Back to school shopping is a rite of passage for many families but it’s also a stressful time for many parents. If you have multiple kids to shop for, it can be even more chaotic. This is why it can help to learn some little tricks other parents are using to save time, money and sanity. If you are still in the midst of shopping for the kids to get them ready to head back to school, then you can definitely benefit from these 4 tricks for back to school shopping!
4 Tricks to Help You Save on Back to School Shopping
– Leave the kids at home. Seriously. It’s the best plan. When the kids come along on a shopping trip, especially younger kids, you can end up pretty distracted and even derailed. You can lose sight of your budget and they’ll likely ask you to purchase things that aren’t necessary. It can be hectic and you’ll end up overspending. Leaving the kids at home with a sitter would probably still be cheaper than bringing them along. Enjoy the quiet me time.
– Separate wants from needs. This can be a tough one for kids but it’s important to separate what they want from what they really need. You can cut back on the unnecessary spending and stay in budget by skipping out on the wants, or maybe only getting one special want.
– Start shopping early. Don’t want until the end of summer when the back-to-school shopping begins. Start right when school ends and look for deals and sales throughout the summer. This also lets you buy a little at a time instead of having to buy it all at once.
– Plan ahead for the following year. Once the school year has started, that’s when all the unsold merchandise hits the clearance rack. You can score some major deals if you have the space to store the supplies you pick up for pennies on the dollar.
These are just a few simple tricks for back to school shopping. Do you have any tips of your own that you can add to the list?
Comments (29)
Thanks for the suggestions! Every little bit helps when it comes to the family shopping trip.
Starting the shopping trip weeks ahead of the first day of school VS a week ahead makes a huge difference. Things are easier to find and stores tend to have items on sale. My kids are older (middle/high school). At this age it actually helps to bring them along. They can help tackle the list with you!
Yes, true. With kids that are a bit older it definitely can be easier.
I get some things at the dollar store, that helps!
If you watch the early sales, starting right after July 4th, many of the deals are cheaper, better quality, and safer than the dollar stores. I’m a retired teacher and ended up buying classroom sets of most of the things we needed. Off brand crayons are like trying to color with a candle!
Thanks for this input. It’s great to hear feedback from a teacher that worked with these supplies on a regularly basis.
I agree with leave the kids at home! They want everything they see, even if they don’t need it lol thanks for all the tips!
I enjoyed reading your article and it’s nice to know that other people are going thru the same things as me
I so hate back to school shopping. It just stresses me out with so much to do and the crowds. Thanks for the tips.
These are some great suggestions. I have two grandchildren I help buy for and it is very expensive. Thank you so much for sharing this
Great Tips Leaving Kids at home is one of the best 🙂 You can get in and get it done a lot quicker for sure!
I had to help get my grandbaby school supplies. She’s going into kindergarten, and she needed a ton of stuff ! I wish I’d have read this first !
I shopped the sales and left the kids at home. They are always wanting more stuff than I can get them! I used coupons and gift cards this year to keep my spending down.
in my mom done shopping for 5 of us we would save all year round like when pencil go on sale she buy aobut 20 pack or we go to festival we pick up pencil and pen and then the note books if you did not use them the year we re use for next year
i love shopping the dollar store for back to school things, however, with coupons and deals some of the other stores have great deals. the back to school sales started in july.
My daughter wants everything, she doesn’t know how to separate wants from needs…lol I do buy school items when I find them on clearance throughout the year.
These are some great tips! Thank you for the list.
Great tips!
The Dollar Tree is a great place to get school supplies. Great savings if you have more than one child to get supplies for.
Great tips! Thank you!
Plan ahead! I know, I need to do that. that said we have bought everything plus the extensive list from the teacher to supply the class too.
I’ve always loved BTS shopping. Pair that with the fact that I love a good deal. Thanks for the tips.
Thanks for your great ideas for saving money on getting back to school items for the kids. I usually take mine with me, but you are absolutely correct that it is better to go alone in order to save money.
Great tips!! I don’t have anything to end that others haven’t already mentioned.
Good tips! My son and his wife have shopped thrift stores routinely even before they met in college and have continued that weekly, even though they make good money now and have bought a house! She ordered most of my grandson’s supplies on Amazon, using Prime, if the prices were the best. My son even found a like-new Star Wars backpack for my grandson that he’s crazy about!
I’m always open to tips regarding back to school shopping. Leaving the kids at home is a fantastic idea, since that will help with purchasing the needs and not all of the wants. I also suggest looking for coupons and deals, and researching prices at different stores.
You have great advice listed here! I always tried to get things on sale year round, saved me time and money when school started. 🙂
You have great advice listed here! I always tried to get things on sale year round, saved me time and money when school started. 🙂
These are some great tips! I can always use advice and help with back to school shopping!