STATUS UPDATE #3

I hit the Old Navy stores near me on Saturday and found some excellent deals. I found kid flip-flops for 48 cents, sizes 12/13 and under. I found big girl sweaters for $5, men's cargos for $5, women's sweaters for $5, toddler girl long sleeve tees for $2.50 and under, toddler girl puffy vest for $5, and several other great things. I spent 3 hours that afternoon reorganizing and counting items in clothing bins for all 4 kids. I updated my list so I could see what items I have left to buy for the upcoming year. It's mostly big boy stuff now, which seems to be really scarce this season. I was planning on going out again today to a different Old Navy, but I called them this morning and they only ran the 50% off clearance for the weekend again!!! I'm so annoyed at this policy change this year!! And the store associate wouldn't even tell me if they'll run it again this upcoming weekend. I guess I'll cross my fingers and call again on Friday. I'll post here when I find out.

STATUS UPDATE #2

Old Navy started their 50% off clearance items today! Hip Hip Hooray! The sales associate told me earlier this week that they were only going to to 30% off but they did the 50% off instead. I'm not sure how long it will run. They might end it on Sunday like last weekend, or they might run it until the inventory is gone like they have in previous years. I won't be taking any chances. I'll be hitting the store(s) tomorrow since I still need stuff on my list!

Ann Taylor Loft also changed their additional discount on their clearance from 25% to 40% in just 2 days!!! So now all their stuff is even less!!! If you ever needed to keep an extra formal on hand for a company Christmas party, now is the time!

Good luck everyone!

EXTRA 20% OFF at REI

REI has started an extra 20% OFF their REI outlet items through their website. Go HERE and click on the REI Outlet tab.

STATUS UPDATE

I have heard from 2 friends that have been out shopping. One found boy pants at GAP KIDS for under $8! And another found a leather jacket at Ann Taylor that had an original price of $200 and was marked down to $5! And then it was 25% off on top of that! WAY TO GO you guys!!! I love hearing about your super finds!

I hit the mall today and spent about 3 hrs perusing several stores. In my opinion, prices still aren't low enough yet. But I was able to find some things here and there, so let me try and give you some specifics on what I saw.

Old Navy: They did a 50% off red tag clearance items from Friday to Monday. I was out of town and missed it. In the several years that I've been shopping a year ahead for my kids I've NEVER seen them use this strategy. Once the 50% off clearance hits the store, it remains until the items are gone. I'm bummed they've changed their process. I went last week on Tuesday and today the prices are the same as before because I missed the weekend sale. The sales associate said that they will be doing 30% off clearance this weekend, but she didn't know if that would stay or be the same as last weekend. Without the extra discount I wouldn't buy much of what they have. Nothing in the toddler section was cheap enough for me (boy or girl). In the big boy section, there were some random dress shirts and random pajama pants that I approved of. In the big girl section there was more than in the other 3 sections put together. This is odd, because it seems every season it's the big girl items that I'm always short on. But they have zip up hoodies and fleece tops for a good price. I found some long sleeve tees for $4.99. I think I found a sweater I was willing to pay $10 for. I didn't scour through the adult items this time.

GAP: The mall I went to didn't have a GAP KIDS. I walked all through the store for adult clothes and found just a handful of pants that were on sale and a couple pairs of shoes and slippers. Nothing was cheap enough for me to take to the register.

H&M: (They don't have these everywhere. Check their website to see if there is one near you) Right now they're doing a 'Buy 1 Get 1 FREE' on all their clearance items, which they call 'Final Markdown'. Last year and the year before it was 50% off red tag items, just like Old Navy. They also started a lot sooner this year than they did last year. When I went today, there is not much left. They've also redesigned the store where I went today and there are a LOT less children's items than they used to have. I'm very disappointed. I asked the sales associate when the sale started and she said at least 2 weeks ago! WOW! I'm so bummed! But she said it's the 3rd or 4th time they've ran that sale since she started working there in August. So that's good news. That means that they now run this type of sale more than twice a year, so be on the lookout! I did manage to find some good deals. A couple pairs of pants in big girl size that were marked $10 red tag, so that means $5 each with the 'buy 1 get 1' deal. A couple dresses for toddler girl that were $15, so $7.50 each in the end. And I was able to find a couple tops for me for $10, so $5 each with the clearance deal. H&M always has a variety of sizes also. I saw things that ranged from size 0 up to size 14.

