Back-to-school costs keep on escalating over the years. According to a 2010 National Retail Federation report, on average, the American family spends over $600 on school materials/stationery. Whether your children are starting kindergarten or heading off to campus this year, it is possible to buy them school supplies without having to break your bank account.
Below are 10 tips on how to save money when buying school materials/stationary for your kids:
- Instead of credit cards, always use cash – Paying for expenses with cash enables you to keep track of your funds.
- Visit Cartageous to save money on shopping – Cartageous is an online shopping portal that compares products and merchants to find you the best deal (all in one place!).
- Use social media (Facebook and Twitter) to save – Some companies send coupon links to their loyal clients, as well as advance sale notices through their social media platforms. Follow your favorite companies and take advantage of their back-to-school offers.
- Take advantage of sales tax holidays when buying supplies – Most states offer their shoppers tax holidays. All you need to do is find the tax holiday dates in your state and mark it in the calendar.
- Shop at thrift stores and garage sales – Garage sales are a treasure trove of amazing deals for school supplies.
- Conduct a supply and closet sweep – Basement bins, desk drawers and closets hold hidden treasures, which can help mitigate shopping costs.
- Take advantage of coupons – You can search for coupons in the local dailies or online. Back-to-school coupons will reduce your shopping costs immensely.
- Purchase in bulk – Buying in bulk will always save you huge amounts of money because of discounts. Go for the items that you’ll always need more of or will also use around the house, like paper, pencils and pens.
- Timing is everything – Don’t wait until September to go shopping; shop in advance before the season hits. The other options is to prep in advance – buy everything the year prior when the back-to-school season comes to an end and everything is on clearance.
- Have limits – Rather than buying your kids Justin Bieber backpacks and binders because they’re hot this season, you should instill money-based values on them and buy supplies that will be trendy year-after-year.
In summary …
Most parents and guardians dread going back-to-school shopping; this is especially true in the middle of summer. Because back-to-school shopping is inevitable, it’s important to be prepared. By taking the ten steps above, you’ll certainly be able to save substantial amounts of money when it comes to purchasing school stationery/materials for your kids. You may even get to relax and enjoy the last few weeks of summer vacation with your kids before the hustle and bustle of school begins!
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