Can we start talking about Fall/Winter/Back to School?

[highlandmum]

I'm already getting seriously stressed about this. I just got chewed out by DH for spending $7 more than the budget last week -- that is how tight things are right now. And they just got a bit tighter.... for the next few months. My oldest daughter is going to full time preschool in the fall, then I need fall/winter clothes and supplies (ie shoes, socks, etc.) for all the kids, our upstairs needs a new heating unit before October (the kids sleep upstairs, no heat there right now)..... I'm just really stressing about all this. I need some ideas for your best ways to cheaply make it through getting all the needed fall/winter 'stuff' (clothes for kids, shoes, etc....)I know this is kind of open-ended.....but I'm so stressed, and know no other way to put it! lol
I also have 2 of my kids birthdays in the next couple months, and our hot water heater just broke. Thinking about all this, I just don't know how I'm going to buy shoes, clothes, slippers, etc. And we need good, warm, stuff for them too.... because dh won't let me turn the heat up past 63

[FillingMyQuiver]

Wow, mama. I've been where you are and it IS stressful.

Scour thrift shops and consignment shops for EVERYTHING you need.

When you say heating unit, do you mean like a new furnace or something? Could you use a heater like this? We bought 1 from WM last year for our basement and office space b/c it gets down there. It heats quite nicely. It also has an efficiency setting on it.

I would suggest getting each of your kids 1 toy for their b-days (and if you can make it or get it 2nd hand, even better) and then make their new slippers/ winter clothes/ etc part of their gifts.

Can you sew or knit? You can make some nice slippers, scarves, hats, even socks, etc pretty inexpensively if you repurpose sheets, old t-shirts, etc. You can buy wool sweaters from the thrift shop, felt them, and make hats, gloves, scarves. You can even buy sweaters and unravel the yarn for other purposes.

[honeybunmom]

Yes, I echo PP. If you can sew or knit, you can make these things for yourself and quite inexpesively. If you knit, I'd do pullovers as they can be done rather quickly and seamlessly. If you must have a cardigan or one that zippers, when you're thrifting for sweaters to use for yarn or felting, then be on the lookout for those that have buttons and zippers that you may be able to recycle.

There are so many tutorials online and free knitting pattern - not to mention your local library - so that you should not have to pay for a pattern.

Also use the Trading Post if you want to try to swap something you can make for some giftables for your kiddos.

I don't know the ages of your kids, but, if they're under 3, I'd consider making a wool sleep sack for them out of a recycled sweater. My 1 year old will be one this winter and I might try to rig something up for my almost 5 year old! And I did put a hat on the baby during the nights last winter. So, maybe some knit sleeping caps for your kids might be in order, too.

[neetling]

I basically thrift year round for the next sizes in clothing. I keep rubbermaid totes to store them in. I do the same for gifts. We live on one income (I'm a SAHM) and it helps me stay in budget.

Can you apply for heating assistance?

[Om Girl]

apply for heating assistance and contact your local gas/electric (heating) agency and ask if they have replacement subsidies for replacing your hot water heater. A lot of agencies have energy saving replacements if you buy certain model types plus government rebates.

also source craigslist for portable heating units as they're not in super demand right now...price them out at your local home improvement stores and if you find one at Home Depot there's a 15% off coupon in the local USPS mover guide available for free in your post office. (Sometimes with portable heaters its safer to buy one new)

for your kiddos...
* if you have friends with older kiddos, ask if they have hand-me down clothes for fall/winter...
* thrift with a list...that way you buy only what you need
* if you're involved in a local API/parenting/church group ask around for clothes, etc.
* make clothes part of the birthday gifts

[highlandmum]

Thanks everyone for the ideas and tips -- that is what I need! I'm a little more calmed down about it now... but still it's hard to think about buying shoes when we don't have heat in part of the house, lol. I am definitely going to check out that heating unit -- because yes, it is a smaller area to heat -- we don't need an entire furnace up there. THANKS everyone

[frugalmama]

Originally Posted by neetling

I basically thrift year round for the next sizes in clothing. I keep rubbermaid totes to store them in. I do the same for gifts. We live on one income (I'm a SAHM) and it helps me stay in budget.

We do the same - $1 Mondays are our best friend.


For school supplies, are there any charities in your area giving away free supplies and clothing?

[justmama]

Originally Posted by highlandmum

Thanks everyone for the ideas and tips -- that is what I need! I'm a little more calmed down about it now... but still it's hard to think about buying shoes when we don't have heat in part of the house, lol. I am definitely going to check out that heating unit -- because yes, it is a smaller area to heat -- we don't need an entire furnace up there. THANKS everyone

Take it one day at a time. Sometimes that's all we can manage. It will all work out, just keep telling yourself that. It's got to be all right because if it isn't, it's not over yet.

