Author Topic: How do you manage the cost of kid's shoes?  (Read 10722 times)

mm1970

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Re: How do you manage the cost of kid's shoes?
« Reply #50 on: April 10, 2018, 02:22:45 PM »
I hate shoes.

One year's worth of my son's shoes (he is 5):
-snow boots
-rain boots
-indoor shoes for school (must stay there)
-indoor shoes for daycare (must stay there)
-outdoor sneakers (for biking and outdoor sports)
-sport sandals
-flip flops or crocs (because one pair of sandals in the summer is not enough when they get wet!)

He also stuffed his feet into too small shoes for church.  I was not buying another pair of shoes for 1 hour a week.

He also has hockey skates and will want soccer cleats...I think I will put my foot down (ha) on that one.
My 5 yo has one pair of shoes.

Actually, we just bought him a pair of fake crocs this weekend.  Make that two.

joonifloofeefloo

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Re: How do you manage the cost of kid's shoes?
« Reply #51 on: April 10, 2018, 05:08:02 PM »
Ugh, I remember that stage, PharmaStache! I hated that too.

In my mind, my kid needs two pairs of footwear:
*rain/snow/cold weather boots
*runners

But, school wanted an "indoor pair" there, plus "nonmarking gym shoes" that stay there, then the rec centre wanted another pair, and after-school care wanted another pair. Six pairs per growing child????? And almost none were ever used!! No wonder there were so many great options at our thrifts!

When I realized they went unused, I just left the too-small or discarded ones there long term. No one needed them to fit -just to actually be physically present. Since then I've been replacing only the two sets he uses, as he grows out of each.

Mikila

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Re: How do you manage the cost of kid's shoes?
« Reply #52 on: April 24, 2018, 06:05:20 PM »
Well,
I have 3 strategies
1. Buy leather, real leather, not those ones with mesh over the toes because my DS always put a hole there the first week
2. Buy sales and/or buy them with my Amazon card points
3. Buy them big.  1 size -1.5 sizes.  This is how I grew up and my feet are fine.

We have had good luck with Saucony, New Balance, and Sketchers shoes- and bad luck, too.  I have learned that they MUST be leather.  It holds up so much better.  My son's current shoes are like these.
https://www.amazon.com/New-Balance-MX608v4-Training-Black/dp/B00IYAWH4U/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1524614577&sr=8-1&keywords=men%27s+training+shoes+leather#customerReviews

afox

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Re: How do you manage the cost of kid's shoes?
« Reply #53 on: May 07, 2018, 03:38:37 PM »
excuse me if this technique has already been mentioned, i didnt read all the posts:
when i was a kid my shrewd and thrify parents would put my worst sneakers on me every time id visit grandparents, shoes with holes that didnt fit.  Grandma would freak and immediately take me shoe shopping. 

When I needed gloves in the winter my mom sent me to the lost and found and said go up there and tell them you lost your black gloves and pick some new ones out.


joonifloofeefloo

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Re: How do you manage the cost of kid's shoes?
« Reply #54 on: May 07, 2018, 11:15:57 PM »
hahahahahahahahaha!!!!!!!!!!!!

gpyros85

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Re: How do you manage the cost of kid's shoes?
« Reply #55 on: May 28, 2018, 05:38:21 PM »
This sounds crazy, my wife has a DSW credit card with the rewards points, she also searches the DSW clearance rake for Nike & New Balance shoes (Both shoes we think are good quality). the clearance price for our 8 year old is around $25, for our 4 year old they are listed clearance around $15-20. With the DSW credit card and member they are always advertising $10 of of $40? or $35? Well we typically purcahse 2-3 pairs. Then DWS credit card gives 10 points for every dollar spent, at 1500 points it is another $10 off. So we are purchasing like 3-4 pair for like $40-$60.

I have had to slow my wife down because she has been spotting shoes for $8-$10 on clearance and purchasing. We have TO many shoes now!!