Children's Place: Right now there are only a couple things worth buying here. One is the toddler girl long sleeve tees. They are $4.99 and 30% off of that. $3.50 is a good price for a tee. There are a lot of colors to choose from. I also found fleece footed pajamas for babies and toddlers (boy and girl) for 50% off the clearance price, which was marked at $7.99, so only $3.99 in the end! Excellent price! I pay about $8 for these. Usually you don't see them much cheaper than this. I was VERY tempted to buy some and eBay them because you can't even find them on eBay for that cheap. I will be checking recent eBay ended listings to see if that's feasible. Everything else I was isn't cheap enough for me yet.

Ann Taylor & Loft: Ann Taylor has some great markdowns. I didn't buy anything but I went in to get a feel of what they had. They had some great suit pieces marked way down, and some other things that I felt were priced very well. The Loft had better prices in my opinion. But I think they always do. Their clothing is less than regular Ann Taylor to being with, so their sales are lower too. Plus they have an additional 25% off clearance items which the regular Ann Taylor did not have. Both stores have petite sizes which I love. I saw a super cute formal black skirt for only $20 in Ann Taylor. Perfect for a company party or holiday wear. I picked up a cute top at The Loft for only $7. They had a wide range of sizes.

Banana Republic: They had some things on sale, but nothing I was jumping up and down for. The prices were not as low as I've seen in the past, and the items weren't all that great.

Aldo: Aldo shoes has some great dress shoes for $60 and under. The full price is usually $80 and up. All their boots are marked down and then $20 additional off the sale price. I wasn't that impressed. The marked down price was about $20 less than the original, so that didn't seem like a great deal to me.

Borders: There was a Borders Express in the mall I was at today. They had some great deals on classics. They had a cart full of paperback unabridged classics for 75% off. I bought 3 books for just over $6. They had young adult books at 'buy 2 get 1 FREE', along with other deals like this.

Express: I didn't go into Express. It's not really my style. But I did notice that they have 40% off clearance items right now.

**Don't feel confined to the store that is closest to you. It isn't always the one that has the best selection. The inventory is completely dictated by the market that the store caters to. I often will shop 3 or 4 different locations to find what I need. The location in the smaller town sometimes has a better inventory. Nothing is guaranteed, but this has been my experience. A store that gets less traffic, will have a better selection of clearance items.

don't be fooled

Please don't misunderstand my love for shopping by thinking it's a 'quick fix' by any means. Shopping is definitely time-consuming and it's even more so when you are trying to do it on a budget (or you're just plain picky like me). It's no fast task to hunt through tons of clothing jam-packed so tight on a rack that you can barely get a finger between 2 items to search for your size. And then on top of that, each item has a gazillion price stickers on it and it might take a few moments to locate the most current one. Then the retailer might have another 'discount' or percentage off the price so you get to stand and do some math in your head before you know what you'll be expected to pay. And you hope that you're doing the math on the correct number because you sure don't want to fall in love with something and get all the way to the counter, only to realize it's too expensive and you have to leave it in the store. This is all before you even get to the dressing room to try it on and find out it doesn't fit! Of course, if you have children that have accompanied you on your shopping venture, you've now doubled or tripled the time it will take to find what you want.

Okay, so I didn't mean to discourage anyone. I still love to shop despite all this nonsense, believe it or not. I think I just really love getting a steal of a deal. I don't really love dealing with whining kids or sore feet or miscalculated math. But, it takes a watchful eye to make sure that your efforts aren't for naught after all is said and done. Retailers definitely don't like selling clothing off so dirt cheap. And they'll do all they can to get you to take some full-priced items out the door with your pile of clearance stuff. So here are some things to watch out for...

ALWAYS FIND THE TAG! Don't ever assume that because the items you want are next to each other, that they all come from the same sale. Don't ever think that because 2 items look alike that they will be the same price. Even if 2 shirts are exactly the same and ONLY differ in color, one can be full-price while the other is on clearance. Check EVERY tag on EVERY item that you're looking at. If one is marked on sale and the other is not, take it to the register with you and ask for a price check. Or if you're like me, you try to act like you thought it was on sale because it looks like the other one and was sitting right next to the other one. Sometimes the store will give you the clearance price because it was misleading. But don't EVER assume that they will! You don't want to get home and find out later that you spent way more than you thought you did.

