Tips to Finding Cheap Kid's Clothing

Being the fashion feign that I am, I was thrilled when I learned I would be bringing a child into the world. My head was immediately filled with all of the cute coordinating outfits that would adorn my precious child’s wardrobe. I began to notice all of the children’s retail stores like “The Children’s Place” and “Baby Gap” and was immediately lured into the highly addictive “sales” and “clearances” the big children’s retail chains would have. The thought of paying the same price that I would pay for my maternity shirt for a considerably smaller onesie never seemed to bother me. That was three years ago.
As my son grew older and his clothes seemed to magically shrink, I was beginning to be a bit more frugal when it came to his clothing. Instead of rushing into “Gymboree” or “Polo Kids”, I scanned E-bay and garage sales. Soon, I would become the frugal fashion queen. I discovered that it was very easy to find cheap kid’s clothing if you looked in the right places.

1. E-BAY
Yes, it is true that you can find almost anything on e-bay, but instead of searching for that antique snow globe, type in your child’s size clothing. There are literally hundreds of new and used clothing listings for children with many more being added everyday. You can find the big name brands like Ralph Lauren and Osh Kosh for a lot cheaper than any store would carry them. You can search for completely new items, slightly used or used and I guarantee you will not be disappointed with what you find. You certainly won’t be disappointed with the price. I know you are probably thinking, “What about the shipping costs?” Most of the items listed on e-bay are cheaper with the item price and shipping combined than you would be able to find at the store!

2. CRAIGSLIST
The website www.craigslist.com is a nation wide “for sale” listing site. Almost every city has a craigslist page attributed to them where, like on e-bay, there are thousands of items for sale. Unlike e-bay, however, there is no bidding and you can buy these items directly. It may take a bit of searching to find the item you are looking for, but you will be able to find a lot of kid’s clothing for cheaper prices.

3. GOODWILL
Please get the presumptions you have made about Goodwill stores before out of your head. These stores have done a lot of changing in the past years. You can find an array of children’s clothing that has been donated by other people and stores. They carry new and old items alike. If you are too embarrassed to go into the store, they even have a website (www.shopgoodwill.com).

4. SALES AND CLEARANCE
If you don’t already, keep an eye out for your favorite children’s retailer to have a special sale or clearance. Look for coupons online, in magazines and newspapers. Sign up to receive their newsletter and to get updates on specials and promotions.

It is possible to be frugal and find cute kid’s clothing. Though it may take a little bit more time, the minutes are well worth it when you see your little fashionista, or fashionisto parading around in a killer outfit that you bought for nearly nothing!