How Much Money Do Parents Spend on Their Kids' Clothes?

Averages

• Parents spend an average of six percent of their child-rearing expenditures on clothing for their kids from birth to age 17, reported the U.S. Department of Agriculture in 2011. This percentage varies depending on how many children are in the household and the salary of a child̵7;s parents. Single parenting versus a two parent situation also influences how much money is spent on a child̵7;s clothing.

Age

• Your newborn doesn̵7;t care what he̵7;s wearing, but your teenager probably has vocal opinions about what he̵7;s willing to put on. The amount of money that parents spend on their children̵7;s clothing tends to increase as the kids get older. This might be because parents make more money as the years go by, but it's also likely due to older kids having a say in what clothes they̵7;ll wear, which is often designer and trendy items that peers are wearing. Parents with multiple children tend to spend similar amounts on each, though younger kids often get older siblings hand-me-downs as well.

Income

• Parents with higher income brackets tend to spend more on clothing than parents with less money. In other cases, parents, even those without a lot of disposable income, are often more willing to shell out for accessories and clothing to keep up with other parents, according a BBC News Magazine report from May 2011. When parents with more money spend it on fashionable and expensive clothing, children from lower-income families put the pressure on parents to buy them the same items, even if it̵7;s not in the budget. Many parents give in as they don̵7;t want their kids to be left out or treated differently due to their financial situation. Another factor is parents who feel that their children are a statement of themselves, notes parenting expert and sociologist Frank Furedi. Parents who worry that a child dressed in cheap or used clothing reflects poorly on them are more willing to shell out for expensive clothing.

Type of Clothes

• Parents who share clothing among siblings, friends or cousins can save big bucks and are able to dress their kids in trendy items without spending the money. Buying second hand is another choice parents make to save money. Because young kids outgrow their clothes so quickly, you can find quality items in thrift stores to satisfy your kids̵7; need for the latest threads without suffering the hit to your checkbook. Hand-me-downs are also an easy way to invest in more expensive items that several of your children can wear before you pass them on.