# kids clothes budget



## daddybigbucks

my wife and i are having a disagreement on kids clothes budget.

She wants $50 a month for 2 kids (3 and 6 yr olds). I think that is waay too much (ie $600/year). considering the 3 yr old has the hand-me-downs.

Anyone moms on here have a monthly or yearly kids clothes budget estimate i can use to get in agreement with my wife?


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## Addy

I get most of my childrens clothes free from a local clothing depot. Gymboree, Gap, Old Navy, and some designer brand stuff mixed in with Joe and Walmart clothing. How it works is you bring in a bag and trade for a bag... it's fantastic! The only time I spend money on my daughters clothes is when she needs a speciality item (ie good raincoat or boots), and even then I try and find second hand on Kijiji or at clothing swaps / garage sales. I spend approximately $100/yr for beautifully clothing my four year old. I also pick up clothes for myself at the clothing depot, often Liz Claiborne, Tommy, Garage.... decent quality stuff, and supplement it with new or consignment shop clothing. I spend approximately $300/yr on clothing for myself, which includes new coats, shoes and boots when necessary.

Children at a young age generally don't need more than a weeks worth of clothing. Often it's the parents that want their kids in the cutest clothing, meanwhile the kids are often happy with whatever is in their closet.


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## Dana

I don't use a set clothing budget, but I do track my spending and review and compare it on an annual basis. 

Depending which items you include as "kids clothing" and whether your kids are of the same or different genders, and whether you shop second hand, your wife's estimate may be pretty accurate.

Items such as snowsuits, winter boots, indoor shoes, outdoor shoes, etc tend not to be cheap and the footwear tends to have to be replaced frequently. We spend close to $100 for a good quality snowsuit (we have been lucky that we usually get two winters from one snowsuit as some manufacturers make them extendible now so you can lengthen the arms and legs) 

I can outfit each of my kids for a season for $150 each (on sale, new not used) not including socks, underwear, undershirts and jammies, 

My daughter is gentle on her clothes and we are usually able to pass on her hand me downs to friends and family when she outgrows them. My son on the other hand is kind of rough and tumble and I usually have to buy new pants every other month during the school year (he is hard on the knees playing on the floor with his Hot Wheels and stuff).


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## MoneyGal

I don't spend that much on my kids' clothes BUT I do not think your wife's estimate is unreasonable. If I got all my kids' clothes new I would easily spend that much per month - and I do spend a lot for kids' footwear and winter gear.


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## Four Pillars

@DaddyBigBucks - And what is your estimate if you think your wife is out to lunch?

I think $50/month for 2 kids is pretty tight. Be happy with that.

We get lots of hand-me-downs, but there is a lot of seasonal stuff that you have to buy. Things (like shoes) get lost as well.


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## Plugging Along

I think you should thank your wife for being so reasonable with clothing.

I did a quick sort of minimum amounts for one child, I'm not sure if they are the same gender (so some of the larger items may be hand me downs for the youngest)

Shoes 
Runners/Daily	$25
Winter boots	$30
Sandals	$15
Dress (Optional)	$15
Rain boots (optional)$10

Outerwear	
Jackets, snow pants $50
Mittens x2, hats, scarf	$20
Spring	

Undergarments	
Socks, underwear or training pants (enough for 1 week assuming no accidents)	$15

Clothes	
7 tops for each 2 seasons (fall/winter) then Sping/summer (14 total)	$70
7 bottoms for 2 seasons (fall/winter) and (spring/summer) (14 total)	$70
Special occasion outfits (2) (optional)	$40
Pjs (2 per year)	$30

Total $390 for ONE child, so $780 for two)

My assumptions were pretty much one outfit a day, assuming they don't need to change because they spill things, or have accident, or that you have some hand me downs to cover that. I used on sale prices that are usually end of season, except for winter boots because they are harder to plan for a year in advance. Everything is of one quantity unless otherwise specified. I did not include anything for sports or special activities other than one nice outfit for the winter, and one for the spring/summer or pictures. 

I think your wifes budget is really reasonable. I just spent $80 for my two kids, to get their things for NEXT summer, and only have about 1/2 of it, and that was with 20% off, then 50% off, then another $25


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## Four Pillars

I would add the following to PA's list:

Hat for summer (no idea the $$)
Bathing suit


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## MoneyGal

...and then there's the equipment and uniforms for whatever sports or other activities they are interested in. 

PA's list is excellent.


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## K-133

According to the estimates provided here, your wife's estimate seems reasonable and accurate.

Perhaps you should create a _daddybigbucks coefficient of frugality_ and apply that to their estimates. i.e. Average how much you spent for the first 3 years, divide that by the estimate provided for the first three years and multiply that by their estimate for clothing.


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## Xander

I don't know where you live but I am close to Hamilton Ontario and have a couple of stores called 'Once Upon a Child' near to where I work. These stores sell "lightly worn" children's clothing, shoes, boots, snow suits etc...
They also have some toys and books. They seem to be quite picky about what brands and condition that they will accept from the sellers and as such have a very good quality and selection to sell. My wife and I spend less than $200/yr for all seasons for two young boys ages 3 and 5. Of course this includes handing down from the 5yr old to his younger brother.

