There is a reason the back to school shopping season is the second biggest season for retailers. All too often, parents leave the back to school supply runs to the last minute, meaning the options for saving money may not be as plentiful. This year, start stocking up early and use these money saving tips to save a ton.
Our best tip – no matter what you have to buy – is to set a budget. Heading out without a limit in mind almost always results in you spending more than you’d planned.
Money Saving Tips for School Supplies
Start with a sweep of your house. Believe it or not, almost everything your child needs is probably already hidden away somewhere in your house. Raid the craft bin and tackle those junk drawers. Pencils and pens, pencil crayons and markers, even binders and notebooks are probably stashed away and sitting unused – so why not break them out of their slumber and put them to work?
Let your kids get creative. Once you’ve done that sweep, including your own home office supply collection, let kids personalize the old stuff to make it new again. For example, decorate that plain, white binder with a digital photo collage and insert it into the plastic outer cover.
Hit up the dollar store. There are so many great options at the dollar store that heading to the pricier stores doesn’t make any sense from a financial perspective. Everything your child needs that you didn’t already find at home can probably be found in either the craft aisle or the office supply aisle. If your kids want something a bit more unique, again go the personalization route to turn those bland, store-bought items into treasure.
Money Saving Tips for Clothing
Before heading out to outfit your kids with a whole new wardrobe, look through the essentials you already have in the closet. Only adding a few items, rather than replacing everything they own, can save a ton of money on back to school clothes.
Host a back to school swap. Instead of going new, go new-to-you. Host a clothing swap with other parents and trade gently used items to give your kids something new to wear without spending a dime.
Shop end of summer sales. Just because something is considered ‘summer gear’ doesn’t mean it isn’t something your child wears all year long. You can find great deals on all kinds of clothing that has been marked down to make room for new fall arrivals.
You’ve got the time now to save money on back to school supplies, so take advantage of it. Your wallet will thank you.
Need a little extra to get you through the back to school shopping season?
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