Ask the Readers: What is Your Best Back-to-School Shopping Tip?
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It's back-to-school season! According to the American Express Spending & Saving Tracker, parents anticipate spending a whopping average of $1,239 on school gear for their kids, up 24% since 2010! That's a lot of money, and a big incentive for finding ways to save on back-to-school shopping.
What is your best back-to-school shopping tip? Which items do you think are necessary purchases, and which items would you advise skipping? If you have kids in school, or you yourself go to school, how much do you plan on spending this back-to-school season?
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Take advantage of your state's tax-free weekend and shop store sales combined with coupons.
Clip coupons! And buy as much as possible during sales later on, I send my kids to school with the bare minimum for the first 2 weeks.
Keep an eye on the back to school sales. Instead of shopping all at once shop a little each week with the sales to get the best price.
My back to school shopping tip is to Buy a Backpack That’s Built to Last! I bought a cheap one and it did not last. Get a sturdy backpack!
My tip is to use coupons and shop sales
First, look within your own house! There are so many items within your own home that you do not even realize until it gets to being the middle of the school year.
Secondly, if you must purchase items, look at the weekly ads and best deals. Last week, Office Depot had penny folders and $1 pens for a pack of 4! Only go for those great deals!
Don't buy an entire winter wardrobe for your kids in August. Kids grow. One mom I know ended up giving away $100 worth of pants because her son had a growth spurt before it got cold!
Many stores have a specific item (such as reams of paper) at massive discounts to draw in customers, usually with a low maximum per customer. Separating shopping carts (and therefore purchases) between children and adults shopping can help you maximize the savings on that loss product, giving you ample supply for the upcoming year.
Hit the clearance after school has started to round out this years shopping and/or get a head start on next years list!
We buy in bulk @ Sam's Club or Costco -- the supplies last all year!
Use coupons whenever possible, and if you have a credit card with a rotating or special categories of spend, try to maximize them for your purchases!
shop on tax free shopping days
My tip is to use coupons whenever possible.
The children may not like it but thirst stores, consignments shops and trading with other families saves money on clothes. Our state has tax free week which helps save a little bit, if you do have to buy new.
Watch the sales flyers and make a list for back to school.
Good quality shoes I would spend a fair amount on and a good backpack. everything else I shop for sales and price check
Create back-to-school stockpile by waiting until after school starts and taking advantage of the markdowns. The school supply list for my kids school doesn't change much from year to year so I look ahead and try to buy clearance items that they will need later.
Stock up during the tax free weekend and when school supplies are on sale. That way, later on when kids run out of things, you already have replacements
Start collecting good deals in July - kleenex, wipes, paper etc. - from every source you shop: grocery stores, drugstores, dollar stores, Target. And use coupons! I just got free pens/pencils from the grocery store using coupons yesterday.
Buy just the essentials before the school year, then wait to see what their teachers want. Too many times I stocked up and then had to go buy more stuff because certain classes/teachers wanted particular things.
I don't have children nor am I in school anymore myself (thankfully!), so back-to-school shopping isn't an issue for me but, if it were, I would simply stick to the list from the school (if it's reasonable) and not buy a lot of extra clothes. Everyday wear is fine. I had to wear a uniform for my first eight years of school and didn't mind at all!
I would say waiting until after the back-to-school rush to stock up on the basics (pens, notebooks, etc.) and for college students, get a list of textbooks from professors ahead of time and buy them used online (also ask if an earlier edition is ok if it is a new edition). This is way cheaper than the college bookstore and if they are still in good condition, you can sell them online if you don't intend to keep them.
Resale shops, wait until things go on sale! You don't need everything new at the beginning of the year, just the necessities. You can get the rest after they go on clearance!
Don't take the little kids with you, you'll just end up spending more in the long run!
Get it done early before the stores are crowded.
I never have any back to school shopping! My tip is that at end of summer I am buying off the Clearance rack for NEXT YEAR. I get everything a size up or 2 and save it for next year. I get shirts as low as $1.50 and shorts as low as $2.99 and pants at a low $5. By the time next summer or school year comes; I'm already stocked up and don't have to fight any mommy crowds at the store!
I shopped during Florida's Tax Free week - some nice sales and no tax made for good savings.
Don't buy more than a year supply of glue sticks. They will dry out.
This tip is mostly for next year: Shop all year long. Buy "up" a couple of sizes at winter clearance sales (jeans, sweatshirts, et al.), watch for great stuff at rummage/garage sales, look through summer clearance sales (which start as early as late June) and keep an eye out for loss-leader sales at places like Office Depot and Staples.
Also: Remember that if the clothes your kid is wearing still fit and the lunchbox thermos doesn't leak and the backpack straps are still holding up, there is no need to replace things. Don't spend because marketing wizards told you that "back to school shopping" is a thing. Replace what needs replacing and maybe let your kid pick out one special, symbolic thing (a 64-pack of crayons, a notebook with his or her favorite superhero on the cover). Otherwise, keep your money in your pocket.
Wait 'til tax-free weekend. You can usually re-use a lot of stuff from the previous school year, or hand-me-downs from an older sibling.
Wait until the first week of school before buying everything. Send child with a notebook and pens. Certain teachers ask for specific notebooks/binders, etc. The kids can also wear their summer clothes the first few weeks. And being your kid will want to dress like most of the class, wait to see what the style is. Some years the kids were fashionable, some years just sweatpants!
I try to stock up on all the loss leaders at the office supply stores this time of year. Target has had some great coupons, too.
Use coupons and buy in bulk.
I stock up on school supplies throughout the year when they are on sale.
Shop during tax free weekend, I just buy what is on the requested school list, and shop off season as well when there are sales on things that schools ask for.
When I travel around, I browse thrift stores for zip lock bags full of "Office Supplies", often $1 each. I repack what I'll need in another zip lock bag then donate leftovers to our church thrift store for them to resell. I also hit Dollar Tree stores for great deals on Kids supply. I've gone to Newspaper Places to get their "end of the roll" newsprint paper (free) for crafts, art work etc...
Best back to school money saver: scour your home for previously purchased school supplies that didn't get much or any use last year. Look for clothes that weren't used much. Kids grow so fast, sometimes they barely get a chance to wear them.
Use coupons and shop sales
I shop sales and combine sales with coupons to get the most bang for my buck!
Do your research! Look for the deals and if you could hold off buying some of the supplies for a little while they may be on sale after school starts. Also, making a list and sticking to it so you avoid buying unnecessary items. And finally, look around the house. There may be supplies left over from previous years that you forgot about.
Inventory, make a careful list, and shop sales!
Tax free weekends, and look for items on sale in the months leading up to and after school starting!
Sales + coupons
I don't have to do back-to-school shopping, but if I did, I think I'd 1) start early and 2) keep a year-round stash of school supplies somewhere that I could add to as I saw things on sale. Then I could "shop" my own little supply cabinet.
Good luck to all the students out there. Be nice to your teachers--we care about you more than you have any idea!
We normally spend about 200.00 for back to school. We try to watch for sales, and use coupons whenever we can. For Supplies....we start early and pick up an item when we grocery shop each week....that way it doesnt all hit at once!
I use coupons + rebate sites + cash back sites like shopathome to get the most for my money!
i don't have kids but my husband is back to school. he shops sales and only gets what's essential.
Shop early to avoid the crowds.