Back to school season is upon us once again, and next to Christmas, it can easily be the most expensive time of the year. According to recent surveys, parents can spend up to $510 on back to school shopping.
Me? Not so much. With a rising third-grader and a preschooler, I’ve learned a few things to help keep our back to school costs down. I can guarantee that I will spend nowhere near $500 on school supplies or clothes for BOTH kids.
I’ve shared how I shop for cheap kid clothes before, but there are even more tips I believe will help you save on school clothes this fall. Keep some coins in your wallet and save on back to school clothes with these fifteen money saving tips.
15 of The Best Tips to Save on Back to School Clothes
1. Use what you already have.
Take stock of what your kids currently have in their closets. Will those jeans from last school year still fit? What about those t-shirts they wore this summer? Can those be worn with a light jacket?
If they have clothes that are in good condition, there’s no reason to go out and buy a bunch of clothes for the sake of buying them. Put some of the things they have to good use. They can wear what they have those first couple of weeks of school.
2. Create back to school clothes checklist.
Once you’ve inventoried what you currently have, you can come up with a checklist of things they definitely need. Common things I’ve noticed my kid typically would need are underwear, socks, belts, t-shirts, shoes, and gym clothes.
3. Trade in clothes for cash.
Now that you know what they have, decide whether you can make it work for the new school season or whether you should get rid of it. If the items are in good condition, you might be able to get cash for it at a local kids consignment shop like Once Upon a Child.
4. Purchase discounted gift cards and then go shopping.
Once you’ve taken inventory, created a list of what you’ll need, and traded in your old stuff for cash — take that cash and purchase discounted gift cards for the retailers you want to shop. For example, Children’s Place is one of my favorite kid’s retailers.
Cardpool has Children Place gift cards for up to 14 percent off. That means you could score a $50 giftcard for $43.00. Purchasing gift cards at a discount is a great way to save on back to school clothes before you even start shopping!
5. Shop thrift stores and discount retailers to save on back to school clothes.
If you’re looking for gently used, high-quality clothing check thrift stores (online and offline) and discount retailers. There’s no reason to pay full-price for designer brands when your kids will quickly outgrow them.
Discount stores like Ross have Nike, Ralph Lauren, and other designer labels for more than half the cost. And you strike gold when you’re able to find some of these brands at thrift stores that are in great condition.
If you don’t have much luck with your local thrift stores, no fret! Check out the selection on Thredup. A lot of the clothing items are actually new and you can save up to 90 percent off the price you’d pay retail.
I’ve used this site plenty of times to fill in the gaps in my kid’s wardrobe and the selection is great.
Plus, if you know a lot of people who would be interested, you can share your referral link with them and score free clothes. Get a free $10 credit for back to school clothes when you try Thredup using this link.
6. Shop summer clearance wisely.
It’s best to keep an eye on clearance throughout the summer. Many retailers are clearing out their summer stuff to make room for fall clothing.
This presents a great opportunity in two ways. First, you can purchase spring/summer items that your kids will need next year a couple sizes up. Or, you can do like I do — purchase some of the summer items to use for their new back to school wardrobe.
I love doing this because I can get graphic tees and plain tees from stores for $1 to $2. I purchase them a size larger and my kids will be able to wear these under jackets in early fall or layer them during the winter. Plus, they can wear them when spring/summer rolls around again because they will still fit.
The same applies to summer dresses. Those little cute spaghetti strap dresses are cute in the summer, but throw on a plain t-shirt underneath for a back to school look. For the fall, you can add tights, boots, and a jacket!
7. Shop during sales and tax-free events.
Never pay retail. Period! When retailers mark their prices down 40 percent or more, start purchasing the things that you added to your back to school checklist.
Also, if you live in a state where there are tax-free weekends, use this opportunity to increase your savings. Between sales, tax-free events, and discounted gift cards, you can save a lot of money.
8. Ask for clothing.
Don’t be afraid to ask for what you need. For example, my son has a summer birthday. When his grandparents and aunties want to spoil him for his birthday, they specifically ask me what he needs.
