How To Save Money On Spring Athletic Gear

by Lisa Ehrman · March 19, 2021

Disclosure: Affiliate links included.

Many tips for saving on athletic gear are going to be the same no matter the season. With each new season our children will have new choices for various sporting teams. Most kids have a favorite sport, but some like them all. And, adults have their favorite ways to exercise or play in a league of some sort.

When my children were younger, they loved to try all the sports that they could fit into their schedule. We were always having to buy new gear: outfits, socks, shoes, helmets, hats, etc. This can get very expensive! Let’s look for some ways that can help us to outfit our kids and ourselves for less money.

Children grow so fast and need new gear very often. For that reason, I was willing to buy some of their gear used. Many sports leagues have parent groups to join. These are great for many reasons. You can find carpool options for those days when you just can’t drive kids to the game. We all have to serve our time as the snack-mom. Often, there is a uniform-swap or sales opportunity. Because kids barely use some of the items, selling them down the line can really help parents to save a ton of money.

How to Save Money on Spring Athletic Gear

For athletic clothing, socks, and shoes you will save a lot of money by checking for sales. After you check Craigslist and your local thrift stores, it’s time to check your local store sales and online shopping. Look for used gear online. Athletic shoes are different, in most cases. I liked to get them new and the best quality pair I could afford. This is especially helpful for children as they grow to have a good-fitting and supportive shoe. Even though they outgrow them often, I’m concerned about the affect that shoes have on the back and legs.

Look for clearance sales in stores and online. Shoes may just be last year’s model or in a color that wasn’t as popular. This is especially true in adult sizes. My child played a lot of tennis tournaments in high school and wore out her shoes quickly. Every three months, she needed a new pair. We found websites that had great deals on the same shoe in various colors. Because she wasn’t particular about that, we always were able to get good-quality shoes for at least half off the retail price.

If you’re looking for something for a very young child, it’s easy to find a children’s store that sells used clothing. They’ll have a big stock of children’s tap shoes, cleats, baseball gloves, and more. We often purchased things for very young children. Each season I would arrive at the consignment store to sell what I no longer needed. Then, I would purchase many items for my growing children.

Sales are wonderful. I love rebates even more! Shopping through cash-back apps is just free money. Don’t miss out on your cash back. It’s so easy to get. Rakuten is my favorite. They have a huge list of stores that participate in cash back programs. It’s so easy to have their extension button on your computer. It will automatically pop up when you’re shopping online and offer you the cash-back option. All you need to do is go through their website in order to get the money.

If you want athletic equipment, you’ll soon learn that it’s very expensive. If you buy very cheap items for your home gym you’ll be disappointed in the quality. My favorite thing to do is shop at Play It Again Sports, yard sales, or a thrift store. Looking for baseball bats, exercise machines, weights, tennis rackets, skates, and more? Finding these used can save your wallet a lot of hurt. Do some research before you go to plan for the particular models you want. Look for good quality gear so that you’ll get a good deal and not disposable junk. Tennis rackets can be re-strung and skates sharpened, so if you find good quality it will worth it to spend a little money to refurbish it.

Good luck finding great deals on things that you and your family need to enjoy the Spring season. Some locations may not have spring sports because of Covid-19, but there are activities that you can do as a family. So get outside, get some exercise, and enjoy the weather.

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Lisa Ehrman

Lisa has been blogging since 2013, and loves sharing resources and ideas for living a simple life. To get free printables, bonus words, and more - sign up for the newsletter.