As the calendar turned to August 1st, the youth of the world started to prepare for their back to school experience. The excitement of new teachers, new classmates, even new schools is enough to keep the kids up at night. The thought of all the school supplies that need to be purchased? Yeah, that’s enough to keep every parent awake at night.
But before you make a further investment in sleeping pills, do some quick planning and you’ll find yourself filling the shopping cart while filling your pockets with savings.
- Go kidless- Bringing the kids with you will increase the likelihood of impulse buys and things you’ll most likely regret.
- Stay offline- If you find something online and have enough time to order it, do it. A lot of things are cheaper online then they are in stores.
- Make a Bid- ebay, amazon and other such sites are great for buying jeans, clothes, shoes and jackets.
- Stick with the off brands- Big name brands tend to be about 30% more than name generics. So when you can, stick with the generic products.
- Buy in bulk- Warehouse clubs like Costco and Sam’s offer bulk items that are perfect for a handful of students. Round up family members, neighbors, and friends and go in on purchases together to save.
- Stock up during special sales- Find special days or weeks where stores are having sales. Then stock up on what you think you will need during that time.
- Shop with a plan – Most teachers handout a school supply list ont he first day. If you wait to shop with the list, you’ll reduce the amount of unnecessary purchases you make.
Being frugal and money-conscious during the back-to-school months can be a big challenge. Your kids always want what’s “cool” and the “cool” items are usually pretty costly. With a little planning and great parenting, you should be able to find the perfect balance that makes everyone happy!
image via Avolore