ALWAYS FIND THE TAG! Don't ever trust the size on the hanger. Lots of retailers have hangers with sizes printed on them. Many retailers just throw clearance items on whatever hanger is available. I will say that the more expensive stores are more careful, but there is never a guarantee. Make sure you check the size of the item on the tag that is sewn into the item, and not the paper tag hanging from it or the size on the hanger. This holds especially true if you're shopping for someone who is not with you! Remember the Doc hates to shop! It's his kryptonite! So I do it all for him. (pitiful, I know) I buy what I know he needs, and bring it all home, and then he tries it all on. He picks what he likes and what fits, and I take all the rest back. How spoiled is he! Anyway... the same happens with my kids now that they aren't always with me. And I can tell you from experience that it's super annoying when you find you've purchased a size that is WAY off from anything they should be trying on!

WATCH THE REGISTER I always watch my items ring up. Time and time again I have caught the register ringing an item up for more than it was priced at. Either the extra discount wasn't applied, or the item didn't ring up at the price on the sign or the tag. Whatever the case may be, you want to make sure you pay what you thought you agreed on in your head when you picked the item up. Okay, you might not remember every single price tag after you have 200 items in your cart. But you should remember approximately and be able to know if the price isn't quite what you thought it should be when it pops up.

READ CAREFULLY Sometimes signage on special deals can be tricky. Retailers always try to entice you in with things that look so great and cheap. Sometimes signs will look so much alike that if you're shopping quickly, you'll miss the differences. They'll be the same color, same shape, same size and sitting over similar items, but then if you look closely they will have a small number different. For instance, I saw in Bath & Body Works one saying 4 for 10 and the other saying 3 for 10. The items looked exactly the same and the tables were next to each other. The set up was the same and the signs were the same, except for that one number. Children's Place also had a sign in their storefront that says 50% off clearance items. It's their standard sale sign. But all through the store all the racks were 30% off clearance items. Only 1 rack had 50% off clearance items. Be careful with those signs!

to eBay or not

Buying used clothing definitely has it's perks. But it has it's drawbacks also. There are the obvious reasons for buying new...no one has ever worn it before your child puts it on, no risk of stains or holes, you can keep with the latest fashion trends. For me, used clothing has some draw also. The prices tend to be even cheaper than you'll find during the 75% off clearances and I have often found specific items that I can no longer find new. As I said before, I'm disappointed in the downhill slide that Old Navy's quality has taken lately. In this instance, I can find Old Navy clothing from a couple years ago that I prefer over some of their new items. I also turn to used clothing when I need 'filler items'. When you shop a clearance, you have to pick from what is left. Sometimes there will be things you need that aren't available. I find these items during the season that they are needed, but I still refuse to buy them at full price. This is where eBay and retail used clothing stores come in handy. eBAY can be tricky if you've never used it before. I'm not an expert. I don't have an eBay store or anything of that nature. But I have bought and sold numerous times and so I hope to be able to go over some of the basics that will help you get started. I'll also touch on other resources for used clothing in another post.

I must first say that research is really a key ingredient in making the used clothing circuit work to your advantage. Most places that sell used clothing will be overflowing with items. eBay is no exception. You really need to know what you're looking for and you need to be specific. eBay also follows seasonal trends. It's large enough now to be affected by supply and demand. For instance boots will sell for more in the winter than they will in the summer, just like a retail store. eBay prices are determined by how many people want and are willing to fight for a specific item. And people sometimes end up paying more than they originally wanted to. They somehow get it in their head that an item is worth more if other people want it at the same time as they do. Stand your ground! Don't buy things if you're going to feel guilty about it afterward.

HOW TO FIND SOMETHING: eBay has millions of different categories and they're pretty easy to maneuver through. You can search on a specific size just by putting that number in the search field. The less specific your keywords are, the more items it will find. For instance, if I'm looking for a pair of black dress shoes for my toddler then I would navigate through the children's items until I found the dress shoes category. Then I would type "black 7" in the search field. This would then bring up all the black dress shoes in her size. It's not uncommon for an inexperienced seller to list an item in the wrong category. So, if I didn't find what I was looking for in this initial search, I might back up to just the general shoes category and try the search again with the same keywords. There have been times when I have been looking for certain brands. I again find the category my item would be found under (sleepwear) and I might type something like "GAP 2T".

