9 Tips for Back-to-School Shopping on a Budget
There may still be some summer left to go, but it’s never too early to start thinking about back-to-school shopping for your school-aged children. Preparing kids for the new school year is always expensive, but there are a few simple ways to reduce this annual expense.
Don’t buy what you already have
Before you ahead out (or hop online), be sure to do a thorough inventory of what you already have. Look at what’s left over from the year before. Look through closets and cabinets.
It may take a little work, but simply avoiding spending money on things you already have is a major way to save some cash.
Follow the list
If your school sends out a list covering all of your child’s needed supplies for the year ahead, do yourself a favor and wait for the list. Don’t make assumptions and run the risk of buying things they don’t need and won’t use. Wait for the official list and then follow it closely. The last thing you want to do is commit money to things you don't end up needing.
Find coupons
Most major retailers will be in competition throughout the summer to sell you their supplies. That means you should comparison shop and use coupons when available (and they will be available).
If you’re paying full price for pens and binders you aren’t trying hard enough.
Check out local swap meets
Kids have the unfortunate tendencies to grow, often in spurts and rarely in a manner that maximizes their existing wardrobe. This means that there’s quite a lot of children’s clothing out there that was simply outgrown, rather than worn out.
If you have friends or neighbors with children, consider swapping lightly used items. Alternately, you can find a ton of great, cheap items at the local thrift store.
Buy bulk and spread the wealth
One option to consider: buying basic supplies in bulk. Now, your children may not need 25 spiral-bound notebooks, but what about those friends and neighbors with kids?
If you can create a school supply network and share the costs, buying bulk suddenly makes a lot more sense.
Hold out until the September clearance sales
Your kids are going to want to have all the best gear on day one, but there are two distinct advantages to holding back some of your shopping.
First, shortly after school starts, retailers are going to look to clear space for Halloween (aka – the final pit stop before Christmas). That means all those leftover back-to-school items will go on clearance.
Secondly, kids are mercurial beings, apt to change their minds about what they like as soon as they see what all the other kids have. Finishing your shopping after they’ve had a chance to scope out their peers is a handy way to ensure they won’t suddenly decide they hate everything you bought for them (that they asked for).
Look out for student discounts
If you need to buy any high end electronics for your child, make sure you look out for any and all available student discounts. Many major brands have student pricing programs, so do your research before taking out that credit card.
Take advantage of your state’s sales tax holiday
If your state has a sales tax holiday it’s probably in the summer, which means it’s a perfect time to go shopping for any applicable back-to-school items. Check the list of sales tax holidays and take advantage of the potential savings.
Let kids buy/earn their own non-essentials
One point of contention you may encounter during your shopping is the separation between your child’s needs and their wants. The special name brand items they crave can be a real budget-buster.
If that’s the case, consider bringing your child into the planning/budgeting process. You can give them the opportunity to earn certain items that are outside the budget, or at least give them a say in how some of the budget is spent (“You can have this, but then you can’t have this”).
Need a little extra help finding space for back-to-school essentials in your budget? Our experts are here to provide free, confidential advice about your financial situation. Begin online 24/7!
