As the school year approaches, Back to School shopping is one of those things parents will be adding to their to-do list.??For most families, if you are already on? tight budget shopping for back to?school items can be a challenge, but hopefully it doesn’t have to be.
Consumer and money saving expert, Andrea Woroch?has put together?11 savings tips to help you through this early shopping season.
?1. Take Inventory
Consider what you’ll actually need before hitting the stores. Has your child grown out of their schools clothes or will they do so by September? Can you reuse last year’s school supplies or will?you need to replace some items?
2. Set a Budget
Create a shopping list and stick to it, so you avoid impulse purchases. That fancy-schmancy Transformers’ Trapper Keeper can push your budget over the edge.
3. Use Coupons
There may be great deals, but coupons can make them even greater. Check out sites like CouponSherpa.com that offer a wide selection of online, printable, and mobile coupons for back to school savings.
4. Shop Early
While it seems awfully early to think about school shopping, this is when stores are rolling out their best deals of the year. As they say, the early bird gets the worm.
5. Go Mobile
Tap into your mobile phone with apps like “RedLaser,” which allows you to scan bar codes and find any cheaper prices online or at other retailers.
6. Check Social Media
Twitter and Facebook are great places to find deals offered to a brand’s social-media fan base. “Like” or “Follow” the merchant and keep an eye out for coupons and sales announcements.
7. Buy in Bulk
Take advantage of bulk offers on pens, crayons, paper and other items your kids will burn through over the course of the year. You might team up with other parents for bigger bulk purchases that will bring prices down even lower.
8. Spend More to Save More
Sometimes it costs money to save money. For example, Staples offers a 15-percent savings pass for $10, which you can use throughout the back-to-school season.
9. Exchange
Gather your family and friends — along with their kid’s school wardrobes — for an exchange night of hand-me-downs that will save everyone money.
10. Wait Until Labor Day
Labor Day is the traditional time for big sales on school clothing. You might take a chance and wait until then to buy any necessary items for your child.
11. Buy for Yourself
Back-to-school sales aren’t just for kids. You might stock up on office supplies, jeans and other items that traditionally go on sale during this season.
To?connect with Andrea and to hear about more?savings tips visit AndreaWoroch.com or follow her on Facebook and Twitter.
Shopping for back-to-school clothes for children can challenge any budget. With August comes the back-to-school clothes shopping season. Can families send children back to school and still have money left over? A few simple steps will save money even if children have outgrown everything over the summer… Put clothes that fit back into closets and drawers. Determine if outgrown clothes will fit another child and if so put them with that childs clothes. Otherwise you may be able to find a consignment sale where you can sell those items and add the funds to your back-to-school clothing budget. Clothes with problems should be cleaned repaired or thrown away if they cannot be salvaged…
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I definitely agree with number one since it’s so easy to get things you don’t need just because there’s a good price. I think the key is early preparation and patience. From July to September, if something is not on sale one week it is likely to be discounted the weeks following.