It’s that time of year again. Your kids have overstayed their welcome at home and it’s back to sending them off to where they rightfully belong–in school. The journey back, whether it’s to a college far from home or to school a few blocks away, cannot be successfully completed without the necessary essentials. However, going back to school is typically one of the most trying times of year when it comes to your pocketbook. Here are a few ways to come out of the shopping spree with some money to spare:
1. Go through old school supplies and see which ones you can reuse.
Every year, we are expected to go on a back-to-school shopping trip. Considering the new school year, we have a tendency to think that we need brand new stuff. However, if you dig through last year’s materials, you’ll find that many of the typical school items can be reused. These items can include things as commonplace as pens, pencils, and folders.
2. Purchase required texts online.
Many book retailers will advertise that they have all the books your kid needs. While many pre-college schools provide books for free, if you have a university student, then you know all-too well the cash you will have to shell out for textbooks. It’s best to find out well in advance what books your child will need and order them online early. This can be accomplished by emailing professors asking for course syllabi. Look for used editions. Find out if older editions of textbooks can still be used, since new editions bear a hefty price but are sometimes only marginally different from older editions.
3. Go as cheap as possible with small items so you can spend more on the more important ones.
When buying things like pens, organizers, etc., go with the cheapest possible product, since the quality of these products aren’t that important. In terms of functionality, a pen is a pen and an eraser is an eraser. By saving on the smaller things, you can more easily afford items whose quality does matter, like laptops or graphing calculators.
4. Take advantage of sales.
At the end of the summer, several stores have back-to-school sales. Go early and stock up on items that you think you or your child can use later in the year, stuff that won’t be on sale later. For example, winter clothing isn’t always necessary in late August, but if it’s on sale, go for it now. Once winter fashions hit full force, it will be hard to find such good prices.
5. Whatever you do, don’t panic.
It’s easy to feel stressed at this time of year, because all you want is for your child to be as prepared as possible. However, remember that preparing for school isn’t really about what you buy. Academic success is more likely predicated on the kind of schedule you set in returning to the school routine after a relaxing summer. Stress and panic often lead to buying more unnecessary items, so before going back to the back-to-school shopping, be sure to take a deep breath and relax.
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