Trends come and go almost as fast as your children out grow their clothes!  With so much changing it’s hard to justify buying your kids pricey, trendy items that will get limited wear.  For me, picking out children’s clothes is about three things: versatility, wearability, and affordability.  I want pieces that mix and match for different looks, I want something that the kids want to wear and are comfortable in, and finally I don’t want to break the bank on clothes that wont fit them in a month.  Following those three key rules, here are two fun outfits for fall!

My go-to place for affordable and adorable children’s clothes is the Children’s Place and you can find all of the items in these two outfits there.  Keep in mind that these specific pieces are just ideas, if you have a go-to store, tell us about it in the comment section below!

For girls I started out with a great sequined sweater dress and some adorable black leggings with rows of sequins down the side.  Since most of little girls I know love two things, sparkles and the color pink, I thought why not give them both?  They have their whole lives to dress with “understated elegance”. This is the age where they get to match sequins with more sequins and feel like a total pop star!  Since the weather is starting to cool off, I added a dark wash jean jacket.  There are few pieces more versatile in a child’s wardrobe than a good denim jacket and it works nicely to balance out the bolder aspects of this outfit.  Next I added some basic wear-everywhere black boots with a fun bow detail on the back.  And finally, a cute bow headband finishes the look and makes taming wild hair a bit easier!  Not only is this outfit super comfy, but it’s also affordable and can be mixed and matched with your child’s other clothes!

For boys I decided to play with layering.  While I know that many adults are intimidated by layering, I am determined to prove that it is so much easier than people think!  Here is my no-fail formula. Start with a tee shirt.  I chose this fun “rock star” shirt from Children’s Place but your son’s favorite tee shirt will do!  Next, pick a button down shirt with similar colors.  I understand that trying to get a boy to stand still long enough to get all the buttons secured takes a great deal of talent, but you can let out a sigh of relief because with this look you get to leave the shirt unbuttoned! Yay! Then throw on a great utility jacket like this military inspired one.  The great thing about all of these pieces is that they can also be worn separately.  The tee shirt would be great for a play date, the button-down can be paired with khakis for a more formal event and this jacket could take you from fall all the way to spring.  Lastly, I finished the look with a pair of neutral cargo pants and cute grey sneakers and voila!, just like that you have a trendy outfit that looks straight out of a magazine! 

Product Info:  All products from ChildrensPlace.com

The post Shop Smarter for Your Children This Fall appeared first on AKAMom Magazine.

Beyond Couponing shows people how to do more with less 

“Budget Meals, Inc. and Beyond Couponing take to heart the ancient proverb ‘Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime.'” – Carol Scudere, author of Beyond Couponing

Did you know that most people on food assistance run out of money by the 3^rdweek of the month, because they do not know how to properly grocery shop or even cook?

Your grandmother never heard of Campbell’s soup, frozen pizza, Windex or McDonald’s yet because we are all so busy the name of necessity was born.  However, with so many being unemployed, you need to learn that you can save up to thousands of dollars a year by making your own convenience foods and household cleaning supplies.  Our book, Beyond Couponing will show you how and will also supply you with hundreds of recipes that your family and friends will devour.

Carol founded the charitable organization, Budget Meals, Inc. over two years ago and started presenting free classes to churches, food pantries, and the like, so that people could learn these “old fashion” but much-needed skills. Her new book,Beyond Couponing, grew out of those classes and shows readers that saving money on grocery shopping involves more than just cutting coupons.

The book discusses the importance of developing a budget, planning a weekly menu, creating a shopping list, and stockpiling. It also offers numerous tried-and-true recipes and explains the ins-and-outs of food storage, purchasing in bulk, making your own convenience foods, stocking a food pantry at home, making your own cleaning supplies, and much more.

Carol comments, “These are life skills and habits that people need. I feel compelled to help those families who face a radical loss of income due to job loss or the replacement of a well-paying job with one where the ends no longer meet, or for anyone who wishes to stretch their food dollar while improving their nutrition and the quality of their food.”

You will find that once you start using this book, that it will have a permanent place on your kitchen book shelf…the reference book you will never want to be without.

Get your copy today at www.beyondcouponing.com

FOR EVERY BOOK DONATION, BUDGET MEALS WILL PROVIDE A FREE BOOK TO A NEEDY FAMILY!

Author: Carol Scudere founded Budget Meals, Inc., in 2009. For more information on this 501(c) 3 non-profit organization, visit www.budget-meals.org

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