Lessons in Shopping

Jordan Page knows a thing or two about bargain shopping. The Salt Lake City-based mom has five kids under age 8, with another due this year. She shares her frugal tips and financial wisdom on her popular website (funcheaporfree.com), which she started in 2011 to chronicle how she and her husband dug their way out of crippling debt in just one year. "I started the website to share our progress, and it took off like wildfire," she says. "I quickly became a go-to everyday finance and frugal-living expert."

Page has made several guest appearances on network TV shows, including Rachael Ray, the Today Show and Good Morning America, and runs a budgeting program (budgetbootcamp.com) that includes instructional videos, practical exercises, online resources and live Q&A sessions.

Her advice for purchasing back-to-school clothing? Have your kids do the shopping. Really. “The best way to make your life easier is to teach your kids the tools they need for adulthood. And the way to get them to appreciate everything they have is to give them control and let them learn it for themselves,” she says.

Here’s how she suggests you do it:

• Set a reasonable budget. Page admits this can be tricky and depends on the cost of living in your area. In general, she recommends $75 to $150 for an elementary-age child, $100 to $200 for a middle schooler and $200 to $250 for a high school student.
• Give your child cash in an envelope.
• Provide a detailed list of the items your child needs to purchase. For example: two pair of jeans, two pair of shoes, six shirts, one jacket, etc.
• Drive them to the mall and let them shop. If your kids are too young to shop by themselves, then accompany them, but ultimately let them make the final decision on what they purchase. "By 8 years old they should be able to make most of their decisions, with some guided help from you," Page says. "By 12 years old they should be 100 percent capable of buying 100 percent of their own stuff."

Ultimately, Page adds, this is a life lesson as well as a financial one. “If they lose the money, buy something that doesn’t fit, buy things they don’t need, blow it all on video games or buy things that they decide they don’t like one month later, tough luck. Just say ‘Oh, well, we’ll try again next year.’ Don’t give in. Don’t bail them out. Don’t give them more money. Don’t return the items for them and buy better things.”

This may seem radical, but Page stresses that it’s worth it. “You are doing your kids no favors by giving them everything they want — regardless of their age. Delayed gratification and patience are the two major things our new generations are lacking (my generation included). … Your kids will not die if they don’t have all the hippest and greatest right now.”

WSBTV