With August already here it might be time to consider shopping around for this school year. If your child is required to wear school uniforms you may be looking at spending quite a bit of money to satisfy your child’s needs for school. There’s a lot of ways to avoid some of the pricing behind school uniform shopping, but if you aren’t sure how to beat the price tag then these ten tips are for you. With a little know how and a lot of patience your child should be able to return to school looking great while meeting all the uniform requirements. With these ten tips on your side you’ll never have to stress over back to school shopping again, which will leave you a little extra cash for some much needed last minute vacation time!
1. Department Shopping
Ordering uniforms from your school or even a specialized uniform store can be a huge mistake. These items usually will cost a whole lot more and won’t do you any favors when it comes to allowing the children to try on clothes. Instead, get a list of the items needed for the uniforms. Usually, the clothing isn’t so specific that it has to be specially ordered. This will allow you to get the majority of the items at department stores, which will have what you needed at a significantly better price. If your area predominately has schools that require uniforms then chances are the department stores will have a special section just for your schools needs. This will save you time, money and will ensure that the clothing you do purchase actually fits your child. You won’t have to worry about shipping costs or other hidden fees either. Even if you do require some special items, the clothing you purchase from the department stores will cut down on the final price. Of course, you may be able to get away with having some of your clothes embroidered with the school’s logo for fairly cheap.
2. Out of Season Shopping
When it comes to shopping for uniforms, you’ll probably get the best deals if you don’t shop during the back to school season. Although there’s many sales during this time, the prices of uniforms will actually significantly drop as the time passes. One of the best times to grab school clothing is towards the end of the school year. During this time stores will try to get rid of most of their stock for the summer months, so a lot of the clothing will go on clearance. If your student goes to school year round then consider shopping seasonal clothing on the off season. For instance, during the winter semesters you might want to stock up on shorts, skirts and short sleeve tops while during the summer pants, cardigans and other long sleeve tops are a great buy. When you shop like this you should consider how much your child might grow though, as this will help you choose an appropriate size.
3. Clearance
A lot of schools operate under a polo and trouser requirement which will make it even easier for you to find cheaper clothing for your children. Usually polos of all colors and trousers are pretty popular items on the clearance rack in many stores. Depending on your schools chosen colors you should be able to find a wide range of clothing for less than $100. If you’re not having a lot of luck locally then try to find stores online that sell these items. Since the clothing is fairly common you should be able to find them on sale at popular discount stores and popular stores you would frequent for your own casual or dress attire. If you’re lucky you may even find some of the items for less than $3 which will make them all the more worth wild if you have to get them engraved as this will only put your child’s uniform at less than $10 for a basic look!
4. Pick Dark Colors
Most schools will offer a couple of different colors to choose from when it comes to uniform shopping. If you can, try to purchase the darker color as much as possible. Although light colors are nicer on warmer days, they are also a lot easier to ruin, especially when it comes to kids. With a darker option your kid’s uniform will stay in regulations for a lot longer. Although it is possible to stain darker clothes it is a lot easier to mask these accidents than with a top that is white. The same can be said for pants. A black trouser is much easier to care for than a pair of khakis. With darker colors you’ll have to look for a replacement a whole lot less. If you’re worried about your washer fading the color then invest in color safe bleach and other care products designed to keep darker clothes looking new for longer.
5. Hand Me Downs
It doesn’t matter if you’re shopping uniforms or regular clothing, hand me downs is a key to saving a whole lot of money. However, when it comes to uniforms you may enjoy these savings a whole lot more. Chances are your school doesn’t change uniforms often which makes it even easier for you to hang on to your older children’s clothing. If your children change clothes when they come home from school then their school uniforms are probably going to look in top shape at the end of the year. This will allow you to only purchase fillers for your younger children, which is a huge relief on back to school costs. Of course, if you have family or friends with older children then you may not have to purchase an entirely new wardrobe for your older children either. Just make sure to complete any alterations needed before school starts and you’ll be able to worry a whole lot less about what your children are going to wear to school this year.
6. Community Group
If you don’t already have a community group you may want to look into starting one. This group will allow everyone in the school district to come together and exchange uniforms. Your school should allow you to organize one of these meetings in your gym at no cost, but make sure to call around and make arrangements before hand. This group will allow people from the school to meet one another. People can bring their children’s old uniforms and exchange them for larger sizes or simply donate them so other children can make use of them. These communities are great to encourage support within the community and may even lead to some important meetings that allow people to organize after school programs as well as carpools and other ways to save money.
7. Buy One Size Larger
Kids grow pretty fast, which is why so many parents end up buying school clothes throughout the year. In order to avoid some major spending on your part you may want to consider buying your children one size larger than what actually fits them. This will allow kids plenty of room to grow during the school year without forcing you to have to buy something new every few months. Don’t worry about the pants being too large as most uniforms require a belt anyway and you can easily add a tuck to make the legs a little more fitting. One important item to buy a little bigger is shoes. Although it might seem odd to buy shoes that don’t fit you’ll be glad you did when your child doesn’t complain about feet pains after the first month of school. Shoes are usually more expensive too, so the extra growing room is important. If there’s an issue with size then have your child wear thicker socks until the growth spurt occurs.
8. Order Bulk
Ordering in bulk can be a pretty powerful thing when it comes to your budget. Luckily, when it comes to school uniforms its pretty easy to shop in bulk. A lot of stores with often sell a three to five pack of polo shirts that cost a whole lot less than you’d pay for 2 shirts off of the rack. Try searching sales on popular brand sites to see what you discover. A lot of stores will often offer buy 2 get 1 free sales when it comes to trousers. These sales are especially popular during the back to school months. You should also be able to find large packages of socks, underwear and under shirts that will keep your family stocked up for quite some time. These items are always a must for new school semesters, but the bulk buys will allow you to stretch your clothing further so you don’t have to do as much shopping after your initial school purchases.
9. Buy What You Need
Just because your kids will be wearing uniforms during the school week doesn’t mean you have to fill their closets with the attire. Instead, consider what your kids are going to need to get by for the week. Typically, a couple pair of pants or skirts and five shirts will be plenty for a typical week of school. Once the week is over grab the laundry and prep for the next week of school. If you don’t want to worry about having that many uniforms then buy enough to keep the kids going until the middle of the week. Since the uniforms are basically the same there won’t be any judgment amongst peers and you won’t have to waste money on clothes they don’t even really like. Buying less will also be less of a burden when it comes to the kids outgrowing the clothes. With a light wardrobe you can easily save up money to replace what you need while adding a couple extra sets of clothes as time passes.
10. Look for Grants
Although most schools will put parents in charge of clothing their children up to standards, most will also offer a little help for parents that need it. If you’re concerned about your students clothing then make an appointment to talk to the principal or counselor at the school. If you explain the situation and fill out some paper work then the school may be able to provide your child with some clothing. Sometimes, the school will even have donated clothes that your child can use for the upcoming school year. If the school doesn’t have the means to help you then they should know of various organizations that can help. These places are usually charity groups and may require a little time to process you, so don’t wait too long to get started. If the school doesn’t have other options they may be able to find you a sponsor that will help clothe your child. Either way, you should be able to get a couple items for your child’s school year without having to stress too much about letting bills go.
School uniforms can be a pretty big hassle for both parents and students. From the attitudes of trying the items on to the prices that leave you feeling sick to your stomach, back to school uniform shopping isn’t on anyone’s summer vacation to do list. With these ten tips you should be able to stress a little less about shopping and spending money, which will make the tedious task a little more bearable!
