Starting with the eldest boy, we take everything out of the cupboards and sort into three categories:
- rags
- passover
- store
The result is a tidy chest of drawers, and a list of items to search for in either the charity shops or clothes shops. I can find good quality items on ebay if I search for a while.
Then onto the next boy and the same thing happens. We sort the clothes into rags, passover and store. Then he gets to chose from the passover basket items he likes or needs and then we go onto the next child. They do not have more than 7 outfits as they grow quickly and I am happy washing the clothes so they get good wear out of it.
Not every child is built the same way or has the same taste in colours ; trousers do not always fit from one boy to the next.
I also purchase one neat outfit when special occassions call for it. I find this way of sorting clothes a frugal way to clothe our family. Shoes are not skimped on and bought when needed. The children have 3 pairs. One pair of wellington boots, one pair of school shoes and one pair of trainers. That about covers all eventualities.
Our DS1 who is now a teenager gets his own allowance. At age 12 we give him a regular allowance to do with as he wishes. The only thing is he has to buy his own clothes. We buy school kit and shoes , the rest is up to him. This method is used to teach him how to use money and the cost of living. If he really wants a designer label, he has to save for it or find other ways.
1 comment:
Hi,
We do a similar things with allowances for our older children. At the beginning of the year we sit down and agree a budget that includes clothes, some 'discretionary' expenditure, things like presents for school friends, and some they are to donate to their church or a charity. We've only done it for a year but they seem to be careful in how they spend money since it's now 'theirs'.
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