Getting teenagers ready for a new school year is a relatively new adventure for us. High school students are a whole different animal than elementary school (Middle school also gets it's own category, but let's not get into the introduction of hormones in this post, 'kay?) This year we're facing a few new challenges.
- Clothing sizes that fall between children's and adults' sizes called Juniors' or Young Mens'.
- Trends that are fickle. Here today, gone tomorrow.
- Name brands have more meaning.
- Personalities are demonstrated by apparel almost as much as actions.
This year we put a plan in place with our children, who are 12, 13, and 14 years old, before the back-to-school season began. This plan allows them some independence and practice in budgeting, but also allows us to keep our home. Today I'm sharing the nuts and bolts of the plan broken down into simple steps.
- Sort through all clothing together. Set aside outgrown clothes or outdated trends.
- Make a list of items that need to be purchased. Prioritize the list with items that are most needed first.
- Determine a budget to replace necessary items.
- Hold a yard sale, use Craigslist or visit a consignment/resale shop to sell what you can. Use the money earned to at least partially fund the back-to-school budget.
- Visit yard sales, resale shops, Ebay and Craigslist to find items from the list.
- Visit TJ Maxx, Marshalls, and similar shops that carry trends for less.
By working the steps in the order above we're able to spend significantly less money on very fashionable clothing. Because we tend to buy name brands at very low prices, they grow out of clothes faster than they can wear them out, and the kids are encouraged to take good care of their clothing, we are often able to sell outgrown clothing for 50% of what we orginally paid.
We're getting the cost of clothing teens under control... now if only we could do the same to the grocery budget!
Linked to: Frugal Friday at Life as Mom
Do you have a Plato's Closet near you? My mom uses them to shop for my teen brother and sister and makes out really well. You can take in some used clothes (good brands and whatnot, of course for those teens) and they will evaluate them and offer you a sum. Then you can shop for "new" stuff for the kids!
ReplyDeleteThe best thing my parents ever did was give me (as a junior) a budget for clothes and then let me go. Out the window went the yearning for name brand items (I never was a logo hound anyway) and in came Rue 21, learning the value of accessories and building a wardrobe. I even won Best Dressed!! And all on a limited budget which included shoes and a winter coat..
ReplyDeleteYeah, I hear you on the grocery bill, and we haven't even hit the teen years yet! I just found a brand new pair of snow pants/overalls for Jacob at Salvation Army...$2.99. LOVE deals!
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