Last winter we bought 2 snow suits and 2 pairs of winter boots for less than $50. They were in brand new condition just washed them for our peace of mind and put them on the boys. My wife was thrilled at the brand names of the items. I don't know what they are but I'm certain that after the growth spurts both my kids have had this year I will most likely be replacing at least one set this year.

My wife has sold quite a bit to these stores as well. Whatever isn't wanted by friends or family is sold to these guys whenever we go in to buy. They don't pay much (hence their low selling prices) but you get a trade in credit towards what ever you end up buying so you save the taxes. Kid of like trading in a car at a dealership.

Hope this helps.


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## daddybigbucks

Four Pillars said:


> @DaddyBigBucks - And what is your estimate if you think your wife is out to lunch?
> 
> .


The only estimate i can use is what i use for myself, and i know i dont spend $50/month on myself for clothes.
But then again, plaid never goes out of style.

i was thinking more along the lines of $50 per 4 months which would be about $200 per year.

BUT thank you for the great posts as it showed that i was unreasonable as well.

Looks like it will be an easy compromise.


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## K-133

daddybigbucks said:


> Looks like it will be an easy compromise.


Such is marriage


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## Plugging Along

daddybigbucks said:


> The only estimate i can use is what i use for myself, and i know i dont spend $50/month on myself for clothes.
> But then again, plaid never goes out of style.
> 
> i was thinking more along the lines of $50 per 4 months which would be about $200 per year.
> 
> BUT thank you for the great posts as it showed that i was unreasonable as well.
> 
> Looks like it will be an easy compromise.


I don't think I spend $50 a month either, but I'm also not changing a size or two every year (I hope, unless it's smaller). Also, its the things like jackets, bathing suits, shoes, special occasion stuff, sports clothing, etc that you probably don't buy every year for yourself, but must for kids. Think about if you had to change your whole wardrobe every year, and could not wear hardly anything from the year before, how much would that cost you. I would guess more than $50 a month. You can do a little cheaper if you go second hand, and have the bare minimum, or buy a size too big, if that's possible. However, we spend a lot more. My kids are pretty messy like me, and go through more than one outfit a day. I also do a lot of hand me downs, but not too often for shoes, as that is the one area that makes a difference for how their feet develop, so for me, it's worth spending a little more. 

If these is the biggest disagreement you and your wife have, you're in good shape.


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## Four Pillars

daddybigbucks said:


> The only estimate i can use is what i use for myself, and i know i dont spend $50/month on myself for clothes.
> But then again, plaid never goes out of style.
> 
> i was thinking more along the lines of $50 per 4 months which would be about $200 per year.
> 
> BUT thank you for the great posts as it showed that i was unreasonable as well.
> 
> Looks like it will be an easy compromise.


Haha.

Just because you were wrong, doesn't mean you have to give in too quick. Work it a bit and then let her win.


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## Addy

Or at least get something out of it for yourself hahaha. Negotiate


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## daddybigbucks

Plugging Along said:


> If these is the biggest disagreement you and your wife have, you're in good shape.


Nope, sadly this is one of many. But i don't have a clue about kids clothes and i like the way people think on here.
Some times my wife thinking is great sometimes its not-so-great. i usually find our middle ground is usually pretty realistic as she is spend-spend-spend and im save-save-save.



> Work it a bit and then let her win.


Then i would never hear the end of it.
i prefer to deal with it, settle it and get on with it.



> Or at least get something out of it for yourself hahaha


I have no comment on that or at least no mature comment

thanks again for the posts. this is a great site.


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## donald

Have any of you ladies heard of the retailer body central?they primarily make womens and childrens clothes?

Hey atleast you dont have teenagers yet lol,that will prob be more painful,once they become fashion conscious and have to have the latest and best of everything.Esp before every yr of the new school year,i remember my sister and me hounding my parents in the junior high school years for clothes...ala 125 dollar air jordans,i always got the nike flights thou,my dad couldnt understand why i didnt like the 20 dollar sneaker knock offs from zellers lol.

This prob lands in the pick your battles wisely.


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## FrugalTrader

We've found a lot of value for kids clothes at second hand shops. A lot of the time, you'll find brand new brand name stuff there for a fraction of the price. Old Navy also has some great deals when they are clearing out stock. I believe the last time we loaded up, it was during a 75% off sale.


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## HaroldCrump

We have found great deals at Old Navy, Bonnie Togs and a couple of other such stores for kids.
If you watch out for the big sales, collect coupons and don't need top branded clothes every time, the kids' clothing budget is quite manageable.

We have also driven down to the US a couple of times and shopped for kids' clothes.
We bought current sizes, as well as a couple of sizes higher to last an extra year.
The deals are awesome and there's no beating that.
The usual places - Old Navy, Macy's, H&M, etc.

P.S. _Sshh....I'm actually I'm Howard masquerading as Harold Crump_


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## MoneyGal

HaroldCrump said:


> P.S. _Sshh....I'm actually I'm Howard masquerading as Harold Crump_


lol! Throw in a cheap chicken reference for extra plausibility.


