I DON'T DO TEENAGERS â—½ HOME
I remember shopping with my teens and thinking how clothes were so expensive. And now, I’m shopping for the tweens in our family and seeing how the clothes are still expensive – like everything else! And so are all of the sports activities, the clubs, the uniforms, the food, and all the things our teens need to operate in this world of theirs.
Keeping our kids closets full can be maddening, as a parent.
However, there are some good reminders to all the parents that struggle with the clothing expenses our teens “require.”
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They don’t have to do everything. Our kids don’t have to be in every club, and play every sport, and join up with every activity offered that they like. And if clothing costs are outrageous for a specific activity, then teens can help raise funds by working. And we can also talk to the club about ways to save dollars and see if there are options.
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They don’t have to have everything. Maybe let your teens pick out a few “trends” and look for those on sale, and then perhaps thrift shop for other things. Thrifting is a trend itself, so that’s a cool thing for all of us – to save bucks! Find their favorite thrift stores, and send them there with their friends on a budget. They’ll have fun!
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We can help train them to shop sales. Old Navy, for example, runs sales (usually half off!) of all the different items of clothing, in rotation. This week, all dresses are half-off! Teach your teens to look each week at their favorite store sites and see what’s on sale, BEFORE coming to you with their wishes.
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We can help them take assessment of their closets. Mindless buying is never a good thing for the family budget. But at least once a season, have your teens go through their closets and sort – that which doesn’t fit, that which needs attention, etc. – and then make a list of what they need. This makes it easier as they look for sales, because they know what they’re looking for!
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Shop the discount stores. Yes, a splurgy fun day at the mall with friends might be a treat once in a while, if budget allows, but that needs to be a treat – not a norm. Take them with you when you shop (even though it might be painful at first) and show them how to bargain hunt. Teach them to look for quality items, even name brands they like, at a fraction of the cost on the racks. Ross, Marshalls and TJ Maxx require a bit of time to browse, but take the time – it saves dollars!
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Sometimes, Amazon gets a bad rap, but I’ve found a lot of good deals especially on boys’ athletic shorts. They come in packs of five and don’t cost a lot, and if you look at reviews and buy carefully, this type of shopping can save bucks. And if your boys want a name brand, then maybe you’ll have a few bucks left to buy a couple of those, along with their multi-packs of the others! Amazon is great for packs of tees, too.
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If your teens are into fashion, then teach them to save looks (photos) on their phones or send you links, so that you too can look and be aware of when those trends go on sale. Trends are fun, and there’s nothing wrong with enjoying some of them. If they’re not into fashion, then it still pays to train them how to shop, when to shop, and how much to spend.
It’s not fun when Mom and Dad are stressed as the kids outgrow and then need new things. Finding a few budget-friendly and saving techniques, the best stores with the sales, and sharing wise choices with our kids helps train them to enter the world in a few years with some tools on their belt to save, when the budget is their own.
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It’s so fun to watch some of the teens exit Goodwill with a bundle of items they put together in the cutest of ways…or see them buy that one jean jacket that will go with tons of tees underneath…or realize that shoe won’t serve them well with their lifestyle at all…because we taught them well.