We are in full swing for back to school shopping and winter clothes is around the corner. Get your lists, your measuring tape or pens to note sizes, the sale papers because it's time for some hardcore frugality battle tactics for shopping.

We will not spend more than we need to!

Shopping hardened stretchers, let's share our money saving plans with the beginners to dollar stretching.

This is one of my favorite money-saving things, finding well-priced, quality children's clothing. Here is what I do:

Trade clothes with a friend/family member

Buy gently used clothing at consignment stores, thrift stores or garage sales

Buy clothing on super-clearance in the next larger size at end of season sales

Hand-me downs from older to younger siblings

I just did all of the above in the last 2 weeks. I do like to find things at garage sales for 25-50 cents but I have not had the best luck lately, probably because I haven't had the time to spend going to garage sales. That's why the "trading" with friends works so well. I get to look through their clothing and they do the same thing with my children's clothing. No money exchanges hands and after we outgrow the clothing, we give it back (and then I can sell my kids clothes if I want). I shopped some clearance sales last spring and have some brand new jeans that were very well-priced.

We have full drawers and closets for fall and winter. I have winter coats, hats, mittens, gloves and boots and spent $2 on my daughter's boots and that was it. Everything else was from hand-me downs or trading with friends. Same with the basics of jeans, sweat pants, long-sleeved Tshirts and sweaters. We even have some nice dress pants and shirts for the boys and some beautiful dresses for my daughter.

We are set for this fall and winter. But as you know, children grow and growth spurts aren't on a schedule! So having things on hand in the next size is always good at our house. Plus, boys can be so hard on clothes, especially the knees of favorite pants or jeans. So while I am "done" with my back-to-school shopping, I will still keep an eye out for sales or even trade clothes again at Christmas time so the kids have some larger and new-to-them items.

We don't trade clothes because I think most clothes go back not the greatest plus my friends don't want them back lol. they are done with them when they give them away.

I keep an eye out for sales year round plus check the thrift stores. kids aren't lacking in clothes!   Since I have dd first..not many clothes get handed down to ds. 

Friends give me clothes plus I pass clothes along to others.  I buy clothes in larger sizes like ds winter jacket so we get more then one year out of them.  Here most clothes are year round.  We just layer more for winter.

 I do shop sales, but that is it.  I am fully aware that I spend way too much on granddaughter's clothing.  I'm also aware that what I spend is not in keep[ng with the rest of my frugal lifestyle, but I enjoy it.  And yes, she has a lot of clothes.

DD wears jeans from my sister's older DD.  DD is same age as my sister's younger DD, but my DD & her older DD have the same body type.  I put her initials on the clothing tags & give them back when DD outgrows them.

I shop consignment sales & clearance racks.  I pay no more than $5/item, except dresses for $10. Shoes can be more, but DD is really hard on shoes. I haven't gone through what I bought ahead for the fall/winter yet.  I'm waiting to see if DD's growth spurt will end.  She has gotten taller & bigger around this summer from watching tv & eating all day with grandparents & great-aunt!

We should be good to go; my sister has already said she should have some jeans for DD.  I bought lots of long sleeved shirts, a few pant & shirt sets, & a few dresses last spring for this fall/winter in the next size up.

I love rotating the clothing closets in October!

Grame, I like your attitude.  I too have a granddaughter on whom I have spent lots of dollars!  My best excuse is that she deserves it and we have such fun shopping.  She graduated from college in May, is working full time, and will be getting married next month so I guess she'll be buying her own clothes.  Think of the money I can save.

 Some are going to have a fit but I only shop at Walmart for the kids clothes.

MIL is a mall shopaholic with a chip on her shoulder against Walmart.  She decided she would buy the kids "nice" clothes.  These "nice" clothes were a pain in the behind.  Most of her purchases bled like an accident victim and even after many washings had to be singled out for washing.  Only a few items made it to be passed on.  Most fit wacky.  Most of the Walmart stuff I can get on the $3 rack, don't have to wash it separately and they all fit.  Most make it to be passed down also.  

I like childrens place more for new stuff then walmart because walmart seems to be so so with clothes. some ok and last but others are made cheaply and don't last.  when the childrens place has sales it is as cheap as the thrift stores here.

its easy to overbuy girls clothes..so many cute things!

 MIL has sent us a ton of stuff from the children's place.  The boys clothes are horrible.  If they still have the tags on so I can identify store and quality, I just toss them into the garage into the thrift box.  I don't want to take a chance of them getting mixed with a regular load and ruining a load. 

My son's clothes, just like mine and my husband's, all come from the thrift stores. We don't really do a "back to school" shop, but rather shop maybe three times a year, replacing items as needed and keeping a lookout for things the next size up. We last did that a month or so ago, so he appears to have what he needs.

He's almost 11 years old, going into fifth grade, and not all picky about what he wears. I'm starting to think he might never become very "fashion aware," which will be fine by me. Name-brand clothing has got to be one of the biggest rackets going!