Article and Photograph by Laura Jost
Somewhere in the middle of the summer, major retailers start setting out their crates of binder paper and cases of pencils in back-to-school displays that remind us all that we’ve got some shopping to start thinking about. Between classroom supply lists and new tennis shoes, it’s easy to start draining the bank account. If you’re like me, you’re always looking for ways to cut costs. Coupon clipping for supplies is easy enough and most stores compete heavily with super low prices. But clothing and gear can be a bit trickier, so here are my tips on how to maximize your savings, reduce/reuse/recycle, and shop local for the new school year.
Share with your friends. Especially when kids are in smaller sizes, it seems like they’re always needing new clothes. Funny thing is, most other parents are in the same predicament. So instead of dropping off bags of kid goodies at a corporate, for-profit thrift store, why not share your cast-offs and fill in the gaps with your nearest and dearest? More of your friends than you think would be blessed by previously-loved-yet-in-wonderful condition clothes, backpacks, shoes, etc. The connotation “hand-me-downs” got a bad rap in my house growing up, so I call these “hand-me-overs.” If your closest friends’ kids aren’t a good size match, you can always offer goods up to a wider net of friends on social media. I throw a kids’ stuff swap; I get some girlfriends together (kid-free) and we bring every garment, toy, book, etc. that the littles are done with, sort it, and then go through it all to “shop” for what we need without spending a penny. We share drinks and snacks and parenting stories. The van full of items that we have left goes to a local charity that distributes items directly to foster families. Win-win.
Buy pre-loved. We have an incredible array of wonderful consignment stores in the Portland-metro area that stock stylish, in-season kids goods. Most shops are extremely diligent in their selections so you don’t have to give a second thought to the quality. Bring in your kids’ outgrown items for credit toward new-to-you items. You can find everything from super hero capes to fall soccer shoes at a steep savings. Local consignment events can offer a tremendous amount of choices, but be aware they typically bring in large crowds and require a chunk of your schedule. Thrift stores are a bit hit-and-miss but can pay off big, especially if you have one nearby.
Buy boutique items locally, take care of them, and sell them later. I will spend more on a few extra-soft European items that my kids really love, launder them carefully, then sell them when my kids are done. And believe it or not, boutiques generally have a clearance section that’s absolutely worth checking out.
Invest in long-term gear. I refuse to buy our kids a new backpack every fall. A sturdy backpack and high-quality lunch storage items can be used until they need replacing. We’ll be on year four of our daughter’s school bag this fall.
Shop after the school year starts. If your child has enough clothes to see them through the first couple weeks of school, waiting to shop can pay off big. Typically within a couple of weeks, big name stores offer as much as a 70 percent savings off of retail prices, especially on any uniform items they don’t regularly carry.
Start shopping ahead. Most months in our climate, we are layering. Boots, athletic shoes, long pants, t-shirts, sweatshirts, light sweaters, and jackets can be worn most of the year. Unless your kid is prone to skipping sizes entirely, you can save a great deal of moolah by shopping for cool weather gear when the sun is shining. I keep storage tubs for each child of next-size shoes and clothing that I glean from swaps, thrifting, and clearance racks. When that day comes when suddenly nothing seems to fit (seriously, how does it happen like that?!) or the weather changes, many of the kids’ needs are already met.
Avoid purely emotional spending. I don’t know what it is about this time of year, but when nostalgia gets thrown in the mix, I feel like I NEED to take my kids shopping for the full back-to-school experience even though my kids absolutely don’t care (yet). I combat this by asking the kids what one or two really special items they’d like to have when school starts and put my efforts into making those specific wishes come true.
After dropping off all of the supplies, meeting the new teachers, and making the inaugural lunch, don’t forget to take yourself out with a few of your saved George Washington’s.
Laura Jost loves to write about her real life experiences in parenting. Saving money is one of the few ways she always feels like she’s winning. She’s also really good at drinking her morning cup of coffee.
