6 Frugal Name Brand Shopping Tips

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We just love Gymboree (and Crazy 8) around here.

I will not lie, with my first daughter

I enjoyed buying customs and boutique style clothes for her,

but now with three very active and busy kids who

prefer being comfy and playing for hours outside,

I do not have the time (to shop or launder) or the funds

for the frilly looks. ..

especially the double outfits for the sister look!

 (I will keep buying those  until they just flat out refuse to wear them.)

Plus, my tastes have changed or

maybe it is just their personalities!

At any rate, we love our Gymbo clothes and

 I get asked all the time "where did you get that?"

Which is quickly followed by,

"but their stuff is so pricey!"

We are a proud debt free, single income family...

so, I have learned a few tricks for

dressing my kiddos in their crazy, cute Gymboree

 and other name brand attire.

 

So here are my best tips for shopping frugal

 for name brand clothes...

Keep in mind these tips will also work for

 Gap, H & M, Carter's

 and other name brands as well.

 #1: Know Your Store

It pays (literally) to know the ends and outs
 of your favorite store.

For example, I live 15 minutes
 from a Gymboree outlet store.

The outlet may or may not have the same sale

 you see on line or in a regular retail store. 

Gymboree outlets, also offer completely

 different lines than the retail store.

  I even discovered that if you see six orange dots on a tag...

 it is from the outlet, not the retail store! 

Also, brush up on their sales.

I started doing this by just receiving their emails,

and pretty soon I started tracking them.

For example...Crazy 8 has had a blue jean sale

 near back to school time for $8.88.

 (photo credit ameblo.jp)

Also, know their "rewards program" 

 Gymboree has both a reward card,

but even better you can earn GYMBUCKS!

I almost always only shop retail (or outlet)

 when I can either earn or spend GYMBUCKS!

This is my most recent purchase with GYMBUCKS.

My MIL bought the kids a each an outfit

before Christmas and earned 50 GYMBUCKS,

which she kindly shared with me.

I spent $100 at the outlet, but with my GYMBUCKS

I only paid $50.  Can you believe that got us...

two dresses, 6 shirts, 3 shorts, a skirt,

a pair of shorts, and a gumball bracelet!

 (Gap also has a similar program, as well as Carter's!)

 

#2: EBay

Now, I know this is not a news flash,

but if you have not been on EBay for

 name brand children's clothes lately,

 you have to take a look!

 

Every year we go to a strawberry farm,

and I just love taking pretty photos of the kids

picking the berries and playing on the farm.

This outfit above was an EBay purchase

for Molly to wear this spring when we go.

 

Here is what I did to find this...

First, I searched Gymbohaven.com

for their strawberry lines.

 Then I searched the specific line and size on Ebay.

I also, refine my search to "auction" and

 "time ending soonest".

I will then add items that are in

 EUC (excellent Used Condition) to my watch list. 

I am also, careful to look at the posted shipping cost.

For the strawberry outfit (that looks brand new)

I paid $3.00 and about the same to ship.

 

 

You may not realize that there are hundreds of listings

for brand new with tags (NWT) items on Ebay.

The above picture is Addy's birthday outfit.

It is from an old Gymboree line.

The socks and hat were "new with tags",

and the skirt and top were "excellent used condition".

 

I never could have found such an adorable outfit

 with all those pieces, for the price I paid on EBay...

much less something as adorable and

appropriate for her Art Party!!

 

If you have tried to find nice, good quality clothes

 for big boys (Mike is a 7/8) then you know even Target

doesn't cut it.  This handsome Gymboree sweater was

one in a lot of four Gymboree sweaters. 

I paid $22 for the lot... that included shipping!

#3 Garage Sale Sites

My third tip is to search out some garage sale sites.

My particular favorite is VarageSale.com

This site works for me because the mommies

 in my town created a page on it.

We have well over 2,000 members.

There are also many other garage sale pages on Facebook...

do a search or ask some local friends to

 add you to the pages they are on.

I was thrilled to get these two Gymboree tops

on my local VarageSale page.

They came with four pair of target shorts

 and some MUDD sandals.

All for $12!!

 

The condition said VGUC...

but I would add another VERY

in front... what a steal!

 

#4 Flash Sales

Eeek... this is my favorite way to shop!

I can't believe I did not know these

Face Book groups existed a year ago.

 

So here is how a flash sale site works... basically.

Members, can simply host a quick sale of there "stock"

by posting an opening photo.  Usually it is of a pile of clothes

or a photo of their own child wearing an adorable out fit.

 

They will often let you know

when the sale will begin, what sizes, the seasons,

and maybe the lines of the clothes that will be included.

Most also including how they will handle the shipping cost.

At this point, you can choose to follow the sale by

 adding a comment or

selecting "get notifications" at the top of the post.

 

When the sale begins, the seller will simply

add photos to the comments.

Each photo will include a number and

a listing of condition, size, and cost.

If you see something you like, you add a comment saying

 the number and "SOLD" with your email address.

At the end of the sale, the seller will email you

 an invoice from PayPal.

Then faster than retail shipping,

 you will get your clothes in the mail!

 

It really is as fun as it sounds

and I have made some pretty great scores.

The last two photos are of my latest flash sale purchases.

A few of the groups I am in are

 Gymboree Flash Sales, Vintage Gymboree,

 Vintage Gymboree 2, Gymbo Addicts...

They have these for Carters, Gap, and H & M as well.

There are even a few that do general brand sales!

Just search for the brand and "flash sale". 

Once you get into one group you will find out about more!

Another plus to these Face Book pages,

is that you can also search "In Search Of" posts. (ISO)

This precious sweater on Molly was one I found this way.

Adelyn had the same one, but I gave it away thinking we were done having babies.

As soon as I found out we were having another girl,

 I started re-buying favorite pieces.

(This outfit is from The Gap not Gymboree)

 

#5 Just ASK

Another great way to get name brand clothes for free

 or more affordably is to just ask for hand-me-downs.

We are so blessed to get passed lots of cute clothes this way.

I have also traded and bought Gymboree outfits from friends.

(photo credit Gymboree.com)

 

We all have a friend or two whose children

 are often seen in Face Book photos

 or in real life wearing the style of clothes we love.

Several times, I have just private messaged 

my friends offering to purchase an outfit or two

 when they are done with them.

Some just laugh me off, but some are more than willing

 to box up a few out fits and mail them to me for a small price.

Personally, I like doing this with my favorite pieces because

I get so much joy in seeing a friends baby wearing some

 old favorites that my girls wore!

 

#6 Burlington Coat Factory

I am not sure how they do it, but Burlington Coat Factory

 will have some Gymboree in stock.

Yup, new with tags Gymbo at great prices!

I have also found several Carter's brand

 clothes at TJMaxx and Marshall's.

It is like a treasure hunt!

 

So there they are, my tips for buying Gymboree or

 other name brand clothes for great prices.

I just love these two fall sweaters

 I bought second hand for my girls.

Retail they would have cost $50 or $60 for both...

and really Addy's sweater couldn't be bought retail

 because it was from an old line....

Molly's dress was $8 and Addy's sweater was $10,

add in shipping and I paid less than $25 for these sweaters!

Best of all I will save Addy's for Molly some day,

and sell Molly's to recoup some money back!

 

WIN! WIN!

I would love to add to my treasure chest of tips...

Let me know in the comments if you shop in a similar fashion

 or have another tip I can use!