How much do you spend on clothes, shoes, etc. for your family?

[Renee in NC]

Please include shoes, socks, underwear, all clothes, etc. and how many in your family.

 

If you have a particularly low amount, please tell how you keep it low.

[Jennifer in MI]

There are six of us. I think I spend less than $500/year. I think that's low. Right?

 

First, my kids don't really care about brands (yet). So, that helps. Second, they don't have many clothes. I forget the actual numbers, but 3 - 4 "play" pants, 5 "play" shirts (all mix and match), dressy pants (1), 2 - 3 polo shirts, one suit for the oldest, 1 pr sneakers, 1 pr dressy shoes, 1 pr sandals. Third, my kids get hand me downs. The oldest gets the new stuff and the youngers deal with it!! I don't know how long this will last, but I hope forever!!!!

 

I take inventory each season and make a very specific list. Then, we check out the thrift stores when I have a 50% off coupon. If I can't find what I need there, I check out Land's End Overstocks. Then, I go to Target. We've only gotten to the Target step once in the last year.

 

Now, I do buy new underwear and socks. Those cost me about $50 each year. (But, they do wear hand me downs if they last, from brothers.)

 

I've made a conscious decision to make due with what I have. Occasionally, I'll run to the thrift store and pick up $20 worth of something for me. But, I don't do it often.

 

Dh isn't picky. He's very easy when it comes to clothes.

 

My dd. has more clothes than we know what to do with!!!!! We're blessed. We have a friend who has a dd. 2 years older than she is. They used to GIVE us her old clothes. There weren't cheap clothes!!! These are ALL name brand things! But, recently,this family has lost both the husband's and wife's jobs (they've both since found jobs, but at a pay cut). So, now we pay for the clothes, but not much!!!

 

So, that's how we do it for $500/year. This includes all underwear, socks, boots, leggings, winter jackets, dress clothes, baseball shoes, basketball shoes, etc, etc, etc!!!!

 

ETA: Right now, I'm wearing my d.s.' sandals that he outgrew!! I knew there was an advantage to them growing up!!! These are NICE shoes - Keens!!!

Edited April 24, 2010 by Jennifer in MI

[milovany]

Please include shoes, socks, underwear, all clothes, etc. and how many in your family.

 

If you have a particularly low amount, please tell how you keep it low.

 

I don't budget it but my rough guess would be $400-$500 a year for a family of nine. Our main source is thrift shops and hand me downs.

[Miss Peregrine]

I probably spend less than $200 total for all six of us.

 

We have many sources of awesome hand-me-downs for the kids and sometime me, too! I buy socks and underwear once a year for everyone. I seriously never have to buy them clothes. Aunts and uncles always buy clothes for gifts.

 

We buy most of DH's clothes at Costco. But that's just a shirt here or a pair of shorts there. :)

 

Edited: I didn't add shoes in that, sorry. We spend about $30-50 per person. We wear flip-flops most of the year.

Edited April 24, 2010 by Miss Peregrine

[Pretty in Pink]

I would estimate that we spend:

 

500.00 a year on shoes

1200.00 a year on children's clothing

1200.00 a year on adult's clothing

 

The clothing estimates might be a bit high. I do often get shorts and jeans for the boys second hand which saves a good bit. We always buy new shoes but I shop sales to get quality sneakers as well as Stride Rites for the littles at low prices. The kids average one pair of sandals and two or three pairs of sneakers per year.

 

I shop online sales for most of my dh's and my clothing.

 

We are a family of 6.

[Lara in Colo]

I shop at the MOM's sale (mothers of multiples) they sell EVERYTHING for children. they have two sales a year, I average 200-each sale. That is for shoes, clothes, swimsuits, coats. I probably average another 75.00 yr for underwear, and things I need between sales. Add on another 150.00 for hubby and me-- that comes to about 600.00 yr for all six of us. We shop at Goodwill and buy our shoes on sale at Kohls. There is another organization that just came to Colo called just between friends that I am going to try out soon. I would love to sew, but I don't have the time. The sewing is easy, but figuring out the patterns while children are around is too much for me.

 

Lara

[Daisy]

I have absolutely no clue.

