Anyone who is currently living in a house with teenagers can tell you that looking good is incredibly important to young people. Having the right shoes, prom dresses and other clothing makes them feel like one of the crowd, instead of like a lone wolf. But for parents, keeping up with a kids’ fashion habit can be a budget busting affair. Fortunately, there are a few tips for keeping a lid on this volatile topic.

For starters, kids need to know the value of a dollar. They may want to spend hundreds of dollars on designer label clothing, but unless they’ve got the money to buy it themselves, parents should hold off on indulging too much in clothing splurges. One way around this problem is by giving the child his or her own clothing budget. This usually helps them realize the value of buying shoes and dresses on sale.

Parents should also introduce their children to consignment shops where high quality, used sold at greatly reduced prices. These items usually come from well-heeled, but budget conscious fashionistas. Kids may complain about buying used clothing, but they’ll be glad to have name brands.

Teaching your kids the value of money by keeping a lid on clothing costs is a great life lesson that every child should know.