Raising a child can be expensive. Of course, there are the basic needs that every child needs like food, clothing, and shelter. But most of us want to provide more than the basics to our kids. We likely want to have the money to pay for extracurricular activities, fun toys, and, thinking long-term, a college education.
To make your money stretch, find ways to pay less than retail. In fact, there are many items your child will need that you should NEVER pay full price for. Here are some of the most important ones:
Diapers. Have you looked at the retail cost of a pack of diapers? It’s crazy! Thirty diapers can cost $10, and as fast as kids go through diapers, that’s quite an expensive bill. But it doesn’t have to be. You can use coupons and combine them with sales to get discounts on diapers, but that isn’t all. There are plenty of other ways to save on diapers.
Clothing. I’m a huge fan of Gymboree clothing for kids. The clothes are comfortable, durable, and adorable. What I don’t love is the retail price of the clothing. I just can’t stomach paying $36 for a pair of kid’s jeans and $24 for a kid’s shirt. Here’s the secret—I never pay full price for Gymboree clothes. I save by only buying when Gymboree is having their big twice a year sale and selling shirts for $3.99 and under and dresses for $6.99 and under.
I also use a 20% off coupon that I get from one of the parenting magazines, and I use my Gymboree Visa for another 5% off. With all those stacked savings, it’s not unusual to get shirts for less than $3 and dresses for less than $5. Woo hoo!
Don’t forget to stalk the clearance racks for baby clothing and Swaddles other times of the year. A few days before Halloween through the first few days of November, keep an eye on the Halloween costumes at your favorite store like Disney or Gymboree. You’ll be able to buy next year’s costume at a fraction of retail. Tuck it away until next fall for your child.
Books. We visit the library frequently, but I also wanted my kids to grow up surrounded by books. However, a new kid’s book can cost anywhere from $5 to $29, depending on the book.
Never pay full price on a kids’ book.
Instead, shop garage sales and second hand stores. You’ll find books for a quarter a piece. At that price, it’s very easy to build a book collection for your child.
If you want to help your child pay for his college education, but you just don’t think the budget allows room for college savings (or whatever other goal you have), think again. Stop paying full price for the items above and take the money you saved by being a savvy shopper, and use it to contribute to your child’s college education fund. Win-win!
What kids’ items do you refuse to pay full price for?
