![]() ![]() ![]() Think Classroom Needs First, Clothes Second We try to pick up homework and art supply stashes during our back-to-school planning to cut down on the last-minute panic sessions later. Odds are high that if your student needs a particular pen or a protractor for the classroom, they will need one for homework too. Any survivors get downgraded to travel, pretend play, camping, swimming, car entertainment, or overnight play date duty.Īnother money-saving strategy is to evaluate how much of the supply list actually has to be turned in during the Fall. The previous year’s backpacks are generally too worn out to be expected to make it through a second round. We might pick up dress shoes instead.īackpacks are our family’s exception to the above rule. If somebody already has a great lunchbox, I might not replace that. ![]() Some years, not everybody is getting the exact same number or type of brand-new back-to-school items. With a large family with lots of kids in school, we save money on back-to-school shopping by prioritizing what needs to be bought new, or at all. Having a clear idea of who needs what most urgently before we start shopping is a major money saver for large families. We do the same with clothes, and I write down current and next sizes and any obvious wardrobe gaps. I’ve been poking around Amazon, Target, Costco, and Walmart all summer, so by the time the next school year begins, we’ll have only the odds and ends on individual teachers’ school supply lists to hunt down.Ībout 3-4 times a year, we pull out all the kids’ shoes and take stock of which pairs still have matches and whose feet need new coverage. A plastic tote in my mudroom has been the default depository for all my back-to-school purchases since last year’s classes wrapped: glue sticks, pencils, snarky tees, sneakers. Got a coupon? See a great sale? Buy it now. One of my top money-saving strategies, though, as a parent of five, is to shop throughout the year. Of course, late summer and early fall are the traditional back-to-school sales pushes. Is the price reasonable? Will my child use it? Does the teacher require it? And, in the case of clothing and shoes, how long is it likely to fit? We want warm winter coats that won’t shred on the first day, backpacks whose straps won’t rip immediately, lunchboxes that don’t crack in half the moment they’re dropped or bumped, and sweaters that don’t pill after the first wash. Our number one question: Will it hold up? Living in a rural environment with limited store choices, we use several criteria to identify back-to-school sales bargains. Look for Quality Clothing, Shop Early, and Shop Off-Season Still, with three kids already in school-and four next year-bargain hunting takes priority. More than once, I have forgotten or been unable to locate an item myself, so I figure it all will even out. Knowing that school supply costs can burden families even in a good year, we’ve always made it a point to pick up a few extras when shopping, and I’m always happy we do because someone invariably forgets (or cannot afford) the requested sanitizers, wipes, towels, snacks, tissues, or baggies. More than two years post-pandemic, the economic hits to families keep coming, with the news that many of the schools that enjoyed free federally funded breakfast and lunch menus for all students the last couple of years will see that support pulled for the coming academic year. Related: 30 Back-to-School Memes Every Parent Will Appreciate Back-to-School Shopping on a Tight Budget This year, with groceries, fuel, and other household costs rising, the pressure is on more than ever. With money tighter than ever and inflation on the rise, families will be hunting for back-to-school deals wherever they can. With kids heading back to school in just a few weeks, parents and teachers are bracing for the long school supply lists, field trip fees, and of course, new back-to-school clothes for your growing grade schoolers! ![]()
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