Buy kids clothes cheap - Keep them new

Know which stores have good deals (public domain photo)

Looking for a way to keep kids clothes looking new? Tired of replacing worn out clothes? Want to know where to find cheap new clothes? Keeping 4 grand-kids in clothes is a huge challenge. I help my daughter out by buying some occasionally. Yesterday, I talked about what good shoppers my teen grand-kids are. They come buy it naturally. If your clothing budget is stretched to the max, try these tips I use to save money and make their clothes last longer.

Belts for girls  
Tween and teen girls love belts. Nice ones can be pricey. Instead, buy a cheap scarf from the dollar store and a couple 3 inch metal rings from the craft store. Put one end of the scarf through both rings. Fold over and sew together to hold the rings in place. Fasten and tighten this cheap clothes accessory like a motorcycle helmet by putting the other end of the scarf through both rings, then back through one.

Lengthen the life of athletic shoes
Keep kids sports shoes new. Use spray acrylic on them right after purchase. Stains just wipe off. This tip keeps casual shoes free from water damage. It can be used on any cloth shoe. Those more expensive shoes they talked you into buying can be sprayed with water repellent.

Stain repellent  
Kids clothes get stained quickly. Not all those stains come out easily. Many people aren't aware that water repellent for clothes can also repel stains. Keep kids clothes looking new by using it regularly. Spray new clothes to keep them from staining. This will work through several washes. After that, just spray them again.

Buy in bulk with purpose
Certain kids clothes will always be cheap and in style. When you find sales on clothes that fit and look good buy several in different colors. Good examples are t-shirts and blue jeans. I got 4 pair of brand name jeans at a close out store the other day for 6.00 each. When you find good deals like this, stock up. Buy some clothes one size up if your kids like them. They'll grow into them. Socks and underclothes can be bought in bulk too. Kids go through them like crazy.

T-shirts

The craft store is a very cheap place to buy them. They're normally under 7.00 but go on sale every other month for half price. These are name brand high quality shirts. Craft stores buy them in large volumes at a discount. They pass the savings on to customers.

Portions of this article were published by this author on a closed Yahoo! property.