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## humble_pie

howie/harold the only thing you could complain about in the US of A is that your dog-grooming costs are so high. Vet fees stateside are riddickillous too.

plus you might amend your views that old folks should be housed in chicken coops so their heirs can save $$$ for the inheritance.

howie in my experience the most expensive people in the world to care for are not the well elderly as you might claim. They are kids aged 12-14 years. They're no longer eligible for kids' anythings. Have to pay adult travel fares & often adult admission tickets, for example.

their needs are astronomical. Their music, dance, ski lessons cost an arm & a leg. Their summer camps are sky-high. I have one that needs tutoring in math. She's not dumb, she just has some kind of math anxiety. Then there's orthodontia ... phones ... wii ... howie can you show me a granny in a wheelchair who costs near as much as a 13-year-old girl.

12-14 year olds can't really work much or save up for the expensive brand name clothing that they adore. But oh how they adore it. It's routine for mom to wear 2nd hand thrift store while the girls are in juicy couture.

plus, unlike the grannies, howie, young teens don't come with their own personal cost-absorbing investment portfolios.


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## Four Pillars

I hear that kids clothes are super-cheap in Florida.


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## dubmac

humble_pie said:


> ..in my experience the most expensive people in the world to care for are not the well elderly as you might claim. They are kids aged 12-14 years. They're no longer eligible for kids' anythings. Have to pay adult travel fares & often adult admission tickets, for example.
> 
> their needs are astronomical. Their music, dance, ski lessons cost an arm & a leg. Their summer camps are sky-high. I have one that needs tutoring in math. She's not dumb, she just has some kind of math anxiety. Then there's orthodontia ... phones ... wii ... howie can you show me a granny in a wheelchair who costs near as much as a 13-year-old girl.
> 
> 12-14 year olds can't really work much or save up for the expensive brand name clothing that they adore. But oh how they adore it. It's routine for mom to wear 2nd hand thrift store while the girls are in juicy couture.
> 
> plus, unlike the grannies, howie, young teens don't come with their own personal cost-absorbing investment portfolios.


so true humble..The federal grant helps a bit, but my-my, the costs can get high. I have a 13 & 15 yr old. I managed to get the 15 yr old to do a few weeks of volunteering this summer - in a effort ot get him to experience a form of "work" and giving back. The experience of these 13-15 yr olds is quite different from mine. Community hockey here costs 750 a yr & I haven't bought the skates or any equipment yet!...sigh.


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## Plugging Along

My kids are still pretty young 2.5 & 5.5. I honestly thought it would get cheaper as they got a little older. Right now, I spend alot on childcare, and was thinking that when they no longer needed it full time, it would be a lot cheaper over all. I can't imagine spending $2000/month on clothes and activities as teenagers/preteens. Is that really what activies and stuff costs as they get older?


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## HaroldCrump

The June issue of Money Sense magazine has a great article titled _The real cost of kids_.
It attempts to estimate some of the types of things that humble_pie is talking about for older kids.

I don't see that article posted online yet, so check back after a few weeks.
Or better yet, check at your local library for a copy.

Just to whet your curiosity, their estimate for the average cost is nearly $250,000 - not including post-secondary education.
There are a few other findings in there that are interesting and surprising.

You may not agree with everything (I don't), but it's worth checking out for sure.


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## donald

Keep in mind too that if you have a son or a daughter and they are natural atheletes and gifted you can spend alot,i had a few friends that grew up playing triple A hockey and a couple that advanced to the wha,im not saying thats a normal occurance but it can happen,you could easily spend 7-8 k a yr if you find your kid is a gifted athlete,and that can start @ 13 and go to 20.

Dont you all remember hounding your parents when you were teenagers?lol.
remember how important clothes were,wknd money,lunch money.

I would think by far 12-17,would be the most expensive time.


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## Four Pillars

Plugging Along said:


> My kids are still pretty young 2.5 & 5.5. I honestly thought it would get cheaper as they got a little older. Right now, I spend alot on childcare, and was thinking that when they no longer needed it full time, it would be a lot cheaper over all. I can't imagine spending $2000/month on clothes and activities as teenagers/preteens. Is that really what activies and stuff costs as they get older?


I can't imagine anything more expensive than daycare - although if they get into expensive sports, that might do the trick.

We saved a ton of money on daycare by having my wife stay home.


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## HaroldCrump

Four Pillars said:


> We saved a ton of money on daycare by having my wife stay home.


OK, Howard, where is Four Pillars and what have you done with him?


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## Four Pillars

Lol - good one.

To be honest, I was never really in favour of her staying home. And of course, my comment was sarcastic - the lost income more than outweighs the temporary savings from no daycare.


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## MoneyGal

Not to derail this thread much further, but my problem with Howard's take was that it was so inflexible. MOMS MUST STAY HOME, otherwise we are allowing our children to be "raised by strangers," and having someone else impart their values to our kids. 

(Note that dads are free to come and go; this restriction is really only on women. And when women work and are in the "man's world" we are shemales.)

