Not Made Of Money

My kids seem to grow like weeds. I had hoped that they could wear some of last summer’s clothes during this summer, but there isn’t a chance. Nothing fits anymore. So, we’ll have to go on a shopping spree to get them ready for this season.

Now, when I say shopping spree, I don’t mean that we’re going to go to the mall and shop like crazy. Hah! We don’t do that in our house. Instead, I mean that we are going to go to some of my favorite bargain haunts and get the things we need. These are the steps we go through when we’re shopping for clothes for a new season:

Evaluate what clothing items can be re-made for the new season. Old jeans can be cut off into shorts. Shirts can have sleeves cut off for the “muscle man” look.

Check out Freecycle. I’ve received bags of clothing in just the sizes I need.

Hit the garage sales. I like church sales or other group sales since they usually have more things to choose from. I can get almost anything the kids need for play clothes for a fraction of their normal costs. The kids really seem to get into the fun of the hunt, too as they look for things that they like.

Sandals for all! My kids love to wander around in flip-flops. Fortunately, they’re cheap even when they’re new. A couple of weeks ago, Old Navy had their flip-flops on sale for a couple of dollars, so everyone got a new pair.

Pick out a nice outfit, or two. If I’m lucky, I will find everyone a dressier outfit while I’m shopping at the garage sales. If I can’t, though, I try to find them at a resale store. The kids don’t need a lot of fancy clothes, but I like to know that they have something nice to wear if we need to get dressed up.

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