Everyone loves babies. They’re cute, they smell great, and when you dress them in a lovely little outfit, everything about them just becomes adorable. However, as you know, babies grow quickly, and that cute little outfit they’re wearing today will be pretty much obsolete in a matter of months.
That is what makes budgeting for the baby’s clothes quite challenging. If you’re one of those that have trouble with it, don’t worry – you are not alone. Many struggle with this, but no more – we’re here to help. We’re going to give you a few shopping tips and tell you just how much you should be spending on baby clothes. Let’s get started!
What Does Every Baby Need?
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Your baby will need different things through different stages of its life, so we’ve prepared a little list of all the necessities you’ll need to get for them.
First up, you’ll need a couple of infant gowns for the first few weeks of your baby’s life. You won’t need more than 3 or 4 of these, and they shouldn’t set you back for more than a few bucks.
Next up, you should get them onesies – a lot of them. Not too much, as they’ll grow out of them quickly, but always aim to have at least four of them at any given time. Just make sure you get the ones with loose legs and wide head openings so you can easily slip them on and off.
Also, you’ll need undershirts or a vest and one-piece pajamas. If you’re spending a lot of time indoors with your baby, onesies and pajamas will pretty much be the only thing you’ll need, so have at least four of these as well.
Finally, for some dressy, fancy clothes – you can do whatever you like. If you don’t mind spending a lot of money – go for it.
Dress up your baby any way you like. If you don’t want to waste money, just get them a few sweaters and pants, a jacket or two, a couple of hats, booties, a few blankets, and that’s it.
These are the essentials that you and your baby will need.
When To Shop For Clothes?
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Even though most parents get excited and end up spending a lot of money on baby clothes before the baby’s even born – you really shouldn’t do this. While you will need some clothes, don’t go overboard. You still don’t know how quickly your baby will grow, so there’s a good chance you’ll end up throwing most of the stuff away sooner rather than later.
So, get some of the essentials we’ve mentioned earlier, and take your time with the rest of the shopping. The best advice we could give you is to shop for baby clothes once a month or every two months. This is the best way to prevent overspending and save some money.
How Much Will You & And How Much Should You Spend On Baby Clothes?
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Now, this is a tricky question to answer.
First of all, it all depends on where you’re shopping and what you’re buying for your kids. If you buy your kids branded clothes, you’re certainly going to spend a lot more than if you just click here and explore your options.
On average, parents will spend around $150 on baby clothes each month. That may not seem like a lot of money to some of you, but in reality – it actually is. Unfortunately, baby clothes are often overpriced. Spending $100 on a pair of shoes your kid will wear for about two months is simply ludicrous.
Realistically, what you should be spending is no more than $50 each month on baby clothes. Even though that is still a significant amount of money – it’s reasonable. That should be more than enough to keep your kid happy, cosy, warm and cute. Save the expensive outfits and IG photo sessions for when they grow up and decide if they want to do it.
Tips On How To Shop For Baby Clothes
1. Buy Larger Sizes
There’s no need for you to buy snug baby clothing. First of all, they’re not as comfortable as loose clothing, and secondly – your baby grows fast. The smaller the piece of clothing is, the faster you’ll have to buy a new one. So, dress your baby in slightly baggy clothes – it’ll make them last longer.
2. Always Shop On Sale
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As we’ve already mentioned, baby clothes are overpriced. So, in order to save money, you just have to take advantage of the sales. This is the only exception we’ll make for premature shopping. If you can get something good for a fraction of the price early on – get it.
3. Get Easy On/Easy Off Clothing
Functionality and comfort should come before the look when it comes to baby clothes. You’ll have a hard time dressing your baby even when you’re dressing them in a gown, let alone something more complex. So, when the opportunity presents itself – get something that snaps or zips on, and avoid buttons and snug clothing.
4. The Softer, The Better
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Once again – comfort before style! Dress your baby in soft materials. Not only will these look good, but materials that are soft are usually pleasant on the skin, which means your baby will be less likely to develop a rash or something similar.
5. Take It Easy
You don’t have to buy every single cute little thing you stumble upon. We understand that you want your child to look as beautiful as possible, but there is no need to buy extra expensive clothes or to buy clothes just so you can feel good about it. Take a break from shopping once in a while.
6. Appreciate The Hand-Me-Downs
You may be against hand-me-downs in the beginning, but it won’t be long before you realize just how clutch these come in. Appreciate all the extra clothing you can get, even if you don’t seem to like the way it looks. If it’s clean and it fits – it’s good to go. They’ll barf on it in a matter of minutes either way.
Conclusion
As you can see, there is no need for you to overspend on baby clothing. Just get the essentials and follow our shopping tips, and you should easily average $50 a month and have your child well dressed.