I stayed home when my kids were very small, and then my husband stayed home for a few more years. (We did use daycare, too, at different points along the way.) Now that my youngest is almost seven, both my husband and I are working outside of the home, but he has a flexible schedule and does school drop-offs and pickups. 

This is what worked for me and my family. My kids have pretty much always had one parent at home; it just hasn't always been me.


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## Berubeland

I hate shopping with a passion. It's not the money. It's the lighting, the music and the crowded stores. Plus I hate searching for stuff. 

If I had my way stores would post big *** stickers on everything that clearly shows the size. 

Like the other day I went to LaSenza, what a nightmare, it took me about an hour to find 4 bras. After I spoke to the cashier and she tells me that I'm an unusual size and the store only gets one of my size per kind of bra per shipment. I won't be going back. When I do go to a store cash in hand trying desperately to buy stuff I don't want to go on an almighty quest for what I need. 

What happens now is that we pick up one or two items when we go to the grocery store. Loblaws has Joe kids clothes which are reasonably priced. It avoids sticker shock and keeps our son in decent clothing year round.

I will not shop at used stores because of all the hunting and pecking required. It is not fun for me, I don't care how much money I save. I'd rather have a root canal than spend hours looking through clothes. Then I find something I like but not in my size. When I need clothes, I find a store, then I find something that will do, then I try it on to make sure it fits. With several sizes on hand I can try one on until I find one that fits. Next buy it and get the hell out.


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## Plugging Along

Four Pillars said:


> Lol - good one.
> 
> To be honest, I was never really in favour of her staying home. And of course, my comment was sarcastic - the lost income more than outweighs the temporary savings from no daycare.


I was going to say the same thing. Our loss of income and future losses would be rather large if I didn't work. However, I didn't work because I had too, but rather, I actually WANT to. I see nothing wrong with wanting to work, and have 'strangers' raise my kids. I also see nothing wrong with wanting to stay home. 

Now, if you call me a shemale, then I will KNOW that you have been brainwashed or worse from Howard.


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## Plugging Along

Berubeland said:


> If I had my way stores would post big *** stickers on everything that clearly shows the size.
> 
> .


I had to read this line about 4 times, I thought you wanted a big sticker for your ***... 

I don't mind shopping, but find it a little draining with two kids running around and a husband getting grouchy. I usually check everything on line for the prices, I may call ahead if there is something specific, or I'll get it shipped. I find for kids, it's pretty easy to shop for, I'm always buying ahead if I see a great deal, I have some clothes (pretty basic) 3 sizes larger for later, so then I don't need to buy things in a rush. For me, not so much. I have a weird fitting, so I tend to find more in the US, and buy whatever fits whenever I'm there.


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## Four Pillars

Plugging Along said:


> I was going to say the same thing. Our loss of income and future losses would be rather large if I didn't work. However, I didn't work because I had too, but rather, I actually WANT to. I see nothing wrong with wanting to work, and have 'strangers' raise my kids. I also see nothing wrong with wanting to stay home.
> 
> Now, if you call me a shemale, then I will KNOW that you have been brainwashed or worse from Howard.


When I think of the word "shemale", I don't think it's exactly what Howard had in mind. 

I think the idea that having other people look after your kids (even part time) means they are raising them is silly. Sure, if you work 12 hours a day, 6 days a week that might even be true, but for a lot of people - it's not.

In my case, if the kids were in daycare I would be with them from 6:30 am to 8:00 am and then from 5:00 pm to 7:30 pm during the week. Weekends I and/or my wife would be with them about 11-12 hours per day.

So by my count, I would be spending about 43 hours a week with them and they would be at the daycare about 45 hours per week. 

Bottom line is that 43 hours a week is still quite a bit and allows for at least a bit of "raising".

As others have pointed out in other threads - what happens when the kid goes to school? Unless you are willing to homeschool, will the kid be "raised" by the teachers?


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## canehdianman

Plugging Along said:


> I had to read this line about 4 times, I thought you wanted a big sticker for your ***...


I'm glad I'm not alone. I was wondering why someone would want to stand in line with a bunch of clothes designed for someone with a "big ***".


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## frugalwoman

*Ramblings of a tired mom*

Honestly, I think $50/month is reasonable for two kids. My eldest son is at the age where he wears through the knees and seat in his pants, so if I only gave my younger son hand-me-downs, he would be wearing shoddy-looking, patchy clothing. That being said, I do my main clothing shopping at yard sales. If you've never been to St. Thomas, Ontario, it is the yard sale capital of the world. I got a whole bag of kids' clothes for $3 the other day! (Granted, such a good deal is a rare find.) The other thing to consider is that maybe your wife likes having a tiny bit of padding in the kids' clothing budget so that she can put some of it aside to use for things that are important to her, but not so important to you. (Not like I'm speaking from experience or anything... *cough*) However, this may not be the case. The entire $50 budget could be blown on a couple of used snowsuits, boots, hats and mitts for each of the kids. And don't forget that used footwear is not good for kids' foot development, since everyone has a different wear pattern.

All the best to you as you seek a compromise that works for your family!