HOW TO DETERMINE ACCEPTABLE PRICE: It's true that there is no way to predict what an item on eBay will sell for. It's completely up to the bidders. But you can at least do some research and get an idea of what the item has sold for in the recent past. You do this by first searching for what you want. Then in the left-hand column of options, you mark the checkbox that says "completed listings". This will give you a list of auction items in your search category that have already ended. If the price is in green, this means the item sold and that was the final price. If the price is NOT in green, then the item was listed and the auction ended before anyone bidded or matched the reserve price and therefore the item did NOT sell. If you move your mouse over the "Sort by" area, you will have some choices as to how you want to sort this list. I personally sort it by end date so that I can see which ones sold most recently. I prefer not to base my decisions off of auctions that ended more than a month or so ago. Things change to frequently with supply and demand. When you scan through these prices, don't forget to take note of the shipping cost that was charged by the seller. Most eBay buyers/bidders will factor that in when deciding on their maximum bid. So I prefer to base my decisions off final price and shipping cost put together. In addition to looking up auctions that have ended, I also spend at least a week or so watching active listings of the item that I want to buy. When you look at an active listing, you can choose to 'watch' the item. This way you can watch an active listing through to the end to see how it plays out.

HOW TO BID: For me, bidding and buying on eBay took some practice. But I don't think it needs to be complicated. When you enter a bid, typically you should enter the absolute maximum you are willing to pay for that item (keeping in mind that shipping costs will be added to final auction price). Then eBay automatically will up your bid for you based on what others are bidding. For instance... if the item starts at $1 and you are willing to pay $10, that's what you enter into your bid. But if you are the first bidder, you won't see the price at $10 for the item when you look at the listing. You only pay $10 if other people are bidding on the same item and enter bids that bump the price up that high. There is a technique called 'sniping' that some people use. It means that they save their bid until the very last minute, sometimes the last few seconds and they then enter their bid. The philosophy of this is counting on the fact that people don't truly enter their maximum in their bid until someone else outbids them. Then they go back and rebid at a higher price. So if you 'snipe' the auction, then you're entering your bid at the end in hopes that no one has time to outbid you. You can do this manually by watching the auction and continually refreshing the page in the last couple minutes. Or there are websites out there that will do the sniping for you for a nominal fee. (most have free snipes available when you first create an account).

READ THE FINE PRINT: If you receive an item that isn't what you expected or wanted, it becomes a 'he said, she said' fight for getting your money back. I tend to believe that most of the time, the argument is in the favor of the buyer. Mainly because any seller on eBay who wants to continue to sell, tries to avoid negative feedback at all costs. But, if there is ever a problem, eBay will back whatever wording was put in the listing. So be very careful and read the entire listing before you bid. Some sellers are wordier than others. But it's worth it to make sure you know what you're getting into. Sometimes pictures are misleading. Sellers have been known to put things in pictures that are not for sale in the auction. It's usually noted as such somewhere in the description for the listing. Make sure you take note of the return policy the seller has. Things such as 'smoke-free' or 'pet-free' home are important to me when I'm bidding on clothing. Some sellers sell clothing in sets or 'lots' (as they are often termed on eBay). Typically these are also in the buyer's favor. The 'per item' price will average out to be lower when you win these auctions. Just make sure you want all the items in the set. Otherwise you're not saving yourself any money. Some inexperienced sellers will have very plain listings without much text or description at all. Don't hesitate at all to ask them a question. There is a link for this very purpose on the listing itself. It's not hard to find. A seller owes it to bidders to disclose information about the item they are selling. If I ask questions and a seller does not answer, or sends me a message saying they don't know the answer, I do not bid on the item. It's just where I draw the line. You'll have to decide for yourself.

about the brands

Those that know me well, know that I'm a 'brand-name snob' when it comes to clothing. I have my reasons and they make sense to me. If something different makes sense to you, then please do that instead. I'll try and explain why I do what I do, along with some differences between brands.

