Believe it or not, back to school is just around the corner for your kids, which may come as a welcome relief for parents, but it also means a big shopping bill.
NPR states, “American families with elementary, middle, and high school aged children expect to spend an average of $875 on back-to-school supplies this back-to-school season, according to the National Retail Federation’s annual Back-to-School Survey.” That’s a significant amount of money, but there are some ways to make this season’s shopping a little easier on your wallet. With these five tips, you can save money and still get your kids everything they need for the upcoming back-to-school season.
Instead of mindlessly scanning your list, “create a back-to-school shopping budget before you hit the store and calculate how much you can spend on the various items on your list,” Consumer Reports says. “It’s also a good idea to do a quick inventory at home to avoid stocking up on things like pens and pencils when you already have enough.”
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Before you hit the store, keep an eye out for sales and spend time comparison shopping to figure out where you can get the best deals. Spreading out your shopping is often easier: “Purchase select sales items during certain weeks rather than buying a large amount all at once,” says NerdWallet. This will also “spread out the hit to your budget.”
2. Take advantage of tax breaks
Depending on where you live, you might be able to save money by shopping on sales tax free days. NerdWallet notes that “some states have tax free days that coincide with back-to-school shopping season, which can mean saving you up to 7% on your purchases, depending on the state.”
Just keep in mind that “regulations vary from state to state,” Consumer Reports says. “Some states have limits on the amount of tax-free purchases, some have rules about which items are tax-free, and the tax-free period varies from state to state.”
3. Check for student discounts
While you may already have your eye on sales, there’s one discount opportunity you may have missed: student discounts. “These discounts are typically targeted at students in higher education, but they can also extend to grades K-12,” says CNBC Select. Additionally, “Many retailers and brands are running special promotions aimed at students this time of year,” says Consumer Reports. Some even run all year long.
CNBC Select reports that a search online will “provide a list of stores in every category that will give you discounts if you show your student ID,” citing “Apple, Microsoft, H&M, Madewell, American Eagle and Goodwill” as examples.
4. Coordinate with other family members to buy in bulk
Another tip for saving money on back-to-school shopping is to “buy in bulk from wholesale stores like Costco, Sam’s Club, and BJ’s,” NPR says. “Stocking up on non-perishable items like pencils can save you money in the long run,” especially if you have a large family.
But this method also works for smaller families: “Parents of your child’s classmates may want to team up to purchase certain supplies,” NerdWallet notes. In particular, “this method works well for classroom supplies like tissues, plastic bags, and hand sanitizer.”
5. Buy used or refurbished products
Not everything you buy for your child’s school year needs to be new. Consider buying used or refurbished items. “Whether you’re buying textbooks, electronics, clothing, or anything else, you can still save more than buying new,” says CNBC Select. You might even be able to find “discounted ‘like new’ items.”
For electronics, you can turn to retailers like Amazon and Best Buy, while sites like Mercari and Depop are great for finding second-hand clothes. Another option, according to NerdWallet, is to “source school supplies, clothes, jackets, and more from thrift stores and resale sites like swap.com,” and you can “request and give away items for free” through “local Buy Nothing Project groups on Facebook and the BuyNothing app.”
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