How to Get Cheap and Free Clothes for Kids

One of the issues I had to come to terms with when I had a baby was the fact that I had absolutely no money for new clothes. Everyone I knew was buying piles of new baby clothes every few months for their little ones. The costs soared into the thousands. Spending continued to go up once the children got older and began staining their clothes and growing out of their shoes twice a year. How does one keep up with the costs?

The answer is: "easy!" Thinking inside of the spending box is a trap that a lot of parents get into. They start out excited about buying new things for their new baby and it quickly develops into a habit that they don't know how to get out of. They started out buying clothes, so they continue the behavior of buying clothes, not realizing that they could be spending nothing or next to nothing to clothe their children. Try these easy ways to cut your spending down.

Freecycle

Freecycle is one of my favorite venues for getting children's items. Freecycle is a free online group that you can join in your area to get rid of items you no longer want and find items that you need. When I need something for my daughter, I get online and pull up the Freecycle page for my area. I ask if anyone has any clothing available in my child's size (or any sizes up) and then wait to receive replies from others who can help out. All I have to do is drive to pick up the bags of kids' clothes. I sort through them and take what I can use, then bag up the rest and Freecycle it again.

Friends and Family

Ask your friends and family if you can have their children's old clothing when they are done with it. Most people would rather have it out of the house and would be happy to let you come and haul it away. They would probably end up donating it to Goodwill anyway. You can save them the trouble. Ask them to watch out for friends of theirs who have kids and might let you have their children's clothing as well.

Damaged Clothing

Some parents balk at the idea of their child wearing used clothing or shoes. If you think about it, buying new is silly. Once the child wears it one time, it's no longer new. Used clothes, unless they are severely worn out, are just as good and just as cute as new ones and no one is going to be able to tell that you didn't buy them yourself.

If the clothes have tears or stains or are damaged in some way, don't get rid of them. Most of them can still be used. You can bleach stains out of most clothes. If you do not use bleach, boil the stained items in a large pot of water with some Oxyclean or other oxygen-based bleaching agent. Stains that won't budge can often be covered with a patch, appliqué or some fabric paint. If you have a sewing machine that does embroidery, you can embroider over it. Silk screening is also a great way to cover stains and bleached spots. Another great way to hide stains is to tie-dye the item. Small holes can be repaired or patched. Patches can be applied like appliqué so that they look decorative and intentional.

Ebay

I have found that Ebay is a fantastic way to buy shoes for kids. While kids clothes often have a tendency to be expensive (most Ebayers outlandishly think that their kids' used clothes are worth what they paid for them new) shoes are often very affordable because rare is the parent that considers purchasing used shoes. There is no reason not to buy children's shoes used. Kids scuff and dirty them the first time they are worn, so while nice shiny new shoes may appeal to an adult, they have little place in a child's world.

Check the listings on Ebay and be sure to pay attention to shipping prices. I like to buy my daughter's shoes by the lot. I can usually buy a whole set of shoes in one size: sneakers, sandals, clogs, boots and a pair of dress shoes for about $5. With $10 shipping, that leaves me with a whole set of shoes in one size for only fifteen bucks. I would pay that much for a single pair of kids' shoes at Payless. The shoes that I buy are usually in very good shape. Many of them still have the tags on.

To prepare used shoes to be worn, clean them first with a rag or a toothbrush and some warm water and mild soap such as Dr. Bronner's or some laundry soap. Once the shoes are clean, spray them down inside with rubbing alcohol. This will dry quickly and disinfect the shoes. If the shoes are leather or if you are worried that they might be ruined by getting wet, pour the alcohol onto a rag instead and insert the rag into the shoe. The alcohol fumes will disinfect just as well. Set the shoes outside or in your garage until dry so that you do not breathe the fumes in the house.

Also, always be sure to buy shoes at least one size up. Shoe sizes vary so you want to make sure that you don't end up with a size 10 that is really more like a size 9. It is much better to end up with shoes that are too large because your child will eventually grow into them.

Gifts

Never doubt the love of friends and family. While you should never expect gifts, you are still likely to find that family and some friends and even coworkers will want to buy clothing for your child. Grandparents often find the children's section of the department stores irresistible once they have grandkids and you may find that they want to buy lots of cute outfits. It's not necessarily polite to ask, but always make sure Grandma knows your child's clothing and shoe size just in case she sees something while shopping. Sometimes items that are the wrong size cannot be returned.

Thrift Stores and Garage Sales

Don't forget to check thrift stores and garage sales periodically. If you just can't help but go shopping for your kids' clothes, these are some irresistible resources. I especially love thrifting because it feels like a treasure hunt. There are few things as satisfying as digging through piles of clothes and coming home with nice things that you paid only pennies for.

Make Your Own

If you are good with a sewing machine, you can make clothes for your kids using your own old clothes. A man's shirt easily becomes a little girl's dress. Jeans can be cut down into a little pair of denim pants. Try simple patterns if you are just starting out. Avoid using new fabric for your sewing projects. The recent surge in popularity of crafts and sewing has caused fabric prices to skyrocket and making your own clothes is usually no longer cost-effective unless you are using old or used fabric.

Most importantly, it's important to keep the karma going around. If someone helps you out and gives you clothes for free, take very good care of them and keep them clean and repaired, then be sure to give them to another needy family once you are finished with them.