Oh, back to school shopping. You either love it or hate it! After you read these tips on back to school shopping, we think you might love it! They’re going to save you time, money, and stress, so read on. School is starting before you know it!
–Start early.
Don’t procrastinate back to school shopping or you’ll end up stressing big time, fighting the crowds, and getting last pick over everything. Spread out the shopping and tackle one thing on your list at a time this Summer.
–Check websites, newspapers, and apps to save big.
Lots of stores are already advertising special deals they have going on. Mark each sale and date down on your calendar so you can save as much money as possible.
–Set a limit.
If your kids go shopping for new clothes each year, set a limit. Once you step foot inside those malls it’s really easy to lose track of money and get carried away. Set a limit to how much your children get to spend.
–Make lists.
Make sure you make lists of everything your child needs for school so you can cross things off as you go and stay organized.
–Teacher lists.
Sometimes teachers send out supply lists so make sure you know what your child’s teacher says they will need that year so they come prepared.
–Separate wants from needs–
Your child may WANT everything under the sun but what do they really NEED this year? Stick to those things.
–Take inventory.
Before you start shopping, sort through all of your child’s supplies and clothes. Donate what no longer fits them and what they can no longer use and you’ll have a better idea of what you need to shop for.
–Don’t buy clothes for the whole year.
Chances are your child’s style and opinions will change many times throughout the year. Start out only buying a few clothing items to get them started and let them choose new clothes throughout the year.
–Check cheap places first.
Before you hit Staples or Office Max, consider places like Dollar Tree and the 99 Cents store probably have all of the paper and pencils your child needs for much cheaper. Try TJ Maxx and Marshalls for brand name clothing items before going to Nordstrom and Macy’s.
–Use coupons.
Before you buy anything online, always check RetailMeNot.Com for discount codes. Clip coupons in the Sunday paper for school desk supplies.
–Buy in bulk.
Get friends and neighbors together to go in on bulk pens, pencils, and paper to save money!
What tips do you have for back to school shopping? Leave us a comment and share!
Cindy B
Wednesday 30th of July 2014
Also, check to see if your state has "tax free" days and plot your course.