Back-to-School Clothes Worth (Each and) Every Penny

In the words of Benjamin Franklin, “A penny saved is a penny earned.”  Did you know you can buy your kids school clothes without breaking the bank? You can find great deals for that sweet little baby who outgrows those clothes you JUST bought faster than you can wash them, too. You just need to be organized and know where to look.

Before you leave the house, make a detailed list (including sizes) of what you need. Set a budget, and bring an envelope to stick your receipts in just in case you need to exchange anything.  If you’re shopping with children, pack some snacks and fun things for them to do (our favorite is a travel sized magnadoodle) so you can make the most of your time and make it enjoyable for the whole family. (You might even budget for a milkshake break halfway through your trip!) Check out these awesome tips for finding cheap and affordable kids’ clothes in Colorado Springs.

1. There are many alternatives to finding gently used clothes online.  Varagesale is a national virtual garage sale site that has a local chapter for Colorado Springs called “It’s a Cluster for Families.”  There is an accountability system in place that is upheld by the admin team, and every person in the group must be referred by a Facebook friend.  There are also other amazing buy/sell groups on Facebook such as North Springs Mamas, Middle Springs Mamas, Stetson Hills Mamas, and Colorado Springs Mamas. Make sure you read the rules for each group carefully.  Some of them are determined by geographical boundaries as well.Each group has an “In Search Of” (ISO) board where you can post specific items you are looking to buy.  This is great if you need particular school uniforms or items with school logos.

2. You can still shop at many of your favorite retail stores.  In addition to many back-to-school and end of season sales, check google or your favorite coupon app on your phone to see if you can stack a coupon on to your items as well.  Some great coupon apps include Retail Me Not and Shopular Coupons. Make sure to read the fine print on your coupons.  It also never hurts to sign up for the store emails.  (I know, you will get a TON of emails from some stores, but many send out coupons that way, or give advanced notice of big sales that are about to start. Consider creating an email account just for this purpose.)

 3. There are so many deals at discount stores such as Ross, TJ Maxx, Marshalls, and Burlington, if you are willing to dig a little. Don’t be intimidated by all the options. Give yourself plenty of time to search for what you need. These stores sell name brand clothes and shoes at a fraction of the cost of most department stores.

4. Check out local thrift stores and consignment shops.  You can find plenty of school uniform options and other clothing and shoes at Once Upon a Child here in town.  There are quite a few thrift stores in town.  You can either “like” stores on Facebook or call them to get information on which days they have 50% off different tag colors. (The Salvation Army off Tutt near North Carefree is great.  They usually have 50% off all clothing tags every other weekend.)  There is also a huge traveling consignment sale called Just Between Friends (JBF) that occurs twice a year in September and April. They have plenty of clothes, shoes, toys, baby gear, and more.  If you are a first time mom, military, or volunteer to work during the sale, you can get access to one of the pre-sales for first pick before the sale goes public. On the last day, they have 50% off many of the remaining items. (You can also consign your own items to make some extra cash. See their website for details.)

Getting back-to-school clothes for your kids doesn’t have to cost a fortune if you look in the right places. And we all know, every penny counts!

Where do you go to find affordable Back-to-School clothing? I would love to know your favorites– Comment below!