Back to School Shopping: Tips to Save Money on School Uniforms

If you have a child who wears a school uniform you know that the hunt to find the best prices on school uniforms is both exhilarating and challenging.   Sometimes the best deal is to spend your money on clothes that will last (quality is often King), but young kids grow so quickly that sometimes purchasing the cheapest uniform is the way to go.

Tips and Tricks to Save Money on School Uniforms

1) Look for stores that offer a guarantee.  Lands End and Sears have high quality clothing with a money back guarantee. They will return your item of clothing even it has been monogrammed.  I have a friend who has boys…and those boys wear holes in their pants.  She has successfully exchanged their uniform pants on several different occasions.

2) Shop at stores near you. Many local stores carry uniforms since they are a requirement at many schools.  When you shop at local stores you are able to try your items on before buying them, which means you will have all the right sizes and will not need to worry about returning or exchanging.  Consider purchasing discounted gift cards before you shop to save even more!

• Land’s End has a high quality guarantee and even offers school logo promotions where you can get your logo for free.
• Costco carries uniform pieces….seasonally.  Check in the late summer to see what sort of selection they have.
• Children’s Place has a large selection of school uniform pieces. By searching online you can almost always find a printable coupon to save a certain percentage off your total purchase.
• Old Navy has a great selection of uniforms as well. Watch the Old Navy Facebook page for coupons to bring your total lower.  Call your store and ask if they have a texting coupon before you shop.  Many times the stores will have a $5/$35 when you sign up for text messages but it can take 24-48 hours to receive this coupon.
• Target’s uniform section has gotten larger over the years. They carry all the basic uniform pieces. Don’t forget to use Target’s Cartwheel app!  
• Walmart also carries school uniforms.
• Check your consignment and thrift stores.  Our local Kid to Kid stores often have uniform pieces.

3) Shop at national retailers online and use a cash back site like Ebates. What is Ebates you ask? When you shop through Ebates you type in the online store you are shopping at and you will see the percent that you will save off your order.  Click the link to start shopping. You will receive that certain percentage back into your Ebates account. Each quarter Ebates mails Big Fat Checks when your account has a balance of $5.01 or more. Over the past X years I have received quite a bit of money from Ebates for my online purchases. You can even use online coupon codes with Ebates. Sign up through Ebates now and you will get a $10 bonus.   Mr. Rebates, or TopCashback are the other cash back portals I use regularly.

4) Look for discounted uniform basics at ThredUp and Schoola.  These sites are likely to have plain polos at a fraction of the full price.  Sign up for ThredUp and you will receive a free $10 credit.  Schoola currently has a free $25 promotion with free shipping.  That’s a MUST DO right there (even if it’s for fun clothes and not uniform clothing, you should check them out.  I have been very happy with every order I have placed).

5) Host a Uniform Exchange.  Organize a school uniform exchange at your school.  People can bring in the clothes their children have outgrown to swap for a different size.  If it is not possible to host a uniform exchange then check Craigslist to see if anyone in your area is selling their old uniform at a bargain price.

6) Choose darker colors.  Schools often allow a few color choices in their uniforms.  Choose the darker colors to last longer.  As cute as yellow is….you can see all the stains.  Black, dark blue, navy, brown, and deep purple are more forgiving.

7) Hit the sales rack and think about the future.  Polos and khaki pants go on sale often.  Grab several pairs when they are on clearance and tuck them away for the future.  If possible, use a coupon on your clearance purchase!

Do you have a tip on how to save money on school uniforms?  We would love to read all about it in the comments!

See also:

Back to School Budgeting

Learn How to Save Money on Back to School Shopping and Give to Kids in Need