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(KNOXVILLE, Tenn.) – Most families will spend $400 or more on clothes per child, and many will spend the bulk of that amount in the next few weeks during the 'back to school' frenzy.

In 2005 the USDA estimated that expenditures on clothing for one child, aged 6-8, by a husband/wife family with an average household income of $57,400 averaged $440. This expenditure increased as the kids get older: for children ages 9-11, it averaged $490, and for adolescents ages 12-14, annual clothing expenditures averaged $820. Clothing costs for youth aged 15-17 came to a whopping $730.

University of Tennessee Extension family economist Ann Berry says a little forethought can help budget-minded parents ease the back-to-school impact on their wallets. She offers these tips for stretching clothing dollars:

• Examine your child's school clothes from last year. Do they still fit? Are they in good shape (free of stains, holes, etc.)? Reuse what you can.
  
• Make a list of what you need to purchase for each child before heading to the store. Consider making this list monthly, since you probably should not purchase everything at one time. This allows for the total dollars spent on clothing to be allocated over the year rather than spending several hundred dollars for clothing up front. For example, if your child's school requires uniforms, you may want to focus on short sleeve shirts and shorts/skirts for the first two months, then add long pants and sweat shirts and sweat pants as the weather gets cooler.
  
• If your budget permits, have enough tops and bottoms for each child so that you only have to wash once during the week and on the weekend. If you have to launder daily, it will cost you more in time, electricity and water, and the garments will wear out quicker.
  
• If you have a choice, select tops that are darker-colored or that can be bleached. Art projects have ruined many white shirts!
  
• If shopping for uniforms, keep in mind that some stores offer discounts during the summer, usually 10-20 percent off the regular retail price. Also, some schools will have used uniforms for either purchase or trade-ins.
  
• Add outer garments to your budget. Try to keep this expenditure low because the cost per wearing could be high. These garments are not worn as often as other school clothes.
  
• Shoes are worn daily and need to be durable and comfortable. Plan to purchase another pair or two throughout the year, due to wear and tear as well as fit.
  
• If your child has a growth spurt during the year, you will have to purchase uniforms in a larger size at some point. Put this expenditure in your yearly budget, perhaps in January.

If you can, have your child go shopping with you to get the best fit and have his/her input in the choices. Berry says back-to-school shopping can be a good time to teach children about reading care labels, selecting quality clothing, comparison shopping, and budgeting.

Tennessee is offering sales tax free shopping days August 4th, 2006. Clothing and other school supplies purchased or put on layaway these days will be exempt from sales taxes. A complete list of qualifying items can be found at http://state.tn.us/revenue/salestaxholiday

For more information on family finances, visit the Family and Consumer Sciences website at http://www.utextension.utk.edu/fcs or contact your local county UT Extension office.

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Contact: Dr. Ann Berry, (865) 974-8745