Stockpiling Clothing?

[morneau_grl27]

I have a few questions for all the parents out there who stockpile children's clothing.

Question One: Do you set aside money each month to buy clothes? What I mean is, do you have a set amount each month that you put away and use it when you see a good deal? Or do you generally just use your fun money or other stockpile money to buy them?

Question Two: What are your own personal stockpile prices for shirts, pants, socks, underwear, shoes, dress clothes, pajamas, etc? I would like to know what everyone else thinks are good prices!

Question Three: How in the world do so many of you afford the Gymboree clothing at the prices they are? I love their clothing, but I cannot justify paying that much for children's clothing. If someone could please explain how they get clothing from there for cheap, I would love to know!

Question Four: Would you start stockpiling baby clothing before your children are born, even if you don't know the sex? We want to have more children, but will not find out the sex. I do not plan on getting pregnant for another 9 months, but if I see a good deal on clothing, should I still buy it and save it or just pass on by? We have saved many things from my first three, but my younger daughter and son were very rough on their clothing (spit up, poop, crawling around in the dirt) and we don't have all that much left. So I'm curious, would you buy stuff beforehand to have, or would you wait? We plan on having two more children for sure, but of course we will not know the sexes. We are also the first in our families (both sides) to have children so there will be neices and nephews to come (someday :) ) Would it be smart to buy in case we need it, or if we don't, give as gifts or sell later?

Thanks everyone :)



PS- If this should be in a different forum, please move! I didn't know if this is better for here or the stockpile thread!

[Dhunny318]

wow! where to start? lol

Question 1: I don't have a set budget each month just for kids clothes. We do a weekly budget, so once we see where the money is going each week, we are able to put aside spending money for other things. Once I see what my "fun" money is for the week, I can decide if I'm going to pay attention to clothing deals, for anyone in the house, that week. This way has worked for us, but may not work for others. I've found by doing it this way, I don't go overboard on certain deals.

Question 2: I don't like to pay more than 5 dollars for ANY piece of kid's clothing, even a pack of onesies. If I can get items for super cheap, that is a plus! This has been working out for me with good clearances at certain stores like target and old navy, and the old navy coupons that have been given out online.

Question 3: I would love to know this too! I do see lots of it for cheap on ebay and at the consignment shops, though. My boy never really looked good in gymboree stuff, so we didn't go looking for it.

Question 4: I would ABSOLUTELY start stockpiling before you have a kiddo! There are so many things that you can stockpile that are asexual, so why not? white onesies, baby socks, burp cloths, bibs, etc. Since you and your SO are the first in the family to have kiddos, don't forget that you might be blessed with lots of baby clothes for gifts! Everything you get, you can save and pass down to future nieces and nephews. Keep it all in the family lol.

[MrsPinecone]

There are a couple of threads in the Stockpiling Forum about clothing.

How to save big on clothes... is one of them.

[morneau_grl27]

I looked through the stockpile forum, thanks for the suggestion. I am still curious what others' opinions are though!

[taylordvd]

I actually do not like to stockpile much clothing for my kids. This was especially true they were babies. I could not judge how long and when they would be in what size and if I missed that was a lot of wasted money. I have no nieces or nephews to pass down to, so it really was a waste.

Now, I do shop (almost exclusively) at Gymboree for my DD. I go and buy her like half a collection for winter and then will do the same for summer. Typically I buy half at a time and then if they are running Gymbucks I'll use my gymbucks to buy the other half. She LOVES the knit dresses - that is ALL she will wear. I have found that because everything I am buying is mix and match that I can buy her a lot less clothes. Also, I have a Gymboree Visa that we use for everything and I currently have $50 worth of giftcards just waiting for my fall purchases. I thought that by shopping for her at Gymboree I would have to up my budget for her clothes, but I actually have found that I am spending a lot less on them now.

And, yes, I have a budget line item for clothing for each member of the family. That method works well for me.

[CW&M Mom]

1. I basically purchase summer clothing at the end of August/September for the year ahead. And most of winter clothing I start getting in January for the next season. For thrift store usually May is a good time. I try and get coats in March or whenever I notice they are going on clearance. I have 4 rubbermaids full of clothing for next winter.

2. Shirts: I like less than $3.00. Jeans less than $5.00 when possible...same for shoes. For a coat I like less than $20 for a high quality coat. Thrift store I want it under $2.00 and only name brand stuff.

