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By Shaunna Privratsky Summer is slipping away, and your children are actually looking forward to starting school. You know it's time to start shopping for school clothes, but you're dreading the blows to your bank account. Don't worry! You can send your child to school in style, and still save money. Clothes sales abound. You can shop your favorite discount stores, or go online. Start shopping now, but be selective where you look. The best deals are the clearance racks at your favorite stores. Some items are winterish, but the cold weather is just around the corner, so now is the time to score big savings on sweaters, coats, boots and more. The sales and ads start coming mid-July. Shop early if you have specific items you need for the best selection. However, if you wait until the second week of school, everything is marked way down. One idea is to buy a new outfit for the first day of school, then wait a couple of weeks and get tons of savings on the rest of your child's clothing. Watch for quantity discounts and group your purchases at that store. For instance, JC Pennys frequently offers 10% off on $50 purchase, 15% off on $75, and 20% off on $100. If you are going to buy the clothing anyways, why not cash in on the discounts? Keep your eyes open for special offers if you open a store credit card. Often, you will get a cash discount or percentage off if you sign up. Sometimes, you can even pay the balance right then, so you don't have to worry about big bills coming in the mail. You can always cancel the card later, if you decide you don't want to keep it. Take advantage of no sales tax sales. Some states, like Minnesota and Montana, do not charge sales tax on clothes. If you have lots to buy, the savings can really add up. Other stores offer sales by paying the sales tax for you, so you enjoy the same benefit. Second hand and thrift stores are an overlooked source of great school clothes. Before your child turns up her nose, consider this; many department stores donate their "old" stock, or items that were returned. The items are in mint condition, some with the tags still on. You benefit from the deep discounts, and your child has new clothes. Besides the cheap prices, thrift stores frequently hold bag sales. You are given a paper grocery bag to fill as much as you like for a set price, like $2 to $5. To maximize how much the bag can hold, remove hangers, roll the clothing, and put heavier items on the bottom. Second hand stores are great because the clothing is cleaned and sorted by size and type, just like a regular store. What if your teen only likes name brand clothing, and one pair of jeans costs more than your entire wardrobe for the year? Plato's Closet is a trendy second hand store that caters to discriminating teens. They sell name brands, but at reasonable prices. Plato's Closet even buys your teen's outgrown, quality clothing. This is a great time to de-clutter the closets before you fill them up again. No one can tell the clothing is gently used and your pocketbook will thank you. If you have a picky child or teen that can't stand clearance items or things from a thrift store, do a little bait-and-switch. Remove the tags and put the new garments in fancy department store bags. Since you're clearing out your closets, you could hold a garage sale. First, you master the mess in your home and garage, and secondly, you have some extra cash for school clothes. Anything that doesn't sell can be donated to local thrift stores, which gives you a tax break. Check with the school if your children need school uniforms. Often you can get a special discount if you shop at a certain store. These types of stores often run a buy one get one free special, so you can go in with a friend and only pay half. You can hold a clothing swap with friends or family. If your child is a bit older, hand down the items that no longer fit. Likewise, someone else's bigger child gives you theirs. Even a few nice outfits, jeans or coats can really spruce up a wardrobe and get kids off to a fresh start. Start planning now so that you don't get caught off guard next year. You could put a little money aside each month, like a Christmas club account. Use your receipts from this year to plan how much you'll need next year. Keep your eyes open for good deals on kid's clothes. You can shop the clearance racks during every season and find super bargains. Be careful not to buy too far ahead in sizes, though. Your son or daughter might skip a size, or their tastes may change from one school year to the next. New school clothes can give your child the confidence to really shine. With all these tips, now you can outfit them and still score an A+ on your clothing budget. Shaunna Privratsky is a fulltime author who is looking forward to sending her teens off to school. Discover her money-saving secrets at The Discount Diva http://shaunna67.tripod.com/id21.html and sign up for the free newsletters. TO LEARN ABOUT BUDGET STRETCHER PREMIUM Giving You The Power To Control Your Money |
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