It never fails; back-to-school time hits and the pocketbooks come out! If you're like me, you are always looking for ways to pinch pennies and get the most bang for your buck when it comes to purchasing school supplies and essentials. That involves weeding out what really is a necessity vs. a want and deciding what you will splurge on and what you can get away without.
1) Shop Affordable and Discount Stores
There are few great kids' affordable and discount stores in our area and all boast good quality clothes at unbeatable prices. Let's face it: kids are tough on their clothes when they're stomping around the school playground, so why pay more for designer brands that will get the inevitable stains and tears? I like shopping at H&M, Nordstrom Rack and Amazon. Goodwill, is another great option my kids and I like to shop at for deals and we often find many Gap, Old Navy, Children's Place, Gymboree, etc. options waiting for us at a fraction of the cost.
2) Clip Coupons
This one goes without saying; to get the best deals, you want to have your coupons ready! One of my favorite places to shop is Target and I never go there without being loaded down with coupons and pre-knowledge of the sales. Download their Target Circle to maximize savings. Of course, Target isn't the only store where coupons are available and you can see a price comparison sheet of school supplies between them and Walmart by clicking here. Many local papers offer free inserts of coupons as well so check the stands at the exits to your local grocery or drug store, library, and restaurants to pick up your copies.
3) Buy Store Brands
These days, store brands pass all the same tests when it comes to durability and quality and so why pay more for those glue sticks or tissues?!
4) Skip the Rush
Wait out the mad rush for school supplies and you could score some pretty sweet clearance deals in a month. If your school doesn't have a mandatory supply list, you can wait and stock up on essentials for the classroom when they slash the prices. Go for all the "must-haves" right out the door (backpacks, lunch kits, binders, etc.), but skimp on other things that can wait. Click here for school lists.
5) Reuse
I'm guilty of purchasing the same items brand new each year (backpacks and lunch kits top this list!), but if your child's backpack is in good condition, there's no reason you can't run it through the wash and reuse for another year. It can be difficult to say no when your child begs for the latest style hanging in Justice, but your bank account will thank you. If your son or daughter makes a good case for a new backpack, use that opportunity to barter cutbacks in other ways. Maybe they don't get as many new shirts as they "need" or they'll have to settle for a standard pencil box instead of the snazzy, character-laden one.
6) Take Inventory of the Closet
Does anyone else see all the new clothes in stores and think their kids' wardrobes need an overhaul stat or is it just me? Why!!!?? In our part of the U.S. (beautiful, sunny California), the weather is still full-on summer in August. Why am I going to pay full price for those long sleeve shirts when we are sweating in the heat still? Summer wardrobes are still necessary for my kids, with just a few tweaks. Every school has a dress code they enforce and usually it involves no spaghetti straps or thin tank tops for the girls. So remember; there's no need to run out and buy all the super cute new clothes when the weather will not turn for at least another month. At that point, all those fantastic tops and bottoms will be on clearance and you can laugh all the way to the bank!
7) Check in With Your School
Not all school supplies are required at every school. You will want to check with yours before making any purchases to see if it's needed/wanted. At our school, we are lucky to have an amazing PTA that finances many of the classroom supplies by giving each teacher a generous stipend. If your school has something similar in place, it will cut down on your purchases significantly. Even if nothing is needed, it is still nice to check with your teacher and see what extra donations they might appreciate or ask mid-year to help restock supplies. You can check out the area schools to see if yours has a list out already (we've put together a handy shortcut of all the school lists we could find available in Folsom/EDH!).
8) Budget
If you've followed all these tips already and simply can't get away from stepping foot in the stores, go in with a set budget and cash in hand. If your child is old enough to want to pick out their own clothes and backpack, let them have a part in the process by telling them how much they can spend and help them stick within the limits. While in the store, show them the difference in prices for different items (character shirts vs. plain shirts for example). Helping them see how to make their dollar go farther will motivate them to make smart choices. My kids like to tell everyone how much I enjoy the clearance section and I used to be embarrassed about their public proclamations, but now I'm just proud. Why shouldn't I be happy that I scored something at a great deal when the rest of the crowd paid full price? This is actually helping teach my kids to be more savvy about shopping and they, too, enjoy perusing the store for hidden clearance treasures. This skill comes in handy when they are the ones making choices about their clothes and supplies! So when you are out shopping with only the cash you can spend for that particular child, it makes it easier to see where your money is going.
9) Start Saving Early
The beginning of school will hit you with all kinds of expenses if you're not careful to plan and budget early. It is surprising the sheer volume of "must buy" items we are inundated with from schools at the get-go, but most purchases are merited. Over the summer, start setting aside money to help offset these costs, which can really add up if you have more than one kid in school. What expenses am I talking about? School pictures, PTA dues, spirit wear, yearbooks, after school clubs, band instruments, back-to-school fundraisers, and more. All of these are worthy causes, but when they come all at the same time it can be tough on the budget. To offset that surprise, be aware of the imminent expenses and plan accordingly.
10) Connect with local parents
Get to know the other local parents in your neighborhood. You never know when you or they may need help with pick up and drop off.
So that's it! Follow those rules exactly as I have laid them out and you will save buckets of money. Okay, not really. But it's a good guideline to get you started on the path to budgeting your school money wisely. What are some of your tips and tricks and how do you approach back-to-school shopping?
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