How to save money school supply shopping

How to save money school supply shopping

It’s only a few weeks until school is back in session, which means that there is extra spending on the horizon.  Here are some tips to help you get your kids ready for school without going overboard with your shopping.

Start now

Nothing threatens your budget like waiting until the last minute. Plan to start accumulating items now, a little bit at a time. This gives you a chance to watch for sales and to shop around. It also encourages you to use cash instead of credit.

Set a budget

You probably don’t have a line item in your budget dedicated to back-to-school shopping, but you need to determine how much you can reasonably spend. Make sure to consider all of the items that you’ll need to buy and then get creative to try to stretch those dollars in your shopping budget as far as you can.

Do inventory at home

What are some of your money saving strategies for doing groceries? You always start by doing inventory at home. Do the same with your back-to-school shopping. Go through junk drawers and closets to see what you’ve got on hand in terms of pencils, pencil crayons, markers, binders etc.

Maybe you could even get an extra year out of your child’s backpack or lunch bag? That’s a huge savings right there.

You don’t need a whole new wardrobe

There is an inclination to go out purchase a whole new wardrobe for the upcoming school year. That’s not a good idea for a number of reasons. Firstly it will blow your budget; second, your kids may even outgrow some of these clothes if you are buying a season ahead.

Instead, pick a few key items. You need shoes for sure (likely two pair, one indoor to leave at school, one outdoor). Get an outfit or two with versatile pieces.

Don’t get sucked into name brands either; you’ll pay a premium that you don’t really need.