Shopping for school supplies, clothes, and gear means
different things to students and their parents. Kids are always excited to have
new and exceptional stuff when they go back to school; while for their parents,
it is the most significant expense of the year. Purchasing backpacks, lunch
boxes, shoes, and clothing are getting expensive each year. Here are a few money
saving guidelines for back to school shopping:
Reuse or Recycle Old Stuff
Sit down with your child with a paper and pen, and then make
a list of their school supplies from last year. You will surely find that
certain items are still in good condition that means you don't need to purchase
new ones. Check their old bags and find out all the back
to school must-haves that you need. Lunch boxes, pencils, scissors,
rulers, etc., all items that you can reuse, you can avoid buying again for this
year's back to school shopping.
Here are a few tips for recycling old school stuff and
making it look new.
Ø
Recycle unused pages from old notebooks by
removing clean sheets from binding, and sew them together, to create a fresh
notebook.
Ø
You can save money by buying refills for your
old markers and pens instead of buying new writing tools.
Ø
Collect old pencils, sharp them, and they are
good to use again.
Make a List of School Supplies to Buy
After determining which supplies can be reused, start making
a list of everything that you need to buy for your children. Make sure to
mention the type, quantity, and color of every item for your ease; plus,
preparing the list will save your time and assist you in avoiding buying
anything unnecessary.
Also, educational institutions upload their merchandise list
each year by the end of May on their websites. If you look at the information
early, then you will have more time to go for sales rather than facing the
crowds as you buy everything at the last minute.
Set a Budget Based on Your School Material List
Once you have your list of things that you want to buy, jot
down the expected cost of each item and get their total. This will help you
come up with a realistic budget for your back to school shopping. However, if
the total cost is more than what you can actually afford, you will have to make
a few alterations on your spending list.
Watch Out For Back to School Sales
Best back to school sales usually start in May and last
until the end of July. These sales are available in departmental stores like
sears, Wal-Mart, etc., so you can take advantage through this facility.
Moreover, if you have a credit card or prepaid card, you can get an additional
20 to 30% off on the school supplies.
Buy High Quality Supplies
Don't waste your money in buying low-quality stuff; first,
compare the cost along with sizes and quality of your item on multiple
platforms. If you keep buying new bags or shoes because the old ones quickly
wear out, you won't save your cash.
While purchasing any item, check all the small details like
the notebook's pages to ensure that the lines are correctly printed. Try to
purchase durable merchandise so that it can last for the whole academic year
plus buy only bags, shoes, and uniforms that are comfortable. Moreover, if you
are buying any stuff online, must check its product reviews to ensure that you
are purchasing quality stuff.
Shop Stores Online
Shopping online is convenient for those who can't visit
stores due to a busy schedule and want the supplies to be delivered to their
doorstep.
Besides finding the best back to school deals, shopping
online means you can compare the prices of what you buy a lot easier than in
the market. It's the best strategy to save maximum cash because with tools like
Honey and Camel, Camel, Camel you can easily and quickly compare the cost to
make sure that you are getting the goods at the lowest possible price. It will
allow you to save the most money on Back to school shopping.
Moreover, shopping through cash back websites like Ebates
and coupon sites like PennySaviour will save an additional sum of money.
Save money on uniform shopping
Many schools offer a uniform exchange program as well,
meaning you can get a new one for your child without paying extra. If your
school also offers the same plan, then this is an excellent way to save money. Gather
your old and used uniforms that your kids can no longer wear, take them up to
the school, and provide them with your kid's measurement to avail a free outfit
for your little one.
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