 

I probably spend about $100 a year on each person (family of 4). The bulk of that is shoes and jeans.

 

We use hand-me-downs, second hand children's stores, Goodwill, yard sales, and Target to clothe the kids. Hubby and I usually just need to fill in with a new pair of jeans, unmentionables, etc. I buy most of jeans at Goodwill. Hubby gets his for $12 at Costco.

[Rosie_0801]

I don't know, but it's low enough that it comes out of "miscellaneous" rather than having an actual clothing budget. We keep it that low by only having two children and not shopping, basically. The kids are mostly living in hand-me-downs and gifts. If they need anything else, I get it from the op shop (thrift store.) Since they are so young, I can still get their shoes there.

 

I mostly live in hand-me-downs from my sister. She purged a lot when she moved overseas. When I'm not living in those, I'm living in clothes I bought years ago. I've probably bought half a dozen items since I quit working, and they were from op shops. I have three pairs of shoes, a nice pair of closed toe sandals, a nice pair for winter and a pair of runners. I spend quite a lot on shoes, because I have skinny feet and ugly toes so not much looks good. I find it better to buy good quality shoes that I can wear every day for three years rather than several cheap pairs that wear out. I can't remember when I bought the runners. I bought the winter shoes back when I was working. The sandals cost me double what I had ever spent on shoes, but they were the only ones in the town suitable! It was an emergency shop at the end of the season... I've worn those nearly every day for two or three years. I had them repaired a few months ago and expect they'll last another year or two. And then I'll keep wearing them until there is another emergency and I need a pair that doesn't look like they've been worn for donkeys years.

 

Dh wears the same pair of boots every day until the soles fall off, then he buys a new pair. They are expensive, but he does get about two years of wear out of them, if not more. As for clothes, well he's, let us say, not terribly fussy about how he looks. Most of his wardrobe has been around for ages, but he doesn't get hand-me-downs from anyone so has to buy. He shops at one of the cheaper chain stores, or buys specialty stuff online. You know, like Weird Al, "White and Nerdy" hoodies. ;)

 

Basically, for the most part we do without. I'm learning to sew so I can pretty up my wardrobe using bibs and bobs from op shops. Hopefully my daughter will grow up to do the same because I'm not going to be funding any mall shopping fashionistas.

 

Rosie

[QueenCat]

Family of 4. Around $1200/year. Plus Kohls and Old Navy gift cards from my parents as Christmas/birthday gifts. That's probably another $800-1000. We don't buy used, but do occasionally get dress clothes as hand me downs. Husband takes up about of that with Docker type pants and button down shirts for work. I take up at least another third. Two older teenage boys get the rest. Mostly with shoes. They don't outgrow their clothes anymore, so only when things wear out do they need to be bought.

[LisaKinVA]

Oh my, I honestly don't know exactly how much, but probably close to $700 a year for 7 of us.

 

I buy all of their play clothes (that I can) at second-hand shops. I usually buy their dress clothes at 50% and sometimes better. Most of their shoes I buy cheap, well except for my oldest son with the extra wide feet... his are $50 each. You don't usually find boys extra-wides cheap, anywhere.

 

I get what I need, when I need it. My husband does have to "dress" for work, so he usually gets a couple of new shirts a year -- unfortunately, we are going to have to start replacing some suits...:tongue_smilie:

 

I do sell our "good" clothes, take hand-me downs when we can (most of my friends and siblings have more children than we do... and their hand-me downs are best suited for rags or painting.) I went through and culled all of our hand-me downs, and will have earned $500 so far this year. I have the fall/winter stuff to cull next (I'm selling old Christmas dresses, dress outfits that the children will not wear again, and the multiples of "go places clothes" we've been given that I can't bear to allow the children to play in the red mud with... and therefore they aren't worn.) Trying to pare it down. But, the kids probably still have more than they need.

