Smart Back-to-School Shopping: Tips to Save Time & Money
It’s that time of year again – back-to-school shopping season! As a parent, back-to-school shopping can be extremely stressful and expensive. You want to get your kids everything they need to succeed, but also don’t want to break the bank or spend hours running from store to store.
The good news is there are lots of ways to streamline the process and make smart, money-saving choices when getting your kids ready to head back to school. In this post, we’ll explore some of the best tips for saving both time and money during your back-to-school shopping.
Make Thorough Supply Lists
One of the best ways to save time is to go into your back-to-school shopping with a plan. Having detailed supply lists for each child before you even head to the store will make the entire process smoother. Include all the necessities like notebooks, binders, pencils, pens, folders, glue sticks, scissors, rulers, backpacks, lunch boxes, and any other items on classroom supply lists.
You can often find teacher supply lists online through school websites or get hard copies from your student’s school ahead of time. Make sure to go through the lists thoroughly and double check you don’t already have some of the items. This prevents you from buying duplicates!
Take Inventory at Home First
Before shopping, take inventory of what you already have from last year and see what can still be used or replenished. Going through closets, drawers, and storage bins can reveal forgotten items like binders, unused notebooks, pencils, backpacks, and clothes that still fit. This gives you a good idea of what you actually need to buy new for the upcoming year.
Sign Up for Alerts
Many popular retailers like Target, Walmart, and Staples will let you sign up for alerts about their best back-to-school sales. You can also join mailing lists, follow social media accounts, or download apps to get notified of coupons and deals. Taking advantage of these notifications throughout the summer is an easy way to save money as sales come up.
Shop Online to Save Time
When possible, shop online to avoid crowds and quickly browse options. Places like Amazon let you compare prices between school supplies and find convenient bundles. You can also preorder items you know you’ll need and have them shipped right to your door. Ordering online saves the time spent driving to multiple stores and navigating busy aisles.
Set Up Auto-Delivery
For items you know you’ll need a lot of, like printer paper, pencils, and erasers, check if retailers offer auto-delivery services. Amazon’s Subscribe & Save program will automatically ship you select items on a schedule and offers discounts too. Setting up a subscription means you won’t have to remember to order commonly used supplies throughout the school year.
Get Older Kids Involved
Have your middle or high schoolers make their own supply lists for their classes – they’ll have the best sense of what they actually need! Giving them a budget for their supplies also reduces impulse purchases. Let them do their own shopping online or go with them to pick items out. Having this independence makes them more invested in using supplies responsibly.
Use Coupons, Deals and Cash-Back
From school supply deals at the grocery store to coupons on backpacks, take advantage of any savings you can. Check store ads and apps like Rakuten, CouponCabin, and Shopkick for extra cashback and discounts. Signing up for credit cards with rewards programs can also earn you extra points or miles by buying back-to-school necessities.
Shop Discount Stores
Dollar stores, warehouse clubs, discount chains like Target, and office supply stores can offer the lowest prices on many basic supplies like notebooks, pens, erasers, binders, paper and more. Buy these necessities at the cheaper stores, then splurge on bigger items only at full-price retailers.
Buy in Bulk
Stock up on items you know you’ll go through a lot of, like pencils, pens, glue sticks, paper, tissues, and cleaning supplies.Buying these supplies in bulk quantities saves money in the long run. Just make sure to split bulk items up between home storage and backpacks so kids aren’t carrying excess weight.
Shop Secondhand
Gently used clothing, shoes, and backpacks can save you a ton of money while being kind to the environment. Check out local consignment stores, kids thrift shops, Facebook Marketplace, and online retailers like ThredUp. With kids growing so quickly at these ages, many items are almost new!
Organize Swaps
Reach out to other parents in your area to organize a school supply and clothes swap. This lets everyone trade in quality used items their kids have outgrown for ones they need in new sizes. Swapping is an easy way to get necessities free.
Stick to Necessities
It’s easy to get sucked into trendy school supplies and accessories, but try to stick to the basics your kids actually need. Fun erasers and fancy notebooks might seem cool now but end up unused. Popular clothes and backpacks can be very expensive – opt for budget-friendly styles instead. Skip the impulse buys!
Compare Prices
Always price compare between different stores on bigger ticket items like backpacks, athletic shoes, and electronics. Retailers frequently match prices so you can get the best deal. Include online stores like Amazon and Walmart.com in your comparison shopping too – their prices are often very competitive.
Use Rewards Programs
Find a credit card that offers extra rewards on back-to-school shopping purchases and use it on your bigger purchases like computers and dorm room decor. The right card can give you a nice amount of cash back or points to put toward future purchases.
Get Organized
As you accumulate school supplies, develop an organization system right away so items don’t get lost. Use bins, shelves, and closet space to neatly sort and store items. Older kids can keep their space tidy if you provide the storage pieces. Keeping everything organized reduces time wasted searching for items later.
Schedule Appointments in Advance
During back-to-school season, doctor and dentist offices get very backed up with appointments. Beat the rush by scheduling check-ups and immunizations now. Hair salons also tend to fill up quickly this time of year – get haircuts on the calendar early. Planning ahead ensures there’s enough time.
Prep Food for Quick Mornings
Make the first few hurried weeks of school easier by prepping quick breakfasts and lunches on weekends to grab and go during the week. Bake egg casseroles, prep sandwiches and salads, cut fruit, and assemble snack bags so healthy options are ready when you’re rushing out the door.
Adjust Sleep Schedules
As the start of school nears, begin shifting bed times gradually earlier to acclimate kids to their new schedule. Sticking to consistent bed times and wake times is also crucial for their health and focus. Avoid sleep schedule disruptions by limiting late-night screen time.
Start Early and Take Your Time
By planning ahead and shopping early, you can spread out your purchases over several weeks or months. Taking advantage of sales as they pop up also spreads out costs. Trying to buy everything at the last minute is incredibly stressful. Give yourself plenty of time so you aren’t rushed.
Make Smart Choices and Save Big
Implementing even a few of these strategic back-to-school shopping tips can make the process far less painful for parents and students. A little bit of planning goes a long way when it comes to saving time and money! Use this season as an opportunity to teach important shopping and organization skills kids will carry with them into adulthood.