After holiday shopping, back-to-school shopping is one of the most expensive things we need to do! But we have some tips for saving money on this bank account drainer!
Check ads for supply sales. This is happening now! Check the circulars each week to find the best sales on school supplies.
Buy gently-used clothes. Look for deals on Craigslist, a garage sale, or shop the Fall Consignment Sales. Our kids are growing so fast and you know the clothes that you buy in the fall could very well be too small by the middle of the school year. Save money and the environment by buying secondhand!
Raid cupboards and drawers for supplies. While I was packing to move this year, I found so many unused pencils, erasers, bottles of glue, and notebooks that I hardly need to buy anything this year!
Buy in bulk. When you find a great deal, stock up. Buy a bright-colored bin that you won't misplace and store all the extras. When the classroom runs low, you'll be ready, and you can use any extras next year.
Buy a quality backpack. It can be a bigger expense up front, but a nice backpack can last years, unlike the one my kiddo had last year, which was barely hanging on (literally) by May.
Head back to the store in September. I have so much fun shopping in September when school supplies get moved to the Clearance section — crayons, notebooks, glue sticks, all for pennies! Put these in your bright bin.
Steer clear of snack-sized foods for lunches. Buy the full-sized bags of chips, crackers, cookies, etc. and put them in your own reusable containers for packed lunches. Skip the expense of the added packaging!
Pack a water bottle. Juice boxes and bottled water are expensive. Buy a nice, leak-proof water bottle and fill it with tap water each morning.
Meal plan. The evenings in those first few weeks can be chaotic with everyone getting used to the new routine. It can be easy to grab take-out. If you meal plan and have ingredients on hand, you'll save yourself time AND money. You might even consider preparing some freezer meals! Try our Freezer to Slow Cooker Chicken Dishes or 5 Freezer to Slow Cooker Summer Dishes.
