With the new school year there are a lot of expenses that have to be covered, from school fees to uniforms to stationery and other necessities that your child is going to need. Parents are often left feeling overwhelmed, but there are ways to lower the costs of back to school requirements. The article on Mint Life details the twelve ways to cut costs which we have simplified here.
First Stop Home – Check what supplies are left over from last year that have been put into a drawer or box for next year and then forgotten.
Get a List – Make a list of what you need and stick to it, although the funky eraser looks great, it is more expensive than the regular eraser. Provide your children with their needs without spending more money on things which might be needed or look nicer.
Thrifty Shopping – There are no rules as to WHERE you get the supplies, so shopping at thrift shops or any other places which are cheaper than the larger supermarkets is perfectly acceptable.
Freebies – There could be programs in your neighborhood where some companies or departments give away school supplies which are in great working order but have been allocated to the trash.
Comparison Shopping – Use the internet and compare prices of different stores, this way you can compare prices without having to be in the different stores and being tempted to purchase things before you ready.
Coupons – Using coupons or promo codes to cut back on the costs is another great way to save.
Tax Holiday – Take advantage of the state tax holiday to save, especially when you have to purchase clothing, sporting equipment or other large items.
Bulk Buying – Buying items in bulk also saves you money, join some friends and buy all the items for your children together.
Last Minute Shopping – Buy the basics and wait for the school season to start then go and get the rest of the supplies as all the shops put their back to school items on sale.
Sales – Check with flyers and other means of advertising for items that are on special.
Swapping – If you have lots of pencils you can be sure that another parent has a lot of exercise books, so swap with friends instead of buying new.
Generic vs Flashy – Your child would love to have the pencils that are dipped in glitter or the designer notebooks, but they do not work any better than the plain items, to save money stick to the plain items. Your child will forget the fancy items as soon as they are out of sight.
Back to school is fun and stressful, make it a little easier by ensuring that you follow the above steps to lighten the financial load.