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## Dave

When we were kids and we arrived to Canada, my mum bought a huge bag of warm clothes from Value Village for something like 15$ so that my brother and I could survive winter. Those were the good times when an ugly wool sweater would cost 1$ and there were no taxes. My brother still complains that mum had no fashion sense whatsoever when he looks at his old pictures, but as kids we were just fine  And I am still silently horrified when my firends buy designer stuff like Burberry for kids, even though we can easly afford it. It is such a waist because the kid will never notice the difference. 

So I agree with you that there is no reason to overspend on kids, although I have no specific amount in my head. As long as they are warm and safe, they will be happy. However, your wife's ego boost in seeing them nicely dressed is another story.


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## Dave

The Money Sense magazine article was interesting, but my parents would have gone bankrupt if it were true. If the 250K figure intimidates you, just talk to any immigrant family. Raising kids really does not have to cost that much.

http://www.moneysense.ca/2011/08/10/the-real-cost-of-raising-kids/4/


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## Dmoney

I'd much rather have a Ferrari


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## Berubeland

I hate to say it but I'm kind of round and low to the ground so a sticker that says "big ***" on clothes might be more helpful than you think 

My mom used to make our clothes when I was a kid of course that was before you could get a new shirt at Old Navy for $2 thanks to the chinese sweatshops.


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## Plugging Along

Dave said:


> The Money Sense magazine article was interesting, but my parents would have gone bankrupt if it were true. If the 250K figure intimidates you, just talk to any immigrant family. Raising kids really does not have to cost that much.
> 
> http://www.moneysense.ca/2011/08/10/the-real-cost-of-raising-kids/4/


A big cost is the childcare costs. I know when my parents immigrated that had NOTHING, but they did have family. My grandmother took care of us while my parents both worked. There weren’t as many activities for kids to be enrolled in, food costs were lower, as families if one parent stayed at home could prepare for a lot cheaper, or the grandmother would, etc. I do think it can be done for much less than the $250K, but these are just averages.



Dmoney said:


> I'd much rather have a Ferrari


Don’t forget the insurance is over $500 a month at least, and the maintenance, it’s not recommended to DIY for your own oil changes, and they cost $300 a pop. I don’t think a Ferrari is much better in terms of cost. Though, they don’t talk back, take your stuff and break, and keep you up at night… hmmmmm… too late for me. 



Berubeland said:


> I hate to say it but I'm kind of round and low to the ground so a sticker that says "big ***" on clothes might be more helpful than you think
> 
> My mom used to make our clothes when I was a kid of course that was before you could get a new shirt at Old Navy for $2 thanks to the chinese sweatshops.


OMG! RLMAO! I just about spit out my coffee. I’m in the same boat as you. I think you have something there, we could start our own line of clothing ‘BIG @$$’ it would be equivalent to have ‘Juicy’ written there. That could be our next income stream.

My mom used to make clothing for me too for the most part. I remember I had burlap shorts, they were really itchy. I also used to get hand me downs from my brothers, it sucked, especially the underwear, I always got in trouble trying to figure out how to use the hole in the front. At least, they started buying me my own underwear then. I think remember the two dresses I had, one I got when I was and wore it until I couldn’t squeeze it any further (about age 7), and another skirt at age 8 that I wore till I was 11. My parents were REALLY frugal, and I had very little in terms of materials things. I think there is a little too frugal and there becomes a point where the kids really do feel deprived. That was one of my motivations to ensure that I always had a high paying carreer, and I won’t give that up, even with my kids.


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## Karen

> So I agree with you that there is no reason to overspend on kids, although I have no specific amount in my head. As long as they are warm and safe, they will be happy. However, your wife's ego boost in seeing them nicely dressed is another story.


I think it's very unfair to assume that the OP's wife's wish to see their children "nicely dressed" is a matter of "ego boost," without more evidence than we've seen here. I took my nine-year-old granddaughter shopping for a back-to-school outfit last week (an annual outing for us), and she was telling me about one of her good friends who, she said, doesn't have nice clothes. My granddaughter said she said she feels sorry for her friend because so many kids at school are mean to her and make fun of her clothes. Yes, that's bullying and it's very cruel, but it's a fact that it happens, and it can have a devastating effect on children who have to deal with it. I don't think it's reasonable to compare the situation today with the way it was when we were young - nobody cared what we wore when I was in elementary school. I think it's a shame that things have gone so far to the other extreme these days, but it's our generation that has allowed that to happen and it's up to us as parents and grandparents to put an end to it but also to recognize that it took years for this to happen, and it's not going to change overnight. In the meantime, I think we should talk to our children about values, explain how our financial situation influences what we can afford to do, but also ensure that they have at least a few outfits that will enable them to feel that they fit in at school. In other words, I think it's important to bring up children to value the things that really matter in life, but also not to go to such extremes that they go through school feeling like misfits and being subject to bullying.


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## daddybigbucks

Karen said:


> I think it's very unfair to assume that the OP's wife's wish to see their children "nicely dressed" is a matter of "ego boost," without more evidence than we've seen here. .


Dave seemed dead-on in my scenerio anyways. 
I got two cute little girls with bright blonde hair and bright eyes, so the nicer clothes extenuates that. My wife said she really enjoys the comments about our girls and she takes them to heart.

