Back-to-school season is in full swing, which means back to school shopping is also here! Amongst all the chaos, one may start to feel rather overwhelmed with the daunting trips to the school supply section. In the hopes of making this season a little less chaotic, here are some ways to make sure you don’t lose an arm and a leg trying to get your kids ready for school.
Do an Inventory Check
Before you hit the sales, make sure you take inventory of what you have at home. Back-to-school shopping. Which means you may still have some of those supplies shoved somewhere in a closet or junk drawer. Look at the basic things on the school supply lists, such as pens, pencils, notebooks, etc., and take inventory of what you already have at home. You may be surprised to find a few stacks of notebook paper or even a few binders that weathered well throughout the last school year.
Set Ground Rules
When shopping with the kids, there is a tendency for kids to want name brand clothing or trendy binders and pencils. Try setting some ground rules on what you are willing to buy and how much you are willing to pay. You can take it a step further and even make them work something that is over a certain amount. More often than not when kids earn their own money, they are less likely to spend their money on frivolous items.
School’s In and Summer’s Out
If you already have the basics for your kids’ school supplies, try holding out until the end of the summer. Nothing beats those sales better than the clearance rack. Your kids can also still get those trendy supplies at a price that won’t break the bank. If you can’t wait, some states also have a tax-free weekend that can also help. Check to see if your state takes part in tax-free weekend here:
https://www.taxadmin.org/sales-tax-holidays
Brown Bag It
Last but not least is the good old practice of brown bagging lunches. This method has been proven to be a great way to save money during the school year. It can also be a fun way to get your kids involved and excited about making their lunch. Need some ideas? Check out these creative ideas here:
https://www.buzzfeed.com/rachelysanders/school-lunch-ideas?utm_term=.jur3GRvoY#.psV5QGW36
Wishing you a wonderful back-to-school season!