I am a huge fan of reselling and passing on my kid clothing. I also am a big fan of NOT taking ALL 4 children to try on clothes at the same time. Thirdly, (as with shoes) I prefer things that are made well and will last through more than one kid or season. These are my main reasons for buying only brand name clothing. Kid clothing that is NOT brand name is VERY hard to eBay or resell through other channels. Department store clothing varies GREATLY within the same size. They have so many different brands on the rack that you could pull of 10 pair of size 8 pants and they would all fit differently. This means the kid would need to try on everything. I consider myself a lazy shopper, and try to avoid this process as much as possible. I prefer to be able to go to the store and buy what they need without all of them tagging along. When you shop at stores such as Old Navy or Children's Place, the sizes are consistent and once you know how they fit, they don't need to be tried on every time. Lastly, I have found from experience, that name brand clothing tends to be made better and last longer than what you find at Walmart or Target or even Kohl's sometimes. I prefer my shirts to stay straight after washing. I love that Gap jeans can be worn an entire season by a 6 year old boy and still not have holes in the knees. So those are my reasons. Now on to the differences between brands...

OLD NAVY: This used to be my favorite place for almost everything. Over the years their quality has gone down and their prices have gone up. I can still find good prices during the clearance times, but I rarely buy anything there now when it's not on clearance. I am now to the point where I will prefer Old Navy items from used clothing stores over their new stuff because it's made better. Okay, enough rambling. I have found Old Navy clothing to be 'long and lean' and running smaller than other brands. In the older childrens' sizes, you'll find slim and husky options for pants. But, in general, Old Navy clothing fits best on long-legged, skinny children.

GAP: I think most know that Gap, Old Navy, and Banana Republic are all owned by the same company. But their clothing sizes and shapes do differ. Gap clothing is definitely made to wear better and last longer than Old Navy. Gap clothing also runs larger. It runs a bit wider and almost a whole size bigger than Old Navy, especially at the baby/toddler level. An 2T at Old Navy would be equivalent to 18 months in Gap. You'll also find dressier clothing at Gap made for holidays such as Christmas and Easter. And Gap carries the fantastic flannel-lined pants for boys that are so great in the winter.

CHILDREN'S PLACE: I would put Children's Place quality in between that of Old Navy and Gap. Their clothing is closer to Old Navy prices, but their fabrics are still a bit heavier and wear a bit longer. They also carry the lined pants for the winter as Gap does. Children's Place clothes run wider and shorter than Old Navy and Gap. Their clothes fit best on children that are not just skin and bones. But I have found that their sizes are numbered pretty comparable to Old Navy. (i.e. if my son wears a size 8 pant at Old Navy, I would by the same at Children's Place).

GYMBOREE: I really consider this store a bit more on the specialty side. Their styles change more drastically from one season to the next, and they use a lot more color than the above 3 stores. For me this means harder in the resell market because the clothing goes 'out of style' faster and becomes less desirable. Their sizes run bigger than Old Navy (as most do). They do carry dressier items if you're looking for a special event.

CARTER'S: This brand you typically don't see a full store of, unless you are in an outlet mall. This is the brand you'll find in department stores. You also won't shop much for this brand after you are past the toddler phase. I do like the quality of their clothing, and will suffer through department store shopping if I know there are good deals. Their footie pajamas are made very soft and stay on the foot. Their onesies are excellent too. I've found that with my kids, Carter's sizes are pretty true to age. For instance, when my youngest was 18 months, she wore the pajamas that were 18 months. Of course, kids come in all shapes and sizes, and this won't hold true for everyone. But this is what worked for us.

REI: We don't buy much clothing at this store. It tends to lean heavy on the shoes and gear. And if we do buy clothing it's usually adult and not kid sized. But we have bought rain coats and the occasional miscellaneous item here for the kids. REI has a fabulous return policy! They don't require a receipt for anything and I haven't found anything yet that they wouldn't take back (used or not). They carry very expensive outdoor labels, but they also have their own brand - called REI of course. Their own brand of clothing, in my experience, has been great. I have things for several years that are still going strong. So if you're looking for specialty items for a vacation or other outdoor adventure, this is the place to look.

how much to buy

I know not everyone reading this will have multiple children or hugely tight budgets. But, these are the constraints I live with right now, so this is something that dictates my shopping strategies. I get carried away and sucked in when I see a good deal, so I have to keep count of how many of each item I'm buying for each child and for each season. I have a checklist for each child, and twice a year I take a current tally of what is in their clothing bins (just large plastic storage bins from Walmart) and then I have that with me when I shop, so I know what they need. What you see below is a SAMPLE. Please don't take it as etched in stone. It's a guideline. It's a good starting point. You will have to edit and adjust for what is best for your situation. I make sure I write the sizes I'm looking for at the top of their lists because juggling 4 kids and 2 seasons all at once makes me forgetful!