[fairydoula]

and if you DONT know how to knit, youtube has lots and lots and lots of videos on how to, and the library almost always has lots of books on how to knit. You can find yarn FREE or super cheap at auctions/garage sales, and same with extra fabric. I bought ALL of my girls back to school clothes at good will for like, $130, for two girls, for the whole fall/winter season when I was a sahm. It was about $650 in clothes, retail, for $130. I was SO proud of myself! I still shop there, and we both have good jobs, making $17 and $20+ per hour, each, full time, so we are doing much better, but I still like to save money! I rarely buy anything that's not on sale! lol... I'm just cheap like that. Plus I just feel like I'm getting ripped off when I pay full retail.

If you don't sew or knit and can't or wont learn, is there anyone close to you that can help you repurpose clothes you find at goodwill or garage sales? I think you have a much better shot at getting a lot more clothes a lot cheaper at a garage sale, you can bargain there, and if you're willing to take the whole lot, you can usually get it a lot cheaper, then mend, re-dye, tailor clothes to meet your kids needs. A lot of clothes look old just cause the dye has faded.... get creative, dye is relatively cheap, and you can make clothes look new again!

also, don't be afraid to ask friends that have kids if they know anyone who has clothes to give away, I've gotten lots of clothes from people I never expected to, just from putting out the word that I was in need of clothes.

also, craigslist is a great place for kids clothes, but you're usually paying for them.
The BEST place online for FREE clothes and shoes would be FreeCycle. Google it and find one in your area, and then just post that you need kids clothes. Freecycle has guidelines, so make sure you follow them, or you get moderated, but usually it's about the form of your post. I've given away a TON of stuff on Freecycle and gotten a few awesome things in return, like a huge trampoline for free for my kids! yay!

[zebra15]

If your oldest is only old enough for pre-school your kids are pretty small yet. Do you have any clothes left over as 'hand me downs' from kid 1 for kid 2 etc? Thrift stores have toddler and little kid clothes pretty cheap as well.
I dont scrimp on shoes... stride rite outlet has the same thing as the mall for under $20. SE ohio gets cold but not 'that' cold. (Im from NE ohio originally). If your kids are close in age can you get away with 1 1/2 sets of clothes and some things just being a bit 'big' on the younger kid? Gender neutral clothes like jeans, sweatshirts etc are great for dd, ds etc.

Dress in layers, t-shirt, sweater, jacket.

Watch for back to school sales, then things go to clearance pretty quickly-esp at target. I tend to stock up on undies, socks etc for DS the end of sept. They - target- also (well in the past few years) have Hanes sweats for $4 in Oct on sale per pc.

Also layer blankets on the bed, fleece sheets, flannel sheets, sleeper jammies (those w. the feet in them).... I crochet and can whip out hats, scarves in a night or so, blankets take about a week but yarn on sale is cheap and my DS loves homemade stuff.

[happyhats]

I started a thread similar to this on another forum.

I shop ahead for dd's clothes, but thanks to another growth spurt she may be wearing her spring/summer bottoms for the fall. That means I need to get some legwarmers and tights. I also need to get some shoes for her, and we just found out with her wide feet we have to buy the more expensive brands. I was snooping online though and saw that ebay gets good deals on stride rite. I'm also getting her a pair very inexpensively since they are slightly worn looking (sole was still great though).

Thankfully I have the jackets and coats, and the halloween costumes were bought last week yard saling. (Um, yeah, I got two. I found one and then couldn't pass up the other-but I only paid three bucks for both.)

No school supplies needed yet.

[mazajo]

Look up your local weatherization for help with heating issues. Weatherizaton is absolutely wonderful. They came in my house this past winter and checked all over for where we are losing heat, added insulation in some areas, repaired our furnace, and would have done more if needed, at zero cost to us. They do have a long waiting list though.

Like others said, thrift stores! Call the ones in your area and ask about their specials. We have one that regularly has half price days, and another that has $5 bag sales.

We've gone to a back to school fair the last couple years where we get the majority of school supplies for free.

There is an organization is my area called the Shoe Shine Mission. It's ran out of a church and people donate gently used shoes, often even brand new with the tags still on, and if you need shoes, you make an appointment and you don't need to qualify or anything. I first learned of it at a back to school fair, they were handing out flyers. I bet things like this exist in many areas, it might just take a little research to find them.