FashBlog.com

by Christina VanGinkel

Even though it is only the beginning of summer, I am already starting to shop for school clothes for my twelve-year-old son. Growing daily, this is not always easy, and some items, such as shoes, will not be purchased until the week before school starts to ensure a good, proper fit. Shirts, t-shirts, socks, and underwear, along with items such as backpacks and other school supplies can all safely be purchased now, hopefully at huge savings over what I would pay if I waited until the school shopping frenzy arrives later this summer.

JC Penny's is one store that I frequent year round. They often have racks of clearance clothing at deeply discounted prices. If only a few items of a style are available, they will move it to a clearance rack. Other times they will discount whole racks of clothes. If they are offering coupons, they usually allow you to use the coupons on clearance merchandise, again affording discount shoppers such as myself some very good deals. That is how I purchased my son several pairs of Polo jeans at a mere fraction of their original price. On sale, they were then discounted to clearance at a mere twenty-five percent of the original price. While that was a bargain in itself, they also had a one-day promotion with a coupon that allowed for an additional twenty percent off any purchases made the one day. I ended up buying my son six pairs of Polo jeans for less than fifty dollars, what the cost originally was for one pair.

While not all my purchases are such a huge success, I strive to pay as little as possible for all my clothing purchases. Online outlets and stores are also great places to snag some good bargains. When shopping online, always remember to search for coupons or discount codes for any store you are considering shopping. Many places will offer free shipping or additional markdowns if you just take the time to look for their coupon codes first. While I use to frown on ordering clothing online due to not being able to try things on, and the hoops you would have to jump through to make a return, thanks to new guidelines for fit that most stores now offer, and easier return policies at many places, I find myself shopping more and more for clothing online. Always make sure and check a stores policies before ordering anything though, as it is easier to make a decision on if something is really a bargain or not, if you know all the facts before ordering.

One other reason I try to get such an early start on my son's school shopping is because we do live in a relatively rural area, it is not always easy to find things. By spreading out my shopping over a longer time period, along with shopping various places both local and online, I am much more apt to find what I am searching for, and not go broke in the process. By putting a bit of planning into it, and shopping smartly, my son will head to middle school this fall dressed as fashionably as all his classmates, but at a fraction of the cost most of the other parents will have spent!