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The start of the school year comes with big costs
Most parents know the start of the school year can be an expensive time. Between new clothes, extracurriculars to sign up for, and school supplies to buy, it's easy to end up going over budget.
But the good news is that you don't have to overspend. Following these 15 tips can help you to reduce the costs you incur to get your kids back into class.
1. Take inventory of what you already have
You don't want to waste money buying items you already own. So start with shopping in your own home. Gather all of the supplies you have left from past years and see if you can find some of the items on your list. If so, those can be crossed off right away since there will be no need to purchase them.
2. Prioritize your needs
When you have a lot of things to buy, you'll want to prioritize what's most important. That way you can work those items into your budget first to make sure they are affordable. You don't want to run out of cash only to find out there are essential purchases you still need to make that you will have to borrow for.
3. Shop consignment stores
If you're buying school clothes for your kids, shopping at consignment stores could help drop your costs dramatically. You can often get designer brands for just a few dollars, and the clothes are usually in great condition because kids outgrow things quickly. You can also take care of things like backpacks and school shoes by shopping at consignment stores.
4. Check out garage sales
Garage sales are another great place to get items at a discount. You can often find clothes, shoes, backpacks, and even some supplies. It's helpful to go to community garage sales to save time since many families will have items on sale in one place.
5. Organize a swap party
If you have friends with children of different ages, consider organizing a swap party to save on clothes and supplies. Each person can bring outgrown clothing or school stuff that's no longer needed. You can then exchange items that are outdated for new things that you need for the upcoming year.
6. Join local Buy Nothing groups
In many areas, there are Buy Nothing groups on social media that you can join. You can make requests for items other people want to get rid of, so you could potentially be able to get some of your supplies and school clothing at no cost just by asking for it. You can also watch for the items people are giving away and claim things that you might need.
7. Shop the sales flyers
Most stores offer specials on back-to-school items. If you shop the sales flyers, you can find out which locations have needed items on sale. You can then make a plan for where to buy each item based on which locations have the best discounts.
8. Compare prices
Rather than just buying the items on your supply list, take the time to check prices at a few places. You may find that you can get a discount by purchasing certain items online and others at a local brick-and-mortar store. By doing some comparison shopping, you can hopefully save on every item on your list.
9. Take advantage of loss leaders
It's very common for stores to offer loss leaders when they know people are shopping for school supplies. These are items that you can buy at a deep discount. For example, a store might allow you to purchase a notebook for $0.10.
The goal of these loss leaders is to entice you to come to the store in hopes you will purchase other things while there. But you can get the loss leader at several different stores so you get the absolute lowest cost possible on several different items.
10. Consider shopping at all different types of stores
You don't have to go to a big-box store or an office supply store to get the items on your back-to-school list. Consider alternative locations such as dollar stores as well. You may find that you can get most of the things you need at these discount locations.
11. Use coupons
Coupons can help you save money off of the retail price. There are coupons in the paper, as well as online. Be sure to check for these opportunities to score a discount before you head out to do your shopping. If you can reduce your price just by printing or cutting a coupon out of the paper, your money will stretch a lot further.
12. Buy in bulk
You may want to team up with other local families to purchase certain supplies in bulk. You can often get a discount with volume purchases, which enables each family to save. Then just split up the items so each family gets the amount needed -- but at a far reduced price.
13. Buy over time
You do not necessarily have to buy all of the clothes or supplies your child needs at the start of the year. In fact, doing so could sometimes backfire as your kids could outgrow clothes by the end of the year. Buy only the minimum you need and then purchase the rest over time so you have more room to work your expenses into your budget each month.
14. Limit extracurricular activities
While your kids may want to do a ton of extracurricular activities, this can come at a huge cost. Rather than signing them up for everything, pick one or two activities that you have to pay for. Then fill in with free events such as gatherings at your local library that you do not have to pay to attend.
15. Take advantage of sales tax holidays
In many states, a sales tax holiday is offered around back-to-school time. This can save you a fortune on purchases. Check to see if this is available in your area and note the date. If you can, buy as much as possible while sales tax is suspended.
Back-to-school shopping doesn't have to break the bank
By following these 15 tips, you can start the school year off right. Your kids can get all they need and you can make sure you don't overspend. It may take a little extra effort, but putting in a bit of work to find the best deals is worth the money you can save.