I encourage clothing and other basic necessities as gifts in lieu of toys. Of course, they still get the kid one or two toys. However, every single year my kids get more than enough clothes on their birthdays.
You can also search sites like Freecycle. Ask your friends for their kid’s clothing they have outgrown or perhaps do a clothing swap. There are plenty of ways to ask for clothing and get what you need.
9. Get cash back to save on back to school clothes.
Do you regularly shop for back to school clothes online? If so, make sure you check out cashback sites to increase your savings.
Try one of these three cashback sites to save on back to school clothes:
Ebates – get a free $10 gift card to a retailer of your choice with your first $25 purchase
Swagbucks – get a free $5.00 sign up bonus (for new sign-ups only)
Mypoints – get a free $10 gift card to a retailer of your choice with your first $20 purchase
10. Shop 6pm with coupons.
If you need to purchase back to school shoes, check out 6pm.com. They have incredible prices, usually between 30 and 70 percent off retail price. They offer 30-day returns and free shipping over $50. Make sure to search the internet for coupons before making your purchase.
11. Never pay shipping.
Don’t waste the money you’ll save on back to school clothes by paying for shipping. Many retailers offer free shipping with minimum purchase amounts. If they don’t, do a quick search for your retailer on retailmenot.com, as they might have free shipping coupons available to use.
12. Utilize rewards like Kohl’s Cash, JCP Rewards, and Children’s Place Cash.
There’s no money like free money. These retailers give you cash back rewards with certain purchase requirements. This is often how I’m able to get clothing more than 70 percent off regular price. As a matter of fact, thanks to Kohl’s Cash and sales, we scored this cute mermaid lunchbox and backpack set for $1.75!
13. Use money saving apps like Target Cartwheel and Ibotta.
Anytime I step foot into a store, I check Ibotta first to make sure no cash back rebates are available. I also check before making online purchases as well. Ibotta often offers bonuses for mobile purchases made with certain retailers. If you’re new to Ibotta, try them out using this link for a free $10 gift card to jumpstart your savings.
Also, don’t forget to download the Target app. You can use the app for purchases made in store or via your mobile phone. They have coupons and immediate cash savings at the time of purchase. Just select the item you’re purchasing and scan your phone at checkout.
14. Legs got longer? Repurpose pants…
If your kids are anything like my kid, they grow up (not out). As a result, my daughter’s pants still fit around the waist, but they rise above the ankles.
For instance, she grows a couple of inches during the winter. She can use them as shorts or capris during the spring season.
This can apply for back to school as well. Anything they wore earlier during the year that rises above the knee can be made into back to school capris or shorts.
15. Set a budget and stick to it to save on back to school clothes.
My final tip is to set a budget and stick to it as much as possible. I know kids get to that age where they want to wear all of the new trendy stuff available. I don’t have to worry about that right now. But when it’s time to cross that bridge, know that my kids will be getting a real life money lesson.
If they want to set their own budget and get expensive clothes for back to school, they’d better have a job. It’s okay to cater to some of their wishes; however, if they are gung-ho on getting a $40 designer top, that means they might not get as many school clothes as they normally would. It’s a great teaching opportunity.
Bonus: Create a back to school capsule wardrobe.
As a bonus tip, I’d encourage you to consider implementing a capsule wardrobe for your kids. It works the same way as it does for adults.
You need a back to school checklist of all the essentials they would need to last them throughout the school year.
Those essentials should be pieces that can be paired together in many different ways. Below are a few resources I’ve found on building an awesome back to school capsule wardrobe for kids.
Girl’s Back to School Capsule Wardrobe
Boy’s Mix and Match Outfits for School
Wrapping Thangs Up
There are plenty of ways to save on back to school clothes. Don’t let the excitement of getting your kids back into school cost you a lot of money.
The money you’ll save on clothing can be put towards debt, savings, or heck — even a vacation next year.
Take inventory of what you already have and get creative with the rest. It’s a surefire way to send your kids back to school in style and within budget.