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Most school dress codes don't allow flip flops, but if she wears them outside of school and needs new ones I would have gotten them.
My oldest is starting kindergarten this year, so it's his first real school year if I don't count the past 2 and a half years of preK. I personally never planned to do the beginning of school year shopping, but I have gotten some things for him. I buy the kids clothes all through out the year, and usually buy off season for the following year, so they're rarely in need of clothes or shoes. But I also admittedly have a problem with clothes and shoes for them! I grew up beyond poor and remember not being able to go to school because my sister and I shared 1 pair of shoes. Because of that my kids have sickening amounts of clothes and shoes. Each kid has an entire closet and dresser FULL of clothes and atleast 6 pairs of shoes at any given time. But I am very frugal. Their clothes are nice, some brand name, and I don't think I've ever spent more than $10 on an item.
My dd is going into Middle school this yr. I have been getting school clothes together for the last couple of weeks. I think I spend an OK amount but my hubby says I spend way too much. I don't really buy her clothes through out the yr, just school clothes and some things at Christmas. So she usually needs everything new this time of yr. Here is our list of things to buy. I don't set a dollar amount, I just try to hit all the sales I can.
If you don't say how much you pay for clothes then we can't really tell you if you spend more or less than us. Everybody has a different concept of what a sale is. I know a mom who thinks that $10 for a t-shirt for a 2yo is a sale. Me, I wouldn't pay $10 for a t-shirt for myself.
Quote:
Originally Posted by SuzyQ123
Maybe I should try to spread it out more through out the yr? When I grow up my mom had to shop for us like this because we lived in the middle of nowhere. So we went shopping only 1 time for school clothe and 1 time for Christmas. I live 5 minutes from a couple of malls, but I still do it like my mom did.
I always buy things as I see them on sale but this year my dd will be wearing uniforms so I have to buy all her clothes at once. I am going crazy worrying she will run out of clothes in the middle of the year or have a growth spurt. So far I have spent about $300 on what should have been an easy back to school clothes shopping. I keep telling my dh that I'll take some stuff back once she goes to school for a couple week so I can gauge my laundry turn around time. Of course I doubt I will.
You know your mom system is not that bad because it avoids impulse shopping or shopping for fun. But I would consider buying clothes in the middle of the year if needed.
My dd is going into Middle school this yr. I have been getting school clothes together for the last couple of weeks. I think I spend an OK amount but my hubby says I spend way too much. I don't really buy her clothes through out the yr, just school clothes and some things at Christmas. So she usually needs everything new this time of yr. Here is our list of things to buy. I don't set a dollar amount, I just try to hit all the sales I can.
2 Tennis shoes
2 Flip Flops
10 socks
4 jeans
4 shorts
12 undies
a bunch of tops
3 br@s
1 hoodie
1 coat
1 backpack
this yr she wanted a hair staightner
1 purse
school supply list
Then at Christmas I will usually get her a few long sleeve tops, 1 hoodie and 1 pair of jeans.
Maybe I should try to spread it out more through out the yr? When I grow up my mom had to shop for us like this because we lived in the middle of nowhere. So we went shopping only 1 time for school clothe and 1 time for Christmas. I live 5 minutes from a couple of malls, but I still do it like my mom did.
It doesn't seem excessive to me. Sometimes men don't really understand that kids stuff costs money. All my sons wear adult sized clothes and shoes so clothes for them is the same price as clothes for any adult.
My kids go to a uniform school. We get them undies and socks when they need them, not necessarily when school starts.
Each child gets:
5 shirts
5 shorts
1 pair long pants
1 belt
1 pair sneakers
Textbooks
School supplies (varies by child)
If they need a new sweatshirt they get one each later in the schools year (Nov or so). We live in FL so we don't need much in the way of winter stuff.
My kids are usually able to get more than one year out of a backpack.
We also have to get stuff for football (2 kids) and band (1 kid) because those are in the fall. Overall I spend a ton on stuff this time of the year, but there are not that many other expenses once they are set up for school.
Keep in mind she is gona start growing fast, Dont buy too much at once cause she will out grow it before it weres out. 1 flip/fops 1 sneks, maybe 1 or 2 pars of jeans for when its cold, or needs long pants, but in SC it does not get that cold that she would be in Jeans for days on end. Purse? to middle school girls have them? I would think they would toss that stuff in there backpack
Around here most middle school girls carry a purse.
It's funny that we all have an idea in our heads of how much we should pay for things. As far as everyday clothes go, $10 for a shirt and $15 for a skirt or pants is about the maximum. My girls like graphic tees, and we find them at a local deep discount store for anywhere between $2 and $6. Last week, we found Hot Topic Alice in Wonderland tees for $5 each.
Last yr was really the first yr that I shopped at the Mall for all of her school clothes. Before that we just went to Target or Sears. My hubby is having a hard time with her looking more grown up and I think would like to see her dressed more like a little kid. She doesn't wear anything bad now but she wears the teenage clothes that do cost more. I think I do need to spread thing out more for here because she is still growing. She just got braces this summer. Over summer break is also when she get new glasses (she's had them since she was 4.) Plus this year she will be in the band so we had to buy a clairnet too. I also got her a pre paid cel phone. And the school supply list was a little over twice the amount from last year.
Where I grew up it was still so hot in Sept that going back to school shopping was like a joke. All the fall clothes were out in the stores, but we wouldn't be able to wear them until November. I don't set a dollar amount for my kids either (they're boys and young, so different situation from you). I buy almost everything on clearance the year before. I have a closet full of winter clothes for each of them. This works great, but I just know one of these days my oldest will have a growth spurt and I'll be screwed!
Do you only have the one child in school? When your husband complains about the costs... hand him that list - only triple everything. I have 2 high schoolers and an elementary kid. My list is easily what you rattled off, plus 2 graphing calculators because both older kids are taking high-level math classes (at $100 a piece minimum)... and some other items not on your list. I literally start saving in May when school lets out for back-to-school shopping (we live in the middle-of-nowhere also so I do it all at once). We drove 76 miles to the nearest mall / largeish city and spend 7 hours shopping today. I easily spent $900 in one frantic, exhausting day. I would get the basics for her for school starting, but (because you live close to stores) buy items throughout the year when they are on sale or clearance. That may be easier for your husband to accept also.
I buy almost everything on clearance the year before. I have a closet full of winter clothes for each of them. This works great, but I just know one of these days my oldest will have a growth spurt and I'll be screwed!
Or they start getting picky..... I used to do that with my son. Then he got to an age where he didn't like what I had bought. I now can't stand to shop with him, but I can't shop without him.
He hates to have to get new clothes, but then makes it torturous when we finally have to break down and go. Part of the problem is he's very tall and a stick. He's 16. Too skinny for the young men's department, but everything in boys department looks immature.
When I was still in school we did a HUGE trip right before school started and then through out the year if we found we needed more.
Each year for both my brother and I my mom would do:
5 jeans
5 short sleeves
5 long sleeves
5 tanks/camis for me
underwear
pack of socks
tennis shoes and flip flops
2 hoodies usually one pull over and one zip up
school supplies
Then when my brother and I started a new sports season then we would get new athletic clothes and I played sports 2-3X a year and my brother played 2X a year, once during the school year and during the summer.
It usually was pricey because I shopped at american eagle and my brother is a zumiez/pacsun kind of person.
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