Finding Inexpensive School Uniforms

Ah, the joys of school uniforms. They provide a nice, clean look for students and eliminate the whole "I'm not going to wear THAT!" battle that often ensues after morning corn flakes are munched away and the coffee is poured. Even more beneficial, they make it hard to tell which kids have parents willing to shell out the big bucks for top-dollar duds, or those (like mine) who think spending full-price at Wal-Mart is a splurge. And what parent hasn't added a little skip to his step at the idea of actually saving money by purchasing school uniforms? After all, students in schools that don't allow for wardrobe diversion don't need as many items of clothing. High-dollar jock-themed sports shoes, rock t-shirts, and expensive blinged out jeans aren't required. That penny jar on the counter just has to fill up, right?

Wrong.

Unless your school has a fairly loose dress code, or the school uniforms required only entail something simple (like collared shirts and kakhi pants), sending your little student to school can add up quickly, especially if you have a girl. I was shocked when I began shopping for my oldest daughter's required clothing. Shirts easily cost $20, jumpers (from the well-respected suppllier, Parker Uniform) averaged $80. That didn't inlcude the navy cardigan, requried sweatshirt for physical education class, or shoes. My son's items were going to be a bit less-expensive, but that brought little relief to my stressed-out wallet. Then I did a little comparative shopping--and the results were amazing. What I learned about finding inexpensive school uniforms saved my hundreds of dollars--and can help you, as well.