I’m a day late and a dollar short!

I’ve been surfing the blogosphere and just happened along CopMama’s blog and this meme. It looked like fun, so I thought I’d play along, even though I’m a day late. 

The prompt is optional – but I’m going to go with it – so here it is:

Hand-me Downs, Thrift Stores, & Garage Sales for YOUR Kid's Clothes? What's YOUR Secret?

When Ashley was little, I used to watch the newspaper each week and scout out all the good yard & garage sales in the area.  I don’t do that anymore – it got to be too much work and wasn’t fun anymore (though I will say that yard-saling IS fun if you go with a friend).

I LOVE hand-me-downs! We used to get from relatives when Ashley was little and we would have so much fun going through the bags and picking out the things that would fit her, etc. She would do her little fashion show – walking the runway that is our living room – and we had a blast. I don’t think we’ve ever got a bag of hand-me-down for Gracie. :(  A few weeks ago, we picked up a bag on freecycle clothes from a friend, though – and we found a TON of shirts in that bag that were just Gracie’s size – so that was exciting.  I’ve also never received hand-me-downs for Ian.  I guess my kids just aren’t the right ages/sizes to work out for hand-me-downs from friends/family.  Too bad!

I do  try to pass the kids’ clothes along to other friends who can use them when we’re done with them.  I know how much we’ve appreciated hand-me-downs in the past, and I like to share with others and bless them.

We have some great thrift and consignment shops in our area and I buy a large portion of the kids’ clothes at those stores when I can. We’ve even started taking things (our own outgrown items) to a children’s consignment shop and it was a nice surprise to receive a check for over $30 several months ago!  Gracie is very thin and can only wear pants that are slims with the draw-up waistbands – so I often have to buy her jeans and pants new (Old Navy and Penney’s often have good sales).

Ashley – being the teenager that she is – often has trouble shopping at these stores.  So, for her, we usually take a girls’ day out and go shopping for her when a new season rolls around.  It’s time for one of those shopping days right about now, as we prepare for summer.

What about you?
How do you clothe your children?