3. okay to get gymboree stuff cheap. You need to use coupons and purchase the most clearanced stuff....or use gymbucks. ect... What I typically do is when I get a good 20% off...I go to the store...or stores and get as much as I can...that is the very most cheap. I may not be able to get a "complete" outfit...if you can go to more than one your more apt to get it completed. Check out the gymbo stores in your area to get a feel for which ones have a good selection of clearance and who do not. Try to go when there are gymbuck time as well and then make sure to use your gymbucks. If needed you can get coupons on ebay and gymbucks as well from people not wanting to use them. Heck sometimes you can get a good deal on ebay as well.

I wouldn't purchase clothing outside of maybe onsies before I was pregnant...you never know what season you need to purchase for.

[CW&M Mom]

a good gymboree website Untitled Document

[MamaBird06]

Question One: Do you set aside money each month to buy clothes? What I mean is, do you have a set amount each month that you put away and use it when you see a good deal? Or do you generally just use your fun money or other stockpile money to buy them? No-i buy things when they are cheap or when they are needed when money allows.

Question Two: What are your own personal stockpile prices for
shirts: .89-3.00,
pants: shorts: .89-3$, jeans/pants .89-5.00 ,
socks: free I use 10/10 at jcpenny,
underwear: .75 per pair or less,
shoes: 15$ or less, but don't really stockpile these, i just buy them as needed, sometimes a size up if it's a good deal,
dress clothes don't really buy, but the same prices as above, i normally get a couple niece button ups a season/vest,pants,
pajamas .75-4.00 a set

Question Three: I don't really buy much gymboree, i don't like the fit on my ds and the shirts i have bought faded pretty fast. I do love and frequent the children's place outlet, where i get tons of items for .89-3.00 on a regular basis. I prefer the fit and quality over all other clothes, i also like cherokee from target and arizona from jcpenney

Question Four: Would you start stockpiling baby clothing before your children are born, even if you don't know the sex? No, if you don't know the sex. But i do buy ahead in sizes for gifts. I will pick up boys clothes that i may or may not keep for my ds because i have a nephew that is a few years older than him, i will also buy clothes for my niece when they are on sale, etc.

[HarleyTink]

Question One: Do you set aside money each month to buy clothes? What I mean is, do you have a set amount each month that you put away and use it when you see a good deal? Or do you generally just use your fun money or other stockpile money to buy them?
A: no i do not set aside money for clothes, we use our monthly budget.


Question Two: What are your own personal stockpile prices for shirts, pants, socks, underwear, shoes, dress clothes, pajamas, etc? I would like to know what everyone else thinks are good prices!
A: shirts $0.25-$3, pants $1-$4, underwear if i can get them for about half price, shoes $5 & under, dress clothes will not pay over $7, pj's $1-3

Question Three: How in the world do so many of you afford the Gymboree clothing at the prices they are? I love their clothing, but I cannot justify paying that much for children's clothing. If someone could please explain how they get clothing from there for cheap, I would love to know!
A: i do not shop at Gymboree, but my sister does! she buy at the end of the summer cheap for next summer, that is what i do at other stores buy for the next year!!

Question Four: Would you start stockpiling baby clothing before your children are born, even if you don't know the sex? We want to have more children, but will not find out the sex. I do not plan on getting pregnant for another 9 months, but if I see a good deal on clothing, should I still buy it and save it or just pass on by? We have saved many things from my first three, but my younger daughter and son were very rough on their clothing (spit up, poop, crawling around in the dirt) and we don't have all that much left. So I'm curious, would you buy stuff beforehand to have, or would you wait? We plan on having two more children for sure, but of course we will not know the sexes. We are also the first in our families (both sides) to have children so there will be neices and nephews to come (someday :) ) Would it be smart to buy in case we need it, or if we don't, give as gifts or sell later?
A: with my 3 1/2 yr old dd i did start buying clothes on clearance when i found out i was prego! but there's only so far you can go with green & yellow!! i would say if you found one heck of a awesome deal on baby clothes or even toddler buy for a boy and girl and what you end not having ether take the clothes to a consignment store or resale with alittle mark up at a yard sale! but if i where you and not going to find out what your having i would just get the sizes you really don't have from your other kids in green's and yellows and stop with that! i am prego now and will not find out the gender till another month & a half but you can guarantee once i find out what i'm having i WILL be starting a clothes stock for him or her!! hoping for a him ;). i have stocked clothes and shoes with my dd and would never change that!!! we have a budget of $400.00 a month for food, clothes, car gas, diapers & everything along that line if i would have not done this when i found out i was prego there would have been time my dd would have been without simply because we can not afford even the walmart reg price's on clothing for her! and just think of it this way! if your child even skips that shoe or dress size you can simply resale with a markup and go get what you child need's!!!