Plan ahead! Never buy in season, as you will pay so much more that way. Always buy clothes at the end of the season, as that is when they will be on their biggest sale. Stores will clearance them out, which means HUGE savings for you. If you are buying for children, think ahead. If you have a little one that is in a 4T and you are buying clothes that are on clearance from summer, then try to think what they will be wearing by next spring/fall--most likely you will need to buy 5T. Obviously, if you are needing clothes right now for your little one, this won't work. In that case I would suggest checking out your second hand stores. You can sometimes find clothes with tags still on them for a fraction of the cost. If you are in the summer months, stock up at yard sales! A lot of clothes will be in great condition and as low as .25 cents a shirt or pant. You can also get some great play clothes that way.

If you are needing underclothing and socks then you should try to search ads online; Kohls, Sears, Wal-Mart, Meijer, Target, T.J. Maxx, Burlington Coat Factory-someone is bound to have what you need on sale. If they don't that week, wait a week if you can.

Do not pay full price for anything-even if you think you have to have it. Wait a week or two, it is very likely that it will go on sale soon. Another great tip is to check online for store coupons. Sometimes you can find 15% off coupons for doing a quick online survey or even $10 off coupons in the mail. This past week I have received coupons for $10 off a purchase of $10 or more from two different stores. That is $20 in clothing or housewares, for free!!

Remember that with children, they grow out of those novelty items very fast. Before you buy something, think of how long it is really going to last before you will need to replace it with another size. A great example is shoes. While you should most definitely buy the best shoes that work for your child's feet, to be sure they can walk ok without hurting their foot growth, you should also keep in mind that those Nike size 2 infant shoes are only going to be worn 3-6 months and probably not even walked in. Is it really worth spending $30 on them? Is that practical? Probably not. Check out your favorite superstore and you will probably be able to find some equally cute shoes for a third of the price.

Speaking of shoes, be sure to look online for coupons for your favorite shoe stores! Check your phone book for shoe outlets near you and check those first for what you need, before you hit the pricey department and specialty stores. Sign up for any free rewards programs you can and most times you will get a great coupon for your birthday. I went one time with $30 worth of coupons (1 from my b-day & another just from a mailer) around my birthday and walked out with a brand new pair of shoes for free!