Is it me, or are the prices for shoes and athletic shoes rising? It is not uncommon for me to come across kids with everyday shoes that cost $100-$500. With three growing kids, I can’t imagine spending that much on a single pair.
Still, it doesn’t make sense to purchase the cheapest shoes either. Not only will this probably not be acceptable to your child, but cheap shoes wear out too quickly. I have first hand knowledge of this. One year I bought inexpensive sneakers for my kids at one of those box stores. In a few months, the shoes wore out and had to be replaced. This was something I wasn’t used to doing, since in the past, they all grew out of their shoes before they became too worn.
I learned my lesson, and since then, I’ve found other ways to save money on shoes for kids.
Buy Seasonal Shoes: Purchase your kids sandals at the end of July in the sizes that they will need next year. Winter boots can be purchased in January or February for the best prices. Stick to classic styles and name brands, and you won’t have to worry about trendy styles affecting whether or not your kids will want to wear them next year. You can save 70-90 percent off buy waiting until the stores need to clear out their inventories.
Visit an Outlet: Out let prices can help you save. For the most part, these are the same shoes that are sold in the general retail stores, but with more of a discount. Make sure you know why the shoes are in the outlet. Were they an unpopular color or was there something wrong in the manufacturer. In the case of irregular shoes, find out what the difference is before you purchase them. Sometimes it is as minor as a bit of glue that was left on the outside of the sole.
Check Out a Sporting Good Consignment Store: For speciality footwear, such as baseball cleats, you might want to visit a sporting goods consignment shop. These stores only take in gently used shoes and equipment, so you know that you won’t have to worry about buying used. If your child gives up the sport, you can always resell the specialty shoes back to the store.
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