My wife is also an impulse shopper but we are trying to deal with that. 

( i would put a picture up , but something feels wrong with that)


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## Dave

Karen,

I have to admit that I was bullied about my warderobe when I was in high school. Some classmates kept asking me if I was getting all my clothes from a church charity and if I have ever heard of designer brands such as Gap or Le Chateau. It was humiliating. However, if you have a strong sense of self and your know your values, it still hurts but it does not bother you as much. And all that time my parents were saving for the best private college they could afford. They just knew what mattered more.

As for the mum's ego, I was thinking of younger kids. Honestly, why would you dress a one year old baby girl in a Burberry dress with matching shoes ? I do not say it is wrong if it makes you happy, though 

Dave


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## marina628

Once upon a child was all we ever used when the kids were younger , my oldest daughter still goes to second hand stores for her clothes ,she can pay $8 for a pair of levis or blue notes instead of $75 at the store.
I also bought baby clothes on ebay .I have to admit that now my youngest is going on 9 and quite tall for her age and we are having to buy size 14 girls to fit her and most new clothes are made for pencil thin girls.My daughter is a healthy girl and the waist of a typical girls clothes these days looks like something a 5 year old would be.I remember when i was growing up a size 10 fit a 10 year old and I am only 44 .


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## Addy

Like Dave I was also bullied about my clothes when I was in school. But I'm sure if it wasn't my clothes it would be something else. If kids are being teased because they don't have brand name clothing I say be thankful, it could be a lot worse.


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## new dog

Sorry not about clothes but probably Value Village is best for back to school clothes.

https://globalnews.ca/video/4405512/2018-back-to-school-supply-shopping-tips

Talking about back to school supplies. The report found that the dollar store was the best on price and Staples was the most expensive. However the dollar store quality was a problem as one could expect. My thought are to buy some quality at Staples with a good selection and add in from other spots like the dollar store.


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## Brainer

Depending on the age of said kids, you may want to factor in all the clothes that they lose. In a former life, I worked at daycare and childcare centres. The amount of clothes that kids lost was mind-blowing to me at the time.


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## new dog

Same with school supplies which may make the dollar store the winner even if it is low quality.

On clothes, I again say Value Village, so you don't lose as much when they do lose their clothes.


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## Plugging Along

...


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## Plugging Along

new dog said:


> Sorry not about clothes but probably Value Village is best for back to school clothes.
> 
> https://globalnews.ca/video/4405512/2018-back-to-school-supply-shopping-tips
> 
> Talking about back to school supplies. The report found that the dollar store was the best on price and Staples was the most expensive. However the dollar store quality was a problem as one could expect. My thought are to buy some quality at Staples with a good selection and add in from other spots like the dollar store.


Good Necro, but helpful

I would agree with the report in most part as being accurate. We are almost done our back to school shopping but this year is an all important year as my oldest enter jr high. The school lists are different than in elementary.

As a bargain shopper, I don’t buy all my stuff at the same place, I go for lowest prices for the quality needed. So there’s an optimal order.

Costco- they have the best quality for cost, but limitited selectios, so I see if I can find something kids like. Good buys arepack backs, lunch bags, thermos, water bottles, Sharpie packs (if you use all the colours) and gel pens. I also check Costco first for clothing - I can often find their shoe, boots, winter gloves (buy at least two of the same for when they lose one), and what ever other clothes my kids want.

Then we go to Walmart and superstore depending on the flyers. We can get most of the items here at the best quality.

Finally Dollarama is the final stop. Usually fun little locker things, items that don’t have to have a high quality like clips, and they have just general fun stuff. Don’t get glue, it’s sucks here. 

Staples only if there is something really specific.


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## lonewolf :)

Plugging Along said:


> Costco- they have the best quality for cost, but limitited selectios, so I see if I can find something kids like. Good buys arepack backs, lunch bags, thermos, water bottles, Sharpie packs (if you use all the colours) and gel pens. I also check Costco first for clothing - I can often find their shoe, boots, winter gloves (buy at least two of the same for when they lose one), and what ever other clothes my kids want.
> 
> Then we go to Walmart and superstore depending on the flyers. We can get most of the items here at the best quality.


 Hard to find Kirkland shoes @ Costco. They sell out instantly. Saw a lady with a cart full of the Kirkland running shoes. My guess is she was buying to sell on amazon as can easily find the kirkland shoe on amazon. If she can not sell them all after a few months just return to Costco to get money back. Can buy Costco shoes on amazon though price is marked up 200 - 300% & they are still a better deal then can be found @ most other stores. Costco needs to start selling the Kirkland shoes on line.


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## Plugging Along

lonewolf :) said:


> Hard to find Kirkland shoes @ Costco. They sell out instantly. Saw a lady with a cart full of the Kirkland running shoes. My guess is she was buying to sell on amazon as can easily find the kirkland shoe on amazon. If she can not sell them all after a few months just return to Costco to get money back. Can buy Costco shoes on amazon though price is marked up 200 - 300% & they are still a better deal then can be found @ most other stores. Costco needs to start selling the Kirkland shoes on line.


