Buying school supplies usually causes financial concerns for families struggling to make ends meet. In today’s troubled financial times it's even more important than ever to save money on needed school supplies. However, by shopping at the right times and places, besides taking inventory of what they may already parents can save money.
Take Inventory of School-Related Items
Before rushing off to check off all those items on a child’s back-to-school list, parents should first search their homes for any unused items that can be used for the new school year. Usually there is at least one notebook leftover from last spring that still contains paper. Even if there isn’t enough for a spiral notebook, extra paper can still be pulled out and used or placed in a three-ring binder.
Find School Supplies While Cleaning the House
In addition to getting their homes neat and organized, parents typically uncover a few school supplies when cleaning and looking under beds, sofas and chairs where they generally find items as pens, pencils and erasers. What’s more, there’s the spare change usually found which can help with buying school supplies.
Set up a Supply Box
Parents with several children in school can reuse some of their older kids’ school supplies for their younger children. By setting up a central supply box and then asking all your children to deposit school supplies they used last year into the box, it’s likely there will be some items that can be reused. Parents can also pool their old school supply items with those of friends and neighbors.
Sources for School Supplies
Besides office supplies stories and regular stores where one expects to find school supplies, unexpected stores can also carry the same items for cheaper prices. For example, thrift stores, dollar stores and even grocery stores often offer school items, usually priced lower than in office supply stores.
Online Shopping and Clearance Sales
Besides saving gas and time, as well as avoiding crowds, shopping online can save money, especially if supplies are bought in bulk. Many stores such as Staples and other have online stores that sell school supplies. When shopping in stores, wait a week after school starts. By shopping after the time other people shop parents often find items discounted at clearance sales.
Don’t Buy Name Brands
Standard notebooks not decorated with popular designs and brand names are cheaper. Parents can also customize a boring notebook by adding any extras or by having children decorate the covers. With scrapbook paper, an ordinary notebooks have personality on both its front and back sides. Both spiral notebooks and three-ring binders are easy to customize to suite a child’s tastes.
Choosing Backpacks
When selecting backpacks choose one that's sturdy with zippers and straps that are durable. This is one item where parents may have to spend more money, as they don’t want to have to keep replacing a backpack during the school year. Also, they should check for any guarantees.
Buy Pen, Pencils and Art Supplies in Bulk
Rather than buying