My daughter wears Justice (a favorite among her friends) clothing, Gap, Nordstrom, Uggs, etc. all hand me downs from family. Who the hell cares where it comes from originally, after one use it is used. So it is only "new" the first time worn by the prior owner (to us). I love when we pass our used things on to someone else. My daughter is right now wearing clothes that three girls before used. My niece will wear the items next. Do you think any one of those girls care? I also get school supplies as inexpensively as possible. Again, who cares?

I buy mostly Hanna and Ll bean for my two girls. Always on sale, I would never pay full price. Also got Boden anoraks on sale for $23 and bought every size we need for the next 3 years. We also get some second hand stuff from a friend. I find I don't have to buy as much because the stuff wears really well, stains come out, they don't shrink, etc etc. older DD has had backpack and lunchbox from LL Bean and it is wearing well. She uses both for school and summer camp and I think we will get many more years of use from them.

I don't really care what it is called: thrifty, cheap, etc. If my kid is dressed like someone else's kid, who cares? If I buy a cheaper version OR the expensive version of a composition book for a school supply AND it is dumped into a community area where each kid grabs one - who cares if I bought the cheap one or the expensive one? Call it what you want...I think wasting money on things that are easily available for less is ridiculous.

Anonymous wrote:To me, here's the difference:

Thrifty:
- buy from Boden, Tea Collection or Hanna on sale
-buy from above w/ a Friends & Family discount
- receive hand-me-downs from older cousins/friends that are in good shape

Cheap:
- receive hand-me-downs in bad shape
- shop at Dollar Store, Target, Goodwill

Now I'm sure sixteen of you will chime in to brag about the Hanna Anderson $84 dress you found at Goodwill and how three daughters have worn it and it's held up beautifully with tights from Target and you've found the quality of Gap clothes to have nose-dived over the last decade.

Funny...I hate the three brands you have deemed appropriate. Especially Hanna -- can someone please explain the appeal?

Let's not confuse quality (or lack thereof) with price (or cheapness).

I buy good quality brand-name clothing at second-hand prices, because I have found that the average new Target item will not last as long as the average second-hand Janie & Jack item - for the same price!

So I go to Wiggle Room in Bethesda, or shop on eBay.

My daughter's J&J and Petit Bateau clothes hold up wonderfully to her tomboy ways, and my son's Tea Collection and Jacadi clothes do too, although I patch the knees. Most of their wardrobe is second-hand, bought for low prices: I bought a lot of 10 matching J&J tops and bottoms for DD for $65 (shipping included) on eBay... and they are like new. It's amazing what deals you can get in this country.

Anonymous wrote:You put Target and the Dollar Store in the same category?

Yeah I do. Target stuff is cheap as hell, IMO.

Anonymous wrote:To me, here's the difference:

Thrifty:
- buy from Boden, Tea Collection or Hanna on sale
-buy from above w/ a Friends & Family discount
- receive hand-me-downs from older cousins/friends that are in good shape

Cheap:
- receive hand-me-downs in bad shape
- shop at Dollar Store, Target, Goodwill

Now I'm sure sixteen of you will chime in to brag about the Hanna Anderson $84 dress you found at Goodwill and how three daughters have worn it and it's held up beautifully with tights from Target and you've found the quality of Gap clothes to have nose-dived over the last decade.

It's not so black and white. I've never, ever shopped at Boden and stopped getting hand-me downs a decade ago. I generally avoid mall stores and buy most of my children's clothes (ages 14, 10 and 7) at Target, Sports Authority, Old Navy and Aerie/Abercrombie (I know, mall) with occasional trips to TJ Maxx/Marshalls and tax-free outlet shopping in Delaware. I also score some true bargains at thrift stores but I am very, very choosy.

I do not consider myself cheap, just a savvy shopper. I'd rather buy my son his beloved Nike tee shirts from the $7 clearance rack at SA than full price at Macy's. I am a huge clearance-rack shopper and bargain hunter.

You put Target and the Dollar Store in the same category?

To me, here's the difference:

Thrifty:
- buy from Boden, Tea Collection or Hanna on sale
-buy from above w/ a Friends & Family discount
- receive hand-me-downs from older cousins/friends that are in good shape

Cheap:
- receive hand-me-downs in bad shape
- shop at Dollar Store, Target, Goodwill

Now I'm sure sixteen of you will chime in to brag about the Hanna Anderson $84 dress you found at Goodwill and how three daughters have worn it and it's held up beautifully with tights from Target and you've found the quality of Gap clothes to have nose-dived over the last decade.

Anonymous wrote:Be grateful that they're not losing them!

I was the kind of kid to whom the expression "you'd lose your head if it wasn't attached to your neck!" applied.

LOL! No, they hold on to stuff pretty well because I threaten to send lunches to school in paper sacks and books in Giant Food plastic grocery bags. Its just that everything has a tear or broken zipper my now. Yes, they are boys. I'm the 5th girl in my family so I expected hand me downs would survive the second kid at least.

Thanks for reassuring me.

Be grateful that they're not losing them!

I was the kind of kid to whom the expression "you'd lose your head if it wasn't attached to your neck!" applied.

Call it what you want - we don't have the money to buy everything new. So we definitely buy second hand.

Anonymous wrote:I find that as my kids get older, they're rougher with their stuff. Lunch bags get banged around; backpacks get dragged; pants split at the knees or get stained; shirts are stretched out; shoes really do get worn out... I recommend darning or otherwise salvaging what you can, and replacing what you can't. And have one or two "nice outfits" that the kids can't wear except for mostly-clean occasions.

Do you have boys?
My experience is quite the opposite, as my DD gets older, her stuff holds up longer.

I find that as my kids get older, they're rougher with their stuff. Lunch bags get banged around; backpacks get dragged; pants split at the knees or get stained; shirts are stretched out; shoes really do get worn out... I recommend darning or otherwise salvaging what you can, and replacing what you can't. And have one or two "nice outfits" that the kids can't wear except for mostly-clean occasions.

I'm too lazy to be an extreme couponer or to DIY much, but I do love saving money. we shopped at thrift stores and dollar stores for Back to School in August. To my disgust, I am replacing several key items (khakis, backpacks, lunch boxes) in mid-May because they wore out or were destroyed. So am I being too cheap?