Back to school shopping can be a killer on your wallet and it's inevitable that you have to deal with every year. If you have more than one kid, you're definitely feeling stressed right about now because you know you're looking at double the cost. Well, calm down. I have some money saving tips for your upcoming back to school shopping trip.
Make A List of Needs
Before you even start spending money, you NEED to know what to get. Sit down with each of your children and write down everything they'll need whether it's clothing or actual school supplies. Some schools send a recommended list of items to parents so keep that handy when writing your list.
Shop Your Current Supply
That's right, many of us have an excess of school supplies laying around without even realizing it. Do a big sweep of your office area or wherever you tend to keep supplies like that. Put everything in a box or bag for now and when you are done making your list, see what all you can cross off because you already have it.
Get Thrifty
This is a given, but I'm still gonna say it. Consignment stores and thrift stores are a great way to find secondhand clothing and even some supplies. There are usually great sales this time of year specifically to help parents with the cost of back to school shopping.
Shop the Dollar Stores First
Dollar stores can have a huge supply of back to school goodies for a great price. This is good for writing supplies, hand sanitizer, socks, notebooks, hair accessories, and more. Try to get as much from your list as possible from your local dollar stores before you go ANYWHERE else.
Wear Last Year's Clothing
If it still fits, there's no reason you can't send your kids to school at the end of summer in the clothing they were wearing at the end of Spring when school ended. It's only been 3 months so most of it should still fit. This lets you save up some money for shopping at a later time. Prices also drop in the Fall which means you'll find bargains more easily.
Shop Online
If you have kids that want everything they see, you may really save yourself some hassle by shopping online for most of their supplies. You know what they need, so you put it in the cart.
Keep Your List with You
If you are at a store for something for yourself, you may very well spot something from your back to school list. It's helpful to always have the list on you even if it's just a photo on your cell phone. You can ensure you aren't buying duplicates.
Check for Coupons
Groupon is known for having pretty great sales at some of the major retailers for back to school shopping. You can also check online for coupons to each of the stores you plan to visit. Shop around and check prices online before going to the store.
With a little pre-planning, you can stay within your budget and your kids will still be happy when you send them off to school with some nice clothing and fresh supplies.
How do you save money when back to school shopping?
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