Many parents dread the back-to-school shopping list. These lists are long and your children may feel like they need to buy every single thing on that list. This can become very expensive. However, it doesn't have to be.
Here are some tips to save money when you are shopping for back-to-school items.
Look Around When Back-to-School Shopping
Don't forget to go through last year's supplies! You may have plenty of supplies that will work fine for this year. Your children may have quite a few pencils and notebooks that they can use this year. Thus, you won't have to buy quite as much stuff as you think.
Don't Do All of Your Back-to-School Shopping at Once
If you are really concerned about spending too much money at once, you may want to split your shopping up. You have a good idea of most of the items that your children will need. They are going to need pencils, pens, notebooks, and other supplies. This allows you to shop all summer (or even all year) to split your costs.
Buy in Bulk
If you have many children, it may be easier to go to a wholesale store, like Sam's or Costco. Then, buy a big pack of paper, pencils, and other supplies. If you don't have multiple children, you may want to shop with another family or two to help split up these big packages. Though you may not want to join these places just for back-to-school shopping, you might find out that you can save money in other ways.
Shop Around
Though you may just grab your list and go to the nearest store for back-to-school shopping, this could be a big mistake. You may want to spend a few minutes checking prices online. You may be surprised at how much you can buy at the dollar store. Even if you have to go to two or three stores, you may be amazed at how much money you could save!
You may also want to check out thrift stores. Book bags and lunch boxes can be quite expensive, and you may be able to find a decent one at Goodwill for only a few dollars! This can also help with clothing and shoes, which children outgrow quite quickly!
Buy Refurbished
Electronics can be costly, especially if you have more than one child. You may find a refurbished model for less than the cost of a brand new one. As long as you go through a reputable place, you will have a like-new electronic for much cheaper than a new one.
Learn More About Saving Money While Back-to-School Shopping
For those who don't want to spend a large amount of money at once, you may want to split it up. You know that your children will always need pencils, pens, and other supplies, so you can just pick up a few items here and there all summer (or year) long. You may also want to buy in bulk if you have multiple children. It may be cheaper to buy a pack of twelve to split between your two or three children instead of buying them each a pack of two or three.
Shopping around can also save you money. Taking a few minutes to look at prices could really open your eyes. You might be amazed at how much you can save by shopping at two or three stores instead of just one! You may also want to look at refurbished electronics. They should be like-new, with a partial price tag.