That could be me, but I am not reselling. The other day they had the Kirkland UGG imitations. I wanted them for my girls but the sizing is off, so I grabbed three different sizes in both colours so 6 pairs. I will most likely return at least 4 pair. I have been caught in getting the wrong colour or size for my tween and then having them all sold out.

Their other shoes are just as good of a deal. I picked up a pair or three of KEds for $30. Found the exact pair at the bay on sale for $55 reg $75. I seriously debated selling the non fitting one on line.


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## new dog

I have never even heard of Kirkland shoes or that they were worth anything. Of course where I live you would never want to have to return them to Costco.


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## Plugging Along

new dog said:


> I have never even heard of Kirkland shoes or that they were worth anything. Of course where I live you would never want to have to return them to Costco.


Lol... poor dog... i Know it can be bad, but I return things at Costco every few months. I seriously buy the things and then do a whole bunch of returns at one shot.


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## OhGreatGuru

Four Pillars said:


> I hear that kids clothes are super-cheap in Florida.


Except you have to be able to afford a vacation in Florida (aka Trumpland) to take advantage of it.


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## OhGreatGuru

daddybigbucks said:


> my wife and i are having a disagreement on kids clothes budget.
> 
> She wants $50 a month for 2 kids (3 and 6 yr olds). I think that is waay too much (ie $600/year). considering the 3 yr old has the hand-me-downs.
> 
> Anyone moms on here have a monthly or yearly kids clothes budget estimate i can use to get in agreement with my wife?


To get back to OP's original question, I think we have enough evidence here that $50/month is not unreasonable. Money disputes are the most common cause of marital friction. I think OP should consider himself lucky that spouse is willing to agree to a budget.


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## Zipper

new dog said:


> Sorry not about clothes but probably Value Village is best for back to school clothes.
> 
> https://globalnews.ca/video/4405512/2018-back-to-school-supply-shopping-tips
> 
> Talking about back to school supplies. The report found that the dollar store was the best on price and Staples was the most expensive. However the dollar store quality was a problem as one could expect. My thought are to buy some quality at Staples with a good selection and add in from other spots like the dollar store.


Value Village is fine for little kids but over a certain age `8-10 don't admit where you got them. If their friends at school find out they will make fun of them.


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## new dog

Of course you tell your friends at school. That advice goes way back but still good advice. 

On 50 dollars a month it seems high but then when you add in shoes and such it does add up.


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## Zipper

Kids are not stupid. They know that Value Village is for lowlifes so they will not admit that mom bought their clothes there.


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## Plugging Along

OhGreatGuru said:


> To get back to OP's original question, I think we have enough evidence here that $50/month is not unreasonable. Money disputes are the most common cause of marital friction. I think OP should consider himself lucky that spouse is willing to agree to a budget.


Well, except OP posted 7 years ago. With closer to tweens age, $50 is not reasonable any more. I was looking at my original estimates that I posted above, and then compared to this years back to school, and how I wish it was only $50 a month.


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## Plugging Along

Zipper said:


> Value Village is fine for little kids but over a certain age `8-10 don't admit where you got them. If their friends at school find out they will make fun of them.


It’s kind of odd, my 12 loves shopping at consignment. I have mixed feelings, but she loves having clothes that no else can get and kids comments all the time. She asked for value village, we went, it wasn’t what she expected, so then she looked up teen/you didn’t adult clothing stores in our city. We are in a fairly affluent part of the city, and it’s considered cool.


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## new dog

Plugging Along said:


> Well, except OP posted 7 years ago. With closer to tweens age, $50 is not reasonable any more. I was looking at my original estimates that I posted above, and then compared to this years back to school, and how I wish it was only $50 a month.


Thats funny, I didn't realize this thread is now 7 years old. I just didn't want to make a new thread for back to school shopping.

Interesting Plugging Along, so what would be the possible monthly budget now. This also goes out to everybody on the forum from 2011 to now.

I find if you look around for real sales, Value Village and such you can do pretty good on the budget.

Myself personally it takes forever for me to buy new work or running shoes because I refuse to pay more then 100 dollars for shoes. I also want good quality and comfort in shoes because you are in them a lot.


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## new dog

One more on socks. I found my daughter and granddaughter are always out of socks because they don't match and they throw them away. I also found that they would get socks from anywhere even my socks because they have none. So I went to Walmart and bought 20 pairs of decent mens white socks for 10 dollars and said this is what you wear for now on and they will always match.


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## Plugging Along

new dog said:


> One more on socks. I found my daughter and granddaughter are always out of socks because they don't match and they throw them away. I also found that they would get socks from anywhere even my socks because they have none. So I went to Walmart and bought 20 pairs of decent mens white socks for 10 dollars and said this is what you wear for now on and they will always match.


