Before the first day of school, there’s a lot of back-to-school preparation and shopping that needs to get done. Here are six tips that will help you get everything your kids need to succeed without overspending.
Shop Tax Free
Every year, the State of Florida announces a sales tax holiday at the end of the summer, so families get a break when shopping for school supplies. With everyone and their children crowding the stores, things can get hectic. Remember that there are plenty of supplies to go around, so try not to stress. If you end up buying more than you need, you can always donate school supplies to those in need.
Get Thrifty
You’d be surprised at how many brand-new items you can find at local thrift stores. For example, Goodwill has an office and craft supplies section where you can often find unused binders, markers, staplers and even loose-leaf paper, all in excellent condition.
When you consider how quickly kids grow out of those first day of school outfits, it might also make sense to shop for school clothes at thrift stores. If you’re not comfortable buying used clothes, many Goodwill locations receive donations of clearance items from stores like Target, which are brand new with the tags still attached.
Save Money on Lunches
Save money by making lunches at home, not only for your kids but for yourself too. This takes some extra effort at the beginning of each week, but it pays off in the long run. Sending your child to school with lunch money every day can add up quickly. Instead, try to set aside one night a week to prepare meals that will last throughout the school and work week.
The internet is full of ideas for tasty, kid-friendly lunches, and you can even find meal plans and shopping lists for the whole week. When your kids are old enough, use meal prepping as a skill-building activity and bonding experience with your child. You’ll not only save money, you’ll also feel good that you and your family are eating healthy.
Shop for Quality
If you buy your child the 3D-LED-light-up dinosaur backpack, you may be the coolest parent in the world for the first week of school. But by the following week, you might be Googling, “how to replace lights on a 3D-LED-light-up dinosaur backpack.”
There’s nothing wrong with buying a few things that get your child excited about going back to school, but for things that need to last the whole school year, it’s better to shop for quality. This goes for supplies like pencils and crayons too. You know those crayons that restaurants hand out with coloring books, the ones that snap in half as soon as you touch them to a hard surface? Sometimes it’s more practical to spend a little extra on a product that will last longer.
Embrace Bargains
Look for promotions, coupons and mail-in rebates. You might save money by buying in bulk, but it’s also easy to overspend on bulk purchases. If you don’t actually need a whole crate of printer paper, find a smaller box or split the cost of a larger size with another family. Price-comparison apps can help you find the best deals, and many stores will price match if you can show them that a competitor is selling the same item for less.
For expensive things, like graphing calculators, you can save by looking on resale websites like eBay. In many cases, your kids may only use these specialized tools for one or two semesters, so it makes sense to reduce costs when you can. Just make sure you stick to the same calculator on the supplies list if the teacher requires a specific model.
Avoid Stores Altogether
If you don’t want to brave the back-to-school crowds, you can always try shopping online for school supplies. Shopping online gives you plenty of time to compare prices and weigh your options, and you can also search for promo codes just before you check out. Best of all, you’ll be less likely to buy things on impulse, like that 3D-LED-light-up dinosaur backpack.