Do you buy new clothes for the start of school?? How can you save if you do?

My two youngest will still be wearing uniforms. My oldest will start Junior High and he will be getting new clothes. This is the beginging of him actually caring about what he wears. I've already been informed of what brands he would like.

I do buy clothes for the new school year.  Dd prefers to wear jeans to school (and even carries a light jacket) since so many of the teachers have the classroom a/cs set to "frigid".  She just tried on all her jeans yesterday and only two pair sort of fit, so she will be needing new jeans.  She's also outgrown many of her shirts, so I'll be getting her some shirts too.  I try to wait and do major back-to-school shopping on our tax-free weekend.  I'm hoping for some good sales then.  Also, dd loves to wear funky thrift store clothes, so we check there quite a bit during their $1 days.

We follow a buy-as-we-go sort of plan.  They both get one new outfit for the first day of school, otherwise they're just wearing out what they already have.  Then we buy as needed or when we see sales.

They picked out two new outfits were inexpensive since summer clothes are on sale.  I scored some good deals on leggings during The Children's Place's July 4th sale. They were $4.80 each.  They don't wear jeans so I stocked up.  Bonus, when spring gets here they are capri leggings

I will buy some long sleeve shirts when they go on sale.

DD is getting all new clothes at the beginning of this school year because we moved over the summer and didn't know which school she'd be going to (uniform, no uniform, if uniform which colors?) Plus my DD has been growing so much, she hardly has any clothes in her closet. I like to buy as I go but lately it has been very difficult for me to find anything if DD is not with me. She has to try everything on because I really can't tell anymore if something will fit her or not.

So I'm watching the sales and dragging DD with me when I see a place that is promising. We have money set aside just for clothes for her so I can buy when we find a deal. I try to set dollar amount limits in my head. I used to limit clothing to $5 per item, except for coats, dresses and shoes where I'd go up to $20. I've budged on that limit to $10. If I can find something for DD for under $10 it is a no-brainer, especially stuff she can wear as apart of her school uniform.

I'm still reluctant to buy clothing in sizes too far ahead, mostly because she is growing and her body is changing so I'm not sure what will ever fit. We're concentrating on keeping her in clothes NOW but scaling down the number of items she owns. She used to have a huge wardrobe. Not anymore.

If and when they need new clothes or shoes they get new ones. We hit up yard sales and thrift stores pretty frequently though so it's usually used items. If I can't find something there then I'll buy new. I also sew.

We don't buy clothes just for the sake of buying clothes. 

Oldest will need new tennis shoes she can leave in her gym locker. I was planning on using the $10 coupon I have to Dicks. She will need a few more pairs of shorts as well. 

We must live in an alternate universe.  Most parents spend a lot of money on back to school around here.