1. Shop end-of-summer sales. You know as well as we do that kids wear short sleeve polo shirts all year long, so hit the big summer sales and snap up discounted duds that can be worn well into fall.
2. Host a back-to-school swap. Round up a couple of other moms with kids the same gender as yours but different ages and host an annual clothes swap. You'll save a bundle.
3. Shop stores like Old Navy and others that rotate merchandise often; ask when they do markdowns so you can grab the deals. Also, if you see an item you bought in the past 14 days on sale later, you can get the difference refunded; you don't need the clothing, just the receipt.
4. Start early by stocking up on uniforms and other hard-to-find items whenever you find them, not just when school is about to start. Make a list and a budget, too, so you don't go beyond your financial means. Also, don't discount yard sales and secondhand stores. You can find better quality for better prices at Goodwill or consignment shops.
5. Don’t panic if you don’t have a full school year of clothes bought/purchased by the time the school year begins. All children need is a few outfits to get going that first week of school and you can continue to add to this over the first few weeks/months of the school year.
Sources:
Parenting.com. --
http://www.parenting.com/article/10-back-to-school-shopping-tips-that-save-money
Moneysaving mom.com
http://moneysavingmom.com/2011/08/5-tips-for-back-to-school-clothes-shopping-on-a-budget.html