The cost for school supplies rises each year, but with strategic planning and effort, it is possible to purchase what is needed and still have money left for your student’s college savings account.
Dealspotr has complied tips on how to get your school supplies for under $20.
Before opening your wallet for that set of neon-glow erasable markers from Amazon, get the school list and set a budget for how much you are willing to spend on only the necessary items. See if for instance, crayons can be used also as map pencils, suggests SheKnows.com. Not only will you save money, but you are teaching your children a valuable lesson on how to economize.
I Heart the Mart recommends creating a spreadsheet for all of your kids’ school needs and take note of weekly sale flyers for stores like Staples, Walmart, Target, CVS and others during the next several weeks. Check off items as you buy them to avoid over-purchasing.
Did your child come home with all the unused supplies you bought that last fall? Take inventory of what you might have over-purchased for the last school year. Chances are you didn’t need four packs of crayons, after all. But you have the leftover stock for this year.
Now is also a good time to plan ahead and purchase a Rubbermaid bucket to store all those extra rulers and pens at the end of the school year so that nothing ends up misplaced. You might be pleasantly surprised to see your shopping list cut in half using this method.
Do your recent empty-nest friends have a closet filled with memories and leftover school supplies? It is worth finding out if they might want to make extra storage space by donating the pile of unused notebooks and binders to your family.
Lunchboxes and backpacks can be made to look (almost) new with a little imagination and a pack of new stickers. Creating book covers can become a fun project for the kids. Even binders can take on a new appearance with scrapbooking paper.
There are many advantages to buying school supplies online. Not only are there fantastic deals, but you can avoid the “battle of wills” with your kids when they see that rainbow display of expensive scented markers. When shopping online, use one store to save on or receive free bulk shipping.
If you enjoy the bargains of going bulk at stores like Sam’s Club, then consider sharing the expense and purchases with other parents.
Remember to save all your receipts in case your purchases are discounted over the next couple of weeks. Most stores will give you back the difference without you actually having to return the items. Be certain to check their policy.
Expensive calculators and required computer accessories can sometimes be borrowed or leased from the school for the year. Also, if you really want to cut corners, talk with the teacher a few days before school.
Find out what items are really must-haves for the student. With a reminder from the teacher when stock is running low, you can then spread out the cost by buying merchandise later as needed.
There are many important lessons that are not learned at school. Even parents can attain new knowledge on cutting down the ever-increasing cost of school supplies. But being a savvy shopper teaches your child value and sacrifice when forsaking the higher cost items for similar discount ones.
After all, the greatest worth may be that those extra dollars saved are a great investment in his or her future education.
