Budget Parenting- When & Where to buy Kids Stuff?
This is an example shopping timeline for a child born in Oct. For example, assuming all previous clothings have been acquired before birth, in Nov of his/her birth year, parents should be shopping for Size 18-24 months during Black Friday Sales. Move the Month Bar on the chart to suit your child’s birth month.
Kids grow so fast! Their need for new clothes and stuff is relentless. Although it is fun to shop for cute children’s clothes, it can get pretty expensive very quickly. After three years of experimenting, we have come to a shopping pattern that has saved us a fair bit of money. (See the Example Shopping Timeline above) It all comes down to planning, knowing the annual shopping windows, as well as finding support from the local parenting community.
WHERE TO BUY, and in that order:
- Local second-hand boutiques
To be honest, we are not usually thrift-shoppers, so second-hand clothing were not in our mind when we first shop for our baby. Until we moved to South Philadelphia and found the Nesting House (www.thenestinghouse.net), a children boutique specialised in new and pre-loved children’s clothes and equipment. Since young children grow out of their clothes so fast, most of the second-hand items they sell are in excellent condition. Some are even brand-new with tags. Most importantly, the price is unbeatable: you can usually dress the child from head to toe for less than $30 in total! And that is including higher priced items like shoes and coat. The shop was also very neatly organised, odour free and very pleasant to browse in. The second-hand items are also pre-vetted, ensuring their quality. Furthermore, you can also forward any outgrown clothing back to the store and save even more money. We fell in love with the shopping experience and would visit at least once a week for new finds.
It was unfortunate that the Nesting House branch near us was permanently closed due to Covid-19, making it more difficult to make purchases. But it has became our habit to first look out for second-hand sales for our child’s clothing needs. Even when travelling to other cities, we’d make an effort to shop in their local second-hand children stores, before looking in new clothing shops. Our favourite so far is the Clementine Consignment (www.clementineconsignment.com) in New York City. Owing to their demographics, the shop has a great range of higher-market branded items less seen in other areas.
Since local boutiques have a small inventory, they tend to only display their seasonal items very close to the start of the season. We recommend visiting these shops at both the beginning of the season (for this year’s clothes) and at the end (for next year’s clothes).
2. Seasonal / Annual Community Sales
Our local community runs a twice-a-year children’s gear expo called the CityKidz Consignment Sales (www.southphillyparents.org/citykids/). It’s a great place to pick up seasonal clothing, as well as toys and larger baby gears like beds, highchair, stroller, etc. Not only is it easy to visit without a vehicle, you are also supporting local families and the community.
If local expo is not available, Just Between Friends (www.jbfsale.com) **organises second-hand expo across many states and cities in the US. The range of items offered is huge. Although entry to the expos is ticketed, first-time parents/grandparents can visit for free. The expos are usually held outside the city center, so a car will be needed to visit.
Although the shopping experience can be quite competitive and constrained by time, the expos provide a lot more choices to find what you need. Often times, visiting just one expo would be enough for all of your child’s yearly needs. Aside from clothes, they are also particularly suited for purchasing higher-priced items, like strollers and furniture. For these expeditions, we recommend bringing along a comprehensive shopping list and a game plan, and leave your children at home if possible.
3. Discount Stores
Baby Depot in Burlington Coat Factory, Nordstrom Rack and Century 21 are our first stop for new but well-discounted items. Although they have a smaller selection of products available, their turn-over rate are also faster. And, their discounts are year-round. If what you need isn’t too brand/product specific, check these shops out before going to the regular retailers.
4. Annual Sales online and in-store
If you’ve had no luck in the second-hand or discount venues, or when something is just nicer bought new, there is still no need to buy things full-priced. In the US, there are numerous retail sales throughout the year. The timeline above shows some of the major yearly sales events. Matching these dates with the age of your children/would-be child, you’ll also get a better understanding of what size clothing to buy during the year!
Honorary Mentions
Since the products available on these sources are very unpredictable, it may not work well for those who need things in short notice, or are looking for something more specific. Regardless, these are still excellent money-saving venues that should be in everyone’s radar.
1. Facebook Marketplace
Although prices can be higher then curated second-hand stores, shopping on Facebook Marketplace allows you to negotiate price and ask buyer questions specific about the item, such as previous use and storage condition. In-person inspection and pick up are available, but shipping is also possible with selected items, making it easier to shop larger items or shopping from further afield.
2. Buy-Nothing Project (https://buynothingproject.org/)
Why buy when you can.. Not Buy! Thousands of items and services are generously gifted to and provided by members of local communities. Find your own local chapter to join in the great experience. There is usually geographical limit for joining in each chapter.
What is your shopping strategies for children stuff? Comment and share below!