Back to school can be an expensive time of year for parents – new clothes, shoes, school supplies, even food to pack in the child’s lunch – can all add up.
Watch the sale ads, many big box stores will have many school supplies on sale. By paying attention to who has what on sale, it is possible to buy everything that is on your child’s supply list on sale. For those items still missing, try your local dollar store to pick up the remaining items. I wouldn’t suggest buying all of the items at the dollar store though; the office supply stores quite often have great deals this time of year (i.e. paper for a penny, a package of pens for a quarter).
Also, if your child hasn’t had an immense growth spurt over the summer and you are positive of their current size, you can save money on clothes shopping by buying their clothes online and taking advantage of different savings options. Maybe you have a bank card that gives back a percentage of your purchases, or are a member of internet programs such as MyPoints etc. that reward you for shopping through certain stores. If it is necessary to take your child to the store to try on clothes to find their appropriate sizes, shop smart. While we want to give in to our children and buy the latest name brands etc, it is not necessary for ALL of their clothes to be “cool”. If you have a decent head start and don’t wait until the week before school starts, you could even buy a small amount of clothes in the store to find out your child’s current size and then buy the rest online through assorted savings programs.
