How To Save Money On Childrens Shoes

HOW TO SAVE MONEY ON KIDS' SHOES

The most important item in a child's wardrobe is shoes.  I say that without hesitation because improperly fitting shoes can lead to foot problems early on or later in life that are irreversible. 

If you're going to spend top dollar on anything for your child, make sure that you spend it on shoes. 

Don't do hand me downs with shoes because every child's feet are different and you again can cause serious permanent damage to a child's growing feet by having them in improperly fit shoes.  Unless they are over-boots or something that can't be molded by someone else's feet, don't do it.  Don't swap shoes with other people.....just don't do it! 

That being said, there are still many ways that you can save money on your kids' shoes. 

Always get the best pair you can get for the best price, but again - don't scrimp on shoes.

TIPS ON SAVING MONEY ON SHOES FOR CHILDREN

Shop online. This seems to be the best place to buy just about anything. But only buy new shoes. Shop eBay, Craigslist, Amazon, and other websites to get great prices on shoes. The best thing to do is have your child fit at a regular department store or shoe store, note the size and width of the shoe and then even get the item number. Then go to work on the internet and start trying to find the best price.  Just make sure there is nothing wrong with the shoes, as in seconds.  You want the same shoe and in the same condition as an in-store pair.

Look for manufacturer coupons on their website or rebates. They do happen! Even email shoe companies on their websites and ask if there are any promotions they are having to save you money. Everyone's trying to save money these days so it's not out of line to try and get the rock bottom price for anything.

Shop shoe discount stores. There are many top quality brands of shoes at discount shoe stores. Again though, make sure that a proper fit is taken into account before purchasing. Just because they look great doesn't mean they're the best shoe for your child's foot. Or if the color's wrong but the fit is great....oh well. Try and coordinate his or her clothing to go with the shoes if they're a super deal. Most important though is the fit. Always inquire as well about 2-for-1 deals or half off a second pair if you buy one pair. Over time, you can save a lot of money but don't buy too many pairs of shoes knowing that your child will soon outgrow them. That can be a waste of money instead of a savings.

Shop sales and save in-store coupons. Make sure that the sale is really a sale though. Sometimes a store will offer a 10% off deal on a pair of shoes. I suppose that is a sale but wouldn't 30% or 40% off be far more attractive? If you wait, it will come. Eventually everything goes on sale. Knowing the cycles of a store helps too.  For instance if Macys has its big shoe sale this month or its boot sale that month.  Plan and budget around that and then go for it! If you have coupons or percentages off, keep those and make sure you use them during sale times to get even more savings.

YOU CAN SAVE MONEY ON KIDS SHOES!

Request gift cards or shoe gifts.  Sometimes when things are tight, it doesn't hurt to ask an aunt or a grandparent to give a gift card you can use at the shoe store or the department store where you need to buy shoes instead of a toy.  Maybe it's not as exciting but it is far more important for a child to have good shoes than a new toy.  My mom always bought my kids one pair of shoes before each school year.  That was just her way of helping out and doing something good for them.  It was a welcome gift and my kids always loved going shoe shopping with grandma because she would even look at the shoes that weren't on sale!

Name brands are name brands.  Don't forget stores like Target or Walmart to buy kids' shoes.  If the shoes are of good quality and they're cheaper, do it!  As in anything you buy, you should always compare prices anywhere and everywhere and get the best deal.  Sign up for email newsletters to get advance warning on sales.  Sometimes you can also hit a promotional code for online shopping this way too and save big bucks!

Look for rewards programs on shoes.  Stores like Designer Shoe Warehouse or Famous Footwear offer rewards programs so when you're buying shoes, you're also earning rewards to be used when you buy shoes in the future.  Just ask to see the fine print or search it out.  For instance, some rewards and discount programs only apply to regularly priced merchandise which doesn't really qualify in my book as savings.  The discounts should be on anything you purchase or it probably isn't the value you're thinking it is.

Clearance bargains.  Always check the clearance racks....even for kids' shoes.  You can find incredible buys especially if it's at the end of the season or nearly there.  Of course weigh the amount of time that your child can wear the shoes before even buying them on super sale. Check neat places like REI for great sales at the ends of seasons!

TJ Maxx, Ross, Nordstrom Rack, etc.  These stores offer incredible bargains on everything but also on shoes. You can get some hot deals and save a bundle on shoes for the whole family. Name brands are a fantastic deal at these stores.

CUTTING CLOTHING EXPENSES AND HOW TO SAVE MONEY ON CHILDRENS SHOES

These are just a few of the ways that you can save money on kids shoes. Most importantly, only buy shoes that fit properly and that are made of good quality material. Think of it as an investment in their good health and sound body formation for the future.

Be certain to check out return policies as well in case the shoes fall apart or they just don't hold up the way they should. If they do, don't feel badly about marching them back to the store and getting your money back or at the very least, a refund or cash towards a new pair!

Especially check out online return policies to avoid throwing away money should the shoes not fit or something else is wrong with them.

Only buy new shoes for kids. It just doesn't make sense to put their feet in anything but new and properly fitting shoes. Again, it's the one item of clothing that is really important and should be the only item that you consider ever paying full or nearly full price for.

If you have more money-saving ideas on saving on kids' shoes, please leave your comments in the space provided below!