It’s back to school time for most of us. I remember how worried I was that first year I was divorced. Where was the money going to come from for school clothes?
There seemed to be so many expenses. I was fortunate that first summer, my niece and nephew were old enough to stay home alone and Hailey stayed with them so I didn’t have to pay for daycare, when school started it was a different story.
There were so many things to worry about, Hailey was going to be a latch key kid for the first time, she would be riding a bus across town to a new school. Again, where was the money going to come from for school clothes?
In the middle of a costly divorce, having to find a new place to live, a new car, all those new expenses, needless to say, I didn’t have any money saved for school clothes.
I did the only thing I could, I shopped at thrift stores. I made sure Hailey had one new outfit and the rest had to come from thrift stores. Luckily she had gotten new shoes for her birthday so we were ok there, but the clothes, would have to be used.
I tried to make it fun, explained that soon it would be chilly and she would need new clothes all over again. We scoured the thrift stores. Luckily for me, at the time, Hailey was pretty easy to please. We were able to find shorts and shirts that she liked. We even found a plain backpack and with a little bit of fabric paint, made it her own.
There is no shame in thrift store clothes, as long as the clothes are clean an in good repair, who cares? After your child wears them once they are used anyway.
As Hailey got older and picker this was a little harder. There are still times she can find a must have shirt or pair of jeans in a thrift store but it’s rare now.
Take advantage of the savings while you can, teenagers are too mall conscious to shop at thrift stores.