It’s that time again. Summer’s over and most of the kids I see have that look like someone kicked their puppy. As parents rejoice, kids can take solace in the fact that at least they get some cool new duds out of the deal, no? I was a geek slash fashionista so the start of each school year was a double bonus for me. I really can't sympathize kiddos. Sorry!
I shopped online for H’s new school clothes this weekend. You heard right. He’s been in “school” continuously since July and is only 2.5 years old but I have to get my shopping kicks somewhere so just play along. I’ve been a shopping pro since probably the age of 7 so I thought I’d pass along some food for thought to help diffuse arguments, and help save some cash.
Number one: If you shop sales, shop them smartly. Right now stores are mostly offering Fall pieces so sale selections may be hard to come by. If you do score a sale, however, make sure what you buy makes sense. Stick to basics, nothing over the top trendy that won’t last past the end of the year. Go ahead and buy end of season tees to layer over long sleeve tees or under button downs (love for little boys) but make sure the tees don’t scream summer. i.e. don’t buy the entire stock of surfboard and boat tees.
Two: Scan multiple stores for basics. I was on four different sites before I finally convinced myself that $10 for 3T jeans was much smarter than paying $30. It was a combination of knowing what stores offer good quality and getting lucky enough to catch the last day of a sale at The Children’s Place (I’m sure they’ll offer more sales, don't be bummed).
Three: Shop online if possible. This works if you know what size your kids are at each store (because you know sizes run differently from store to store, right?) or if your kids are difficult to shop with. Almost every store offers free shipping, particularly if you order over a certain amount so no worries there. Also, if you shop online you can Google coupons for your particular store. It takes a little work but if you can save a few dollars here, 25% here, it’s worth it. Finally, shopping online allows you to compare prices as I did with the jeans above. If I were out shopping, I would’ve bought the first ones I came across because who wants to go back and forth from store to store comparing and returning? Not me.
Four: Let your kids have a say. They're the ones wearing the clothes, not you. If they really love a shirt and have to have it, even if you think it's the most hideous thing in the world, just buy it. Remember, there's a generation gap, taste difference, etc., etc. It's not going to hurt them, it's a shirt. It's so not worth arguing over. I can guarantee they'll look back at pictures and say, "what a hideous shirt, what was I thinking?!", but such is life.
With my shopping done I get to sit back and wait for my packages to come. I know my son won't care about his new clothes (maybe he'll like some of the tees) but I'm super psyched. Maybe I'll have to consider going back to school myself, if only for the clothes.
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