P.S. we tried the rack room deal (Which is horrible), Nike factory outlet, Payless (Which is very low quality shoe for high price).

$andra

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Re: How do you manage the cost of kid's shoes?
« Reply #56 on: May 28, 2018, 08:56:02 PM »
I second keen sandals, which I try to find at consignment sales, thrift stores, or through Facebook marketplace. Or as a last resort, at REI when they offer 20% off one item. They last through multiple kids and are machine-washable. Crocs last through multiple kids, too.

We also provide rain boots (we walk in all kinds of weather to and from school) and snow boots (same) that I try to buy in gender-neutral colors so they can be passed down. Right before school starts we get sneakers (required for school, I try hard to find something with a textured, grippy bottom that works for hiking and outdoor play, not a slick gymnasium shoe), and soccer cleats ($20 at Dick's Sporting Goods, $35 when we got to adult sizes). I try to find all of the above used when I can, and will buy several sizes in advance. We've occasionally found cleats or sneakers at Ross/Marshall's/Burlington Coat Factory.

For girls, I've found some $8-$12 bargains on clearance at Target. Ask when their seasonal shoe clearances are, and buy ahead. They keys for little girls are colored sneakers, black dress shoes (white looks trashed right away), and a fancy pair of crocs that can be dressed up or down.

If you have higher quality shoes like keens, boots, or cleats with some life left in them, try to resell them for $10. Facebook marketplace has been my best avenue for that, although it may take a couple weeks.

Hula Hoop

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Re: How do you manage the cost of kid's shoes?
« Reply #57 on: May 28, 2018, 09:11:20 PM »
Keens are incredibly wide though.  Both my kids have inherited my narrow feet so keens dont' work for us. 

Poundwise

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Re: How do you manage the cost of kid's shoes?
« Reply #58 on: May 29, 2018, 06:15:20 AM »
Soccer cleats: we spent $80 on a pair of cleats several years ago. Luckily, the youth league has a cleat swap twice a year so that was the last money we ever spent on cleats.

TrMama

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Re: How do you manage the cost of kid's shoes?
« Reply #59 on: May 29, 2018, 12:57:00 PM »
Keens are incredibly wide though.  Both my kids have inherited my narrow feet so keens dont' work for us.

But that's a feature! I have wide feet and just discovered regular width Keen's fit me. Currently wearing Keen hikers bought off the clearance rack at DSW. They make my feet AND back feel better. I didn't even have to go to the expensive specialty shoe store for them.

RachelM

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Re: How do you manage the cost of kid's shoes?
« Reply #60 on: June 01, 2018, 08:42:43 PM »
Lots of great ideas in this thread!

About those expensive specialty shoe stores... If you have a store in your area that actually fits shoes to kids, that REALLY helps you get the most use out of them.

I found this out on accident because my son has super chunky, wide feet and we wasted a lot of money trying to find cheap shoes that fit. Finally, we went to a children's shoe store. We've paid $50–$60 a pair, which KILLS me to spend on toddler sneakers... but he wears the one pair (plus sandals in the summer), and they've lasted 6+ months because they were fit correctly.

I think it's worth it to spend the upcharge at the store to be sure you're getting the right fit - both for the sake of their feet AND so that you know you're getting the absolute right size.

I thrift most of my kids' clothes, but I think buying high-quality shoes makes the most financial sense. We spend more on shoes for each size than the entire rest of his clothing.

MsPeacock

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Re: How do you manage the cost of kid's shoes?
« Reply #61 on: June 02, 2018, 07:03:21 PM »
My boys usually just wear sneakers and have one pair of flip flops for the summer. I usually take them to the outlet mall to look for shoes. The Nike outlet has a clearance section and we can find shoes for less than $50 that they are happy with. The shoes last long enough to be outgrown. (My 11 year old went from a 9 1/2 mens shoe to a 10 1/2 mens shoe in the past 5 months.....). SNow boots with make-do with a mix of old boots, thrift, hand-me-downs, and finding boots on clearance on Amazon.