Child #1
*Tops XL, Bottoms 14
Summer tops (7)
Summer bottoms (5)
Summer church outfit (2)
Summer sleep shorts (2)
Ankle socks (1 pack)
Swimsuit (1)
Flip flops (2)
Keen sandals (1)
Zip-up hoodie (1)
Winter tops (7)
Winter bottoms (5)
Winter church outfit (2)
Sweats for sleep (2)
Sweatshirts-pullover (2)
Crew Socks (2 packs)
Dress socks (1 tan, 1 black)

Child #2
*Tops XL, Bottoms 12
Summer tops (7)
Summer bottoms (5)
Summer dresses (3)
Summer pjs (2)
Ankle socks (1 pack)
Swimsuit (1)
Flip flops (2)
Keen sandals (1)
Zip-up hoodie (1)
Winter tops (7)
Winter bottoms (5)
Winter church outfit (3)
Winter pjs (2)
Winter play coat (1)
Winter dress coat (1)
Winter tights (2)
Crew Socks (2 packs)

Child #3
*Tops 5/6, Bottoms 5
Summer tops (7)
Summer bottoms (5)
Summer church outfit (2)
Summer pjs (2)
Ankle socks (1 pack)
Swimsuit (1)
Flip flops (2)
Keen sandals (1)
Zip-up hoodie (1)
Winter tops (7)
Winter bottoms (5)
Winter church outfit (2)
Winter pjs (2)
Winter play coat (1)
Sweatshirts-pullover (2)
Crew Socks (2 packs)
Dress socks (1 tan, 1 black)

Child #4
*Tops 3T,bottoms 2T&3T
Summer tops (10)
Summer bottoms (7)
Summer church outfit (3)
Summer pjs (3)
Swimsuit (1)
Flip flops (2)
Keen sandals (1)
Zip-up hoodie (2)
Lightweight tights (1)
Winter tops (10)
Winter bottoms (7)
Winter church outfit (3)
Winter pjs (3)
Winter play coat (1)
Winter dress coat (1)
Winter tights (2)
Crew Socks (10)

when to shop/buy

Typically most retail clothing stores run their huge clearances in January and June, and I've found most of them to be in the latter half of the month. There is always an exception to that rule, but these times of the year seem to be when you find most of the deals. I usually start watching the websites and the store fronts for clearance signs in the beginnings of those months so I make sure not to miss the sales.

In case you don't know already, I shop a year ahead for my kids. No, you can't predict down to perfection how much your kids will grow in a year. My kids typically grow 1 whole size in a 12-month period. Whatever size they wear in the winter, is the same size they use for the following summer. But then the winter after that, they bump up. Does that make sense? This year Luigi (the 12 year old) didn't grow at all. He's still wearing stuff from last winter, and still has new clothes in his bin that I bought him last January. I guess he'll be set for next year. So it's not always exact. But in January, if you needed clothes for that current winter, you're too late. That's why I shop ahead. When the school year starts, very rarely (depending on where you live) will they be wearing winter clothes. They're still running around in shorts. But I hate running to the store as soon as the weather starts to turn because they absolutely NEED winter clothes RIGHT NOW. It's been my experience (no matter what you're buying) that when you run to the store for something you immediately need, then that is the time you end up spending the most. If you're patient, watch prices, and do your research, then you can always find a deal. I also LOVE the convenience of having clothes waiting for them when the season changes. Buying a year ahead allows you to purchase items for about half what you pay for them if you bought them as you needed them.

If you have never shopped these sales before, you'll be used to the typical 10%-40% off that you see sporadically throughout the year. Don't be over-anxious. You might regret it just a few days later. Of course the stores want to get as much as they can out of the clothing that they no longer have space for. So they'll mark it down just a bit a week or so before they run the huge clearance. Just be patient. I know it's hard! I speak from experience! So, to make sure I don't hate myself after buying a couple carts full of clothing for 4 children, I constantly remind myself of my personal limits. You'll have to decide for yourself how much you're willing to pay, but I suggest you have a number in the back of your mind. Otherwise you end up in the store and find something super cute, and then you really will pay anything to take it home with you. I'll share with you my limits. There's no wrong or right amount. It's what you feel comfortable with. But the majority of the time I'm able to find everything we need within the limits I've set.

