Tag Archives: back to school

Top Tips to Save Money on Back-to-School Supplies

back-to-school

Whether you are taking your little ones for their very first school supplies shopping trip or perhaps gathering items you need as you continue your education this fall, there’s no need to empty your wallet. Here are some great ways to save money on school supplies, while still getting everything that’s on the list!

1. Ask a Friend

If you have a friend who has taken that class before or whose child has had the same teacher, it’s time to give them a call. Ask them what supplies were truly needed and what items you can do without. Sometimes lists have a lot of excess supplies, so be sure everything you purchase will get used!

2. Skip the Extras

Think carefully about the list. Does it seem like there are unnecessary items? For example, if the list says to buy pencils, there likely isn’t a reason to buy separate rubber erasers. You may be doubling up on supplies if you don’t examine the list carefully before buying.

3. Scour Your Home

You know that junk drawer you’ve been wanting to clean out for some time? Now is your chance! There are likely many items like pens and pencils laying around the house already.

4. Online Shop, But Don’t Buy

One trick to online shopping is placing items in your shopping cart, but not purchasing. Leave those items there and often, you will be offered a coupon to convince you to complete the purchase. A penny saved is a penny earned!

5. Stock Up

There are often many back-to-school sales that won’t come around again throughout the year. If there are supplies like glue sticks or folders you are sure will need replaced at some point this school year, go ahead and buy extra at the lower cost. This will save you money during the year and if you don’t end up using it this term, you’ll have part of your shopping already finished for next year.

6. Know the Stores

Social media can be your best friend when it comes to back-to-school shopping. Either sign up for email sales alerts or ‘like’ your favorite retailer’s Facebook pages. This will keep you updated on the latest school sales and which stores have the best deals on each item.

7. Don’t Be Fooled

Often, places like dollar stores or general retailers will make items seem significantly cheaper by decreasing the size of the item. They may have folders listed for 50 cents each, but in reality you could get a pack of three folders for a dollar. Be sure to calculate the cost per unit to verify if this “deal” truly is a deal.

8. Consider Alternatives

Not all items need to be purchased new. You’d be surprised at what you can find at garage sales and consignment shops. Many people have too many school supplies already laying around their house and are ready to get rid of them and sell them for a fraction of the price.

If you’re looking to save on more than school supplies, we offer a variety of different accounts to help you do so!

Back to School Savings Tips

school

Back to school shopping can be dreadful. Trying to buy new school supplies for your kids or yourself can be crazy expensive. Luckily, these 5 saving tips might just be the key to school supply shopping success.

Do a Closet and Supply Sweep

Don’t be alarmed, but there may be school supplies lying around your house! Before rushing to the store to buy brand new school supplies, you may want to check in between your couch cushions and in desk drawers. By doing this, you may find school supplies that were bought years prior that have not been used. Finding previous school supplies that are on that list will help you save money by not having to buy brand new products. You may have most supplies already!

To avoid forgetting that you may have school supplies lying somewhere around the house, start collecting the items that you already have and put them in a central location. This will allow you to keep track of what you already have, so you don’t end up wasting time or money!

Hit up the Dollar/Thrift Store

You don’t have to buy everything here, but for items such as: loose leaf paper, staplers, erasers, pencils, rulers and clothes, you sure could get a deal. Buying such items at the Dollar Store or Thrift Store will help save you money before going straight to the major department stores. Shop at these places first for basic supplies and then go to the main stores to find the rest of what you need! This may take some planning ahead, but you can score some amazing bargains.

Use Coupons

When school starts approaching, you may want to look at your Sunday paper or online for coupons! Sites like RetailMeNot have a special section on their site for school supplies. Also, keep in mind that stores, like Walmart, offer price matching. Check ads every week, and keep an eye out for sales! Doing these things should help maximize your savings.

Start Early!

You can start early, but not too early. As soon as you see school supplies go on sale, begin shopping. If you wait too long, you might miss out on those bargain deals or the opportunity to have the best notebook and pencils! Getting a jump-start gives you time to shop around and compare deals. With shopping early, you have the option to buy in bulk. That way during the school year, you’ll have back-ups at home when it’s time to re-stock.

Hold off on buying the ‘popular’ gear

The only good thing about going back to school might be the new clothes, gear and school supplies, but that does not mean you have to spend hundreds every year. Most of the time the ‘popular items’ will be very expensive and then become not so ‘popular’ after the first month of school, so hold off on buying those and try to invest in the quality of items. You want to be able to get the best bang for your buck!

We hope these 5 tips will grant you success when shopping for school supplies! We wish you and your family the best for this school year!