I hate this. Where in the world do these socks go! I do the same thing as buying the same socks from Costco for me, and I am lucky the girls like to wear mismatched socks, so often mismatch them on purpose. It used to drive me nuts, not I realize I don’t throw out socks. Except they have a system to mismatch them. (I can’t explain that one)



new dog said:


> Thats funny, I didn't realize this thread is now 7 years old. I just didn't want to make a new thread for back to school shopping.
> 
> Interesting Plugging Along, so what would be the possible monthly budget now. This also goes out to everybody on the forum from 2011 to now.
> 
> I find if you look around for real sales, Value Village and such you can do pretty good on the budget.
> 
> Myself personally it takes forever for me to buy new work or running shoes because I refuse to pay more then 100 dollars for shoes. I also want good quality and comfort in shoes because you are in them a lot.


I did my original post when my kids where young. I think now, their preferences come into play a lot more, so I can’t just buy the least expensive and their is a much bigger jump in price from kids clothing to adult or teen clothing. For my almost 10 year, I could come close for a similar budget due to hand me downs, but the oldest has taken a liken to clothing. I will have to go through some more thought on my original list


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## Just a Guy

My kids recently raided a fields discount store when we were vacationing at a small town. Got stormtech jackets for $1.50, shoes for $5, pants, shirts, sweaters...all to their liking nothing over $7. Probably walked out with 4 huge bags of stuff for about $100. Things were up to 90% off the discounted price. Had a lot of stuff, but you had little choice on sizes or quantity. They had quality though stormtech usually sells at about $75.


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## OhGreatGuru

Plugging Along said:


> Well, except OP posted 7 years ago. With closer to tweens age, $50 is not reasonable any more. I was looking at my original estimates that I posted above, and then compared to this years back to school, and how I wish it was only $50 a month.


I didn't realize this thread was so old, or I would not have commented this late. My bad.


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## Plugging Along

OhGreatGuru said:


> I didn't realize this thread was so old, or I would not have commented this late. My bad.


I replied and kept this thread going because there was a lot of nostalgia in this thread personally and on CMF. Seeing some names of old posters who are no longer here, seeing how people could have a little bit of disagreements but still be respectful.... then I had the nostalgia of my kids who were so young and how they have changed when I made the first post. 

Is was a good thread to necro because now, I am working with my daughter to figure out what her budget is for when she buys her own clothes, instead of me doing it, and it’s backto school soon so very timely.


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## Plugging Along

My updates for 2018 for an almost 13 year girls, again minimums (I know she has more than this). New amounts on the right. Posting for parents who want to see the progression

Shoes 
Runners/Daily	$25 (old) 2 pairs at $80 School now requires a pair left inside, and my kids is in adult sizes and needs better support 
Winter boots	$30 (old) $40 prices have gone up, and it’s dangerous to buy a year in advance at this age
Sandals	$15 (same) 
Dress (Optional)	$15. (Old) closer to ($20) 
Rain boots (optional)$10. (Old) $0 or $25 Either they are too old for rain boots or they want cute ones in adult sizing 

Outerwear	
Jackets, snow pants $50 (old). $80 this one really varies. Some kids ended up with $800 Canada goose, mine ended up with a Costco or winners combo. We still do ski pants because they ski 
Mittens x2, hats, scarf	$20 (old). $30 then generally don’t want mittens but need something water resistant 
Spring jacket $20 (new). 
Hoodies $20 (new) 

Undergarments	
Socks, underwear or training pants (enough for 1 week assuming no accidents)$15 (old) $40 at 12 no accidents or training pants, But other undergarment needs 

Clothes	
7 tops for each 2 seasons (fall/winter) then Sping/summer (14 total)	$70 
7 bottoms for 2 seasons (fall/winter) and (spring/summer) (14 total)	$70 (old) $105 bottoms are more expensize when they get older and jeans expecially
Special occasion outfits (2) (optional)	$40
Pjs (2 per year)	$30
Bathing suit $40 (new) forgot last time, and now my kid is in adult sizes the only thing under $20 are things she is no too allowed in public with. 

Total $390 for ONE child (old). $600 (does not include anything optional) 

My assumptions were pretty much one outfit a day, assuming they don't need to change because they spill things, or have accident, or that you have some hand me downs to cover that. I used on sale prices that are usually end of season, except for winter boots because they are harder to plan for a year in advance. Everything is of one quantity unless otherwise specified. I did not include anything for sports or special activities other than one nice outfit for the winter, and one for the spring/summer or pictures. 

This is for no real brand names, generally new, but not everything is Walmart. I have pretty reasonable girls and they get more than this, but I would say this pretty minimum while they are growing my 10 year would be a lot less.


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## new dog

Thanks for the detailed update and I am glad I decided to use this thread.

It seems back to school is the time of the year we really budget for kids clothes and supplies.


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## HomeChef

We have three young kids (both genders). We spend approx $100/child/year including outerwear and sports wear. We get some hand me downs from co-workers and friends and swap clothes with other families who have opposite aged gender kids. Our kids receive a lot of clothes (often clearance rack selections) from grandparents. What we are missing I purchase from a second hand store or get very good deals from an outlet mall near by. Not worth spending more when they stain everything, scrape out knees in pants and grow so fast. They each have one "nice" outfit for each season for holidays, school pictures, etc.


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## Zipper

I've heard of being cheap but that's ridiculous.

Even if you are below the poverty line $300/yr total for 3 kids is taking it way out there in 2018.


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