Now
that the summer is almost over, it’s time to start thinking about
getting the kids back to school. They are going to need new school
supplies, and many will need new clothes as they’ve likely outgrown
those from the year before. No matter what age your child is, there are a
few ways to make sure that going back to school doesn’t cause you go
into credit card debt.
For children in elementary school through high school, work with the
school to find out what is expected of them to bring each day. Will they
need new notebooks? Will the school provide a tablet? Are there uniform
costs? Having all of the information will help make it easier to create
a budget.
Take inventory of what you already have. Maybe you bought too many
notebooks last year, or there are some barely used folders and notebooks
from the last days of the previous school year. There’s no need to buy
supplies that you already own. If you don’t have any, see if any friends
or family with recent graduates have school supplies that they don’t
need. There are many supplies that can be reused, like staplers, pens,
scissors, and other craft supplies.
There are always a number of back to school sales at office supply
stores and clothing stores. Set a budget and stick to it – don’t let
yourself impulse shop. The flyers you get in the mail are invaluable at a
time like this, because they’ll allow you to compare prices for many
items while also providing coupons. Make sure that you research the best
places for the type of back to school supplies you need, as prices will
vary from shop to shop. The store with the cheapest notebooks might
have the most expensive binders. If you are willing to drive from store
to store and make a list of what you plan to get at each place, you’ll
end up saving more money.
If your children need new clothes, there are ways to save money and
not buy an entirely new wardrobe that they’ll just outgrow next year.
Host a clothing swap with local families from the school. There are many
kids who have outgrown their clothes that are now the perfect fit for
your kids. The clothing that your children have outgrown can then go to
other students, saving them money as well.
You could also shop at a local thrift store for your needs. They sell
many children’s clothes at a fraction of the price, and all you need to
do is to wash it before they wear. If your children are in need of new
furniture, like desks, thrift stores are also a good source. At the end
of the summer, you’ll find many yard sales in your area, too. Scour
those for good deals on clothing and furniture.
Most importantly, be practical. This will set a good example for your
children, as they will observe and learn how you spend money. Does your
child really need the fanciest brand name clothes? Do they need crazy
fun pens, or will plain black and white ball point pens work just as
well? You can save yourself a bundle of money simply by ignoring fads
and avoiding trends.
Here are another few tips for August shopping:
- Does your state offer any tax-free days? You can save money by shopping during these special days.
- Buy in bulk. If you have multiple children, you can
save by buying one extra big box of pens rather than separate smaller
boxes for each child.
- Let your kids take part! If you have a list of
items, and a set budget, allow your children to do their shopping and
gain a better understanding of how spending works. Tell them that if
they end up spending less than is allotted, you’ll split the difference
with them.
- If you wait a few weeks after school starts, you’ll
find retailers are looking to offload the inventories they brought in
for back-to-school sales. This is a great time to find a bargain, so
save some of that budget and be patient.
CLICK HERE TO SEE MORE MONEY SAVING TIPS!