For boys' long pants I will pay as high as $8 if that's all I can find, but I prefer $5-$6. For shorts I might pay $6, but I prefer something around $4. For short sleeve tees I don't like to pay more than $4 and for long sleeve around $5. Girls clothes tend to be more expensive for some annoying reason. For older girl long pants I will pay as high as $10 and for shorts or capris maybe $8. For short sleeve tees $4-$5 and for long sleeve $7-$8 is my max. For toddler size, I use about the same limits as I do for the boys. When it comes down to it, you want to be close to 75% off original price. Otherwise the sale isn't much better than you can get during the regular year.

A few stores use the same process each year, even down to the types of signs and advertisements they show. With Old Navy, you'll know they've dropped their prices as low as they're going to when you see the 50% off clearance or red-lined items. It won't go cheaper than that. With Children's Place you'll see the Monster Sale signs that say 30% off already reduced items. They won't get cheaper than that. Those are the 2 that seem to be consistent every year. When these 2 sales hit, typically you know that's the time you can go to all the other stores and find their items 75% off as well.

footwear

The type of shoe I'm looking for really dictates where I shop. I want to note up front that I like quality shoes. I prefer shoes that will last through more than one child, and I want a shoe that is comfortable and made well. I avoid places like Payless because most of their shoes are stiff and of man-made materials. That's not to say that I haven't ever bought shoes from there. But when I have, it's for something that won't get worn very often (i.e. recital shoes or wedding shoes). What kid wants to wear a shoe that digs in to their ankle when they run? What toddler wants to learn to walk in a shoe that doesn't bend?

So here's a basic breakdown:

SNEAKERS - I have purchased from Target, eBay, zappos.com, and shoebuy.com. Zappos and ShoeBuy have free shipping both ways. This is a huge bonus because you can order, then try on, and ship back what doesn't fit. I do this often because my boys have wide feet, and many times I can't find what I need for them in a retail store. I LOVE eBay. But we'll save that discussion for another post.

ADULT DRESS SHOES - My favorite place is Aldo's. We both have wide feet and it seems that their shoes lean that way. The doc is on his feet most of the day and his days are long. Aldo's does a clearance twice a year. It's not necessarily in January and June like all the other stores, so you just have to keep an eye out. We like the style and everything is leather. Their shoes last a long time.

KID DRESS SHOES - Sears, Journeys Kids, or online are the places I have settled into for this category. Sears always seems to have a good selection. I hate driving all the way to a store, unloading 4 yahoos and all their gear, and then only finding 2 pair of shoes to choose from. My kids have always been a hard fit. Never have they been the kind that could buy the first shoe they try on. Sears also has a reward program that is linked to your phone number. So whenever you buy children's items (not just shoes) you get points, and eventually you get coupons or store credit after you've racked up enough. If you're going to spend money anyway, why not get a perk at the same time? Journeys Kids has benefited my children who are merging out of kid sizes and into adult sizes but aren't quite there yet. Those large kid sizes are really hard to find and on more than one occasion we've found something decent there. And, when retail doesn't give you what you need, scour the internet! My 2 favorite shoe websites were already mentioned above.

KEEN SHOES - If you have never heard of Keen Footwear, you can take a look at their website and see what they sell. Their shoes last forever! They make the best rugged outdoor adventure sandal I've found. My favorite place to buy them is at REI. Online REI has an outlet section and often will sell Keens that are old colors or previous year styles at huge discounts. You can have your order shipped to a store for free. Their return policy is unbeatable. Just prior to Labor Day they clearance out all their sandals that they had stock of from the summer. And in January you can find some great boots on clearance.

FLIP FLOPS - Of course you can pretty much find them anywhere these days, but my store of choice is Old Navy on this one. Their 2 for $5 price tag is good enough for me and they will usually last more than one season if you're passing them down to other children. I've tried ones from Target and Walmart and they just have fallen apart on me. They sometimes have ones with thicker soles for more money. But again, I've found they last longer. I have a pair with fabric straps that I bought in 2000 for $6 and they're still going strong.