 

I know I'm living a bit of my young-life through them. I was an "only" daughter, but was given a LOT of thrift-ware. The memories of the carefully placed decorative pins to hide tears and stains... and the teasing did leave a mark. Oh, and then there is the bathing suit that was purchased for me that WASN'T...otherwise known as the day I spent at the pool... watching everyone else have fun.:glare:

[Quiver0f10]

My oldest 3 work and buy their own clothes. For Dh, me and the younger 7 kids I would guess we spend @ $400 a year? Maybe less. We don't buy clothes very often and I start at the consignment shop and buy whatever else we need when it's on clearance. The biggest chunk of that total would be socks, underwear and shoes, which we buy once a year.

[forty-two]

I think maybe $100-150 a year for the four of us; I think that's kinda low. It's hard to tell because we rarely have to buy any clothes ourselves, because our parents buy lots of clothes for the kids (and we got quite a few hand-me-downs), and sometimes they buy us clothes as gifts, too. It's nice, 'cause neither dh nor I like to clothes shop much. When we do, it is generally at Goodwill or garage sales, though I did splurge on an $80 skirt for Easter (the same day I went to Goodwill and bought 10 items of clothing plus 4 pairs of shoes for under $60 - quite a difference ;)). We do buy expensive shoes (I do anyway), but they last for years (and I just found replacement Teva sandals at Goodwill for $4 - score!). But mostly we just don't buy clothes :tongue_smilie:.

[Jennifer in MI]

O I was an "only" daughter, but was given a LOT of thrift-ware. The memories of the carefully placed decorative pins to hide tears and stains... and the teasing did leave a mark. Oh, and then there is the bathing suit that was purchased for me that WASN'T...otherwise known as the day I spent at the pool... watching everyone else have fun.:glare:

 

:grouphug::grouphug:

 

That's the day I start buying more new clothes for my child. :grouphug:

[RoughCollie]

We spent $3000 on clothing and shoes last year. No hand-me-downs in the picture, and none of us would be caught dead in the clothing available at the thrift stores here (so far).

 

$800 on DH and me

$1200 on DD

$1000 on all 3 DS

 

The year before, we spent $2100. The big difference was that no one needed a new winter coat, I didn't buy clothes for myself, and we could shop at the thrift stores for some items.

[3and3]

We are a family of 7. We spend proubly around $300-400 a year most of the time it is less. It all depends on if dh needs clothes. I can't find anything for him at thrift stores. He has to have long and talls. Also, depends if DH and I need shoes. We buy more expensive ones for us. So they last us a few years. We get so many hand me downs for dc that alot of times I have to tell people not to give us anymore. I have only bought a couple pair of shoes and some underwear for each child from the time they were born. God has blessed every time I thinbk I will have to buy something God has provided it:001_smile:

[DawnM]

Hand me downs

Thrift stores

Garage sales

2nd hand from friends

major clearance stock ups

 

I think maybe $500-$700.

 

DH needs work items and those do cost more.

I buy on drastic clearance for me when I find it and stock up.

Boys have almost 100% of their clothing 2nd hand.

[Tree House Academy]

We budget for and spend $1200 a year for a family of 4.

 

My dh works and is a manager in an engineering dept, so he needs nice clothes and shoes. We buy undies and socks for everyone every 3-6 months. I still buy a lot of the kids' clothes at yard sales. Most of my clothes are from yard sales and too! :) I do splurge occasionally.

Edited April 25, 2010 by Tree House Academy

[Rosie_0801]

I know I'm living a bit of my young-life through them. I was an "only" daughter, but was given a LOT of thrift-ware. The memories of the carefully placed decorative pins to hide tears and stains... and the teasing did leave a mark.

 

Uh yeah. That was my childhood too. I shop at the better op shops, that way I can dress them cheaply without them looking like they're dressed cheaply. When I was a kid, I looked like I was dressed cheaply. It was hard work not caring...

 

Rosie

[Caterpiller]

I don't know. Before this year we literally spent around $200 for all three of us due to a lot of hand me downs for the kiddo, and shopping for hubby and I once a year.

 

But hubbys job requires him to wear dress clothes and we have spent a lot more this year. To be honest we need to just ditch the cheap dress clothes and spring for some nicer stuff that will last.

[Granny_Weatherwax]

According to my 17yo DD - NOT ENOUGH.

