It’s back to school time and this is the time of year when parents try to stretch budgets and get all the supplies and new clothes their kids need fort he new school year. Here are five simple but powerful tips to help you save money on back to school supplies:
1. Check Supplies on Hand Already
Start your new school year shopping by rounding up everything you already have on hand. What was left over from last year?
Gather them all into one spot and organize them to see what you have- crayons, pen,s pencils, paper, notepads, calculators and erasers among other necessary supplies.
Once you complete the on hand check you’ll have a better idea of what you need and will help you avoid buying something you already have.
2. Don’t Forget Garage Sales and Thrift Stores
Garage sales are a great place to find gently used clothes and school supplies such as backpacks. They can be almost as good as new and at a fraction of what you would pay in the stores for brand new items.
You can also ask friends and family to look around at sales in their area for you too. Thrift stores can be a source of shoes and clothing, many that are still trendy and in style but that cost much less than off the rack in the stores.
3. Set Limits
As the kids get older, they will most likely start to be swayed by peer pressure and will want to look cool and trendy and will begin insisting on the expensive name brand clothes or the popular items hat are much more expensive.
This can quickly double or triple the back to school expenses. Make sure your kids understand the value of money and that they know the budget for their supplies.
If they want to send $15 on a trendy shirt then have cheap pens and pencils and other supplies, let that be their choice.
4. Make Them Work
When kids demand all the coolest supplies, shoes, and clothes and there is just no room for it in the budget, make them work for the money needed to buy those expensive name brand items.
They may think twice about the price of those shoes when they realize how many hours of yard work it will take to earn enough allowance to buy them.
When kids understand and invest themselves in the money they spend they are often much more careful about how they spend it.
5. Buy in Bulk
Buying items in bulk when you are able to is a great way to save money on back to school shopping. Items the kids will use all year long like crayons, pens, paper, and erasers can be bought in bulk so you have plenty to last all year and even into next year.
If you cant use a pack of 100 pencils or don’t feel like storing the extra for next year, ask your friends and fellow parents about helping pitch in on the cost and sharing the bulk orders. It’s a win-win situation for everyone.
Buying school supplies does not have to break the bank and there are plenty of simple things you can do to make shopping for back to school clothes and supplies a lot easier!
The following was a post by Sarah Jo Lorenz-Coryell