrift store will do, but my favorite ones to go to are the ones on post. You can get a brand new outfit for just a few dollars. Who can pass that up?
*Shop your way rewards.
Burke's Outlet has a great program where, on Friday, you can get 15% off any purchase. Also, anything you buy gives you points. 1 point for every dollar spent. When you get 200 points, you get a $5 off coupon with no spending limit. AKA free $5 to spend! Kmart & Sears also have a shop your way rewards program that you can use every time! It's 1% cashback [which doesn't seem like a lot, but it adds up fast!]. Target has a 5% off card. Some people think that it's just a waste of time, but they obviously have more money than they know what to do with.
3 comments:
I used to do this when my kids were little, especially with winter gear because it is so expensive. Now, I cannot do that and it's not only hard but it is expensive. My kids are not in the sizes for their age (Olivia is like a 5X/6 slim waist but a 7/8 length. Try finding THAT kind of shit anywhere. And Jackson is like a 3T, sometimes 4T waist and a 4T sometimes 5T top, depending on how small it looks). It's ridiculous. I dread school clothes shopping for Olivia. I bought her a cute dress last month just for playing in and thankfully I only paid $2 for it at Savers (a thrift store around here) but she's already outgrown it to the point where her arms cannot fit through the top. Lame.
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I've done the same thing! Munchkin isn't born yet but she has a full wardrobe up to 12 months and we're working on 18-24 months now:) It also helps to have friends with kids slightly older than yours...I love hand me downs, especially when they're young cause many of them didn't get worn very often. I also have all of her holiday outfits...bought them for 50-75% off after the holiday this year:)
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