[cjbeach]

This past year my family of 5 spent very, very little (IMO, but I am a clotheshorse) by going to the AmVets thrift store 2 towns over. I'd say we spent about 500 easily though because some things we did buy new - underwear, socks, some shoes, some pajamas, and my yoga pants have all come from WM new. We have very little and we spent about 500. I'm hoping for a windfall so we can get some nice stuff (at the outlets).

[Renee in NC]

I don't know. Before this year we literally spent around $200 for all three of us due to a lot of hand me downs for the kiddo, and shopping for hubby and I once a year.

 

But hubbys job requires him to wear dress clothes and we have spent a lot more this year. To be honest we need to just ditch the cheap dress clothes and spring for some nicer stuff that will last.

 

My brother figures out what high-end brand/items he wants and gets them from ebay and thrift stores.

[newlifemom]

All I know is I just spent $40 for two pairs of kids sneakers and most people wouldn't even balk at that. I am still reeling from it. :tongue_smilie:

Edited April 25, 2010 by newlifemom
went back and forth with an apostrophe and was afraid of killing a kitten.

[cjbeach]

My brother figures out what high-end brand/items he wants and gets them from ebay and thrift stores.

My hubby's bff is very, very, very wealthy and he is THE Most frugal man I have EVER met. If it's not from ebay or a thrift store it comes from.... KOHL's! He has a Kohl's charge and only shops with coupons on their %age off days and uses Kohl's cash. I'm not really a Kohl's shopper to say more on it but he only shops for clothes at Kohl's...if he *has* to buy new and can't find it cheaper on ebay.

[Renee in NC]

This past year my family of 5 spent very, very little (IMO, but I am a clotheshorse) by going to the AmVets thrift store 2 towns over. I'd say we spent about 500 easily though because some things we did buy new - underwear, socks, some shoes, some pajamas, and my yoga pants have all come from WM new. We have very little and we spent about 500. I'm hoping for a windfall so we can get some nice stuff (at the outlets).

 

I would think $500 is very little, but reading some of these amounts is pretty shocking. Here is what I was calculating:

 

Underwear - 1 pack (6-8) x 8 people once per year is $64

Socks - 1 pack x 8 people once per year is $48

Shoes - sandals, tennis shoes, and dressier shoes x 6 children is $210 (we wouldn't spend that much I don't think because the girls can pass down shoes, but the boys wear their shoes out!)

 

Those three things alone are $287 (figuring shoes x 5, not 6)

 

Clothes

Dh - 1 pair jeans, 2 shorts - $85 (these will last more than one year, though, so only add $42.50). His boots (once per year) are $90 - if we buy cheap ones he'll need two pair per year. A few shirts to replace the ones he has worn out, so $162.50 for him.

 

Me - nothing as I usually get giftcard for clothes for Christmas.

 

Children - aunt and mom buy stuff a lot. I bought church clothes this year (black pants, 2 dress shirts - short sleeve, long sleeve). The girls get Easter dresses ($10-20 each used.) So, $120 total.

 

Hand me downs for 7yo boy and 3yo girl, but can't pass clothes from 12yo to 9yo (different body types) and don't have hand me downs for the 5yo.

 

At thrift stores, items are usually $2-3 each piece, so maybe $25 average each child? That would account for the children that need more because they don't have hand-me downs. I sometimes go yard saling with my aunt - one Saturday I lucked out and found 8 Guy Harvey shirts for 50 cents each!

 

$150/year

 

So, grand total would be about $750 per year. If I can find used sandals and dress shoes, then it would be less. This also gives me some cushion for things for the 16yo. He buys a lot of his own clothes.

 

ETA: I asked the question because clothes are not something I have ever budgeted for or planned for really. What usually happens is that someone needs something (pants for example) and I try to find them. I want to be a little more proactive and PLAN for these things! :lol:

Edited April 25, 2010 by Renee in FL

[Mommyof4ks]

We spend about $1500 a year on clothes and shoes and that is mostly on the kids. I love clothes though and dressing my kids in matchy stuff lol. This year I have bought far less so far so it will be interesting to see what the total amount is at the end of this year. The boys can basically share clothes now so that does help.