Free Kids Clothes, Save Money on Baby Clothes - Thrifty Guardian (2024)

Looking to save money on baby clothes? What if I told you that you could eliminate “kids clothing” as a budget line completely? How much money would that free up for you each month? $20? $50? $100??

When I found out I was pregnant with my first child, I immediately started stocking up on two things: diapers and clothes. Saving money on diapers is one thing, but clothing? Well they’ll never not need clothing!

Disclosure: The links in this post contain affiliate links and I will receive a small commission at no additional cost to you if you make a purchase after clicking on my link.

I went to every garage sale I could to find the best deals on clothes (never paying more than $1 per piece!) Now that my second child is nearly a year old, I’m happy to say I’ve found a way to never have to need “clothes for kids” in my budget.

The key to “free” clothes is that if you do have to pay for it, never pay more than you can resell it for.

With that said, here are some tips on how to get kids clothes (and even adult clothes!) for free or nearly so.

Shop Online for Cheap Children’s Clothes

Swap.com has recently become one of my new favorite sites! Not only can you buy clothes (for your whole family!) but they also have toys, games, and all sorts of baby gear – and all at a seriously low price.

Plus when you sign up via my referral link, you’ll get FREE SHIPPING on your first order.

The best part, though, is that they will also buy these things from you! So if it’s too cold for a garage sale or you’re just tired of meeting up with people via local re-sale groups, this is an excellent option for you and so easy.

Another site worth checking out isthredUP.By signing up through my referral link, you’ll receive a free $10 toward your first purchase!

This site has some seriously cute clothing at rock bottom prices. Even if you don’t see anything you like (which I’m quite certain is impossible) you can still use that $10 to score some free clothing that you can then just re-sell!

Shop with Schoola

Schoola isanother amazing site with great deals AND a great mission. This site donates 40% of all sales to a local school of your choice plus they’re constantly offering extra credits or promo codes. You’ll even get a free $10 towards your first purchase! I love this because you can also donate clothing to them to resell should you not have the energy/time/desire to do it yourself.

Use Facebook Resale Sites

When looking for children’s clothing, be sure to check out your local Facebook resale groups, as well as the marketplace.

There are many times when someone is looking to make a quick buck and will often group clothes together to sell them quickly. Search for your county or city + resale and you’re bound to find numerous groups through which you can buy and sell kids clothes.

Just make sure you purchase from a smoke-free home because third hand smoke is not only a thing but um….gross!

Utilize Swap Groups

Hosting a physical swap group can be fun if you have the time and the space for it. Short on either? Look online – there are lots of trading or freecycle groups through which you can swap clothes that your baby has outgrown for clothes that you currently need.

You can also check out the “free stuff” section on Craigslist. Again, make sure it’s a smoke-free home! Ebay is a similar option, but personally I’d rather pick up from someone in my area versus deal with the hassle of shipping.

Thrift Store Deals

Thrift stores are always a great option because you never know what treasures you’ll find. Many have “deal days” that set deeper discounts on already low prices.

Buy Through Rakuten

There’s also the option of buying new, but at a deep discount.

While Black Friday is when you’re sure to get the best deals, there’s another way to buy new kid’s clothing for cheap – go the Rakuten route!

Rakuten (formally known as Ebates) is a commission-based site that allows you to earn cash back when shopping with hundreds of different stores – whether you do it online or in store.

Want even more cash back? If there’s a store you shop with often – Kohl’s, for example – buy a gift card at a discount through Raise.

Let’s break this down together, assuming you plan to spend $50 at Kohl’s on children’s clothing and that you’re new to Raise and Rakuten:

• Sign up for Rakuten and get a $10 bonus
• Download the Rakuten browser extension (located at the bottom of their site)
• Go to Raise and activate the 1% back via the browser extension
• Search for that Kohl’s gift card, often available at 10% off (so $40 instead of $50)
• Get $5 off your first order with code RAISE75AF
• Go to the Kohl’s website and again activate that browser extension, usually 5% cash back plus they’ll find the best coupon codes

Now guess what? Instead of spending $50 at Kohl’s, you’re only actually out of pocket about $32. While $18 may not seem like a ton of money, it’ll all add up really quick when you cash out each quarter!

Shop Seasonally

Always make note to check the clearance sections of your favorite shops at the end of each season. This is exceptionally important when you have younger children, especially those still in T-size clothing. Don’t spend $120 on a new coat next winter (or take a chance on trying to find a used one) when you can easily get one for 75% off in May.

Seriously plug it into your calendar now – check clearance in May, in October, and of course don’t miss out on smart Black Friday deals in November!

What’s your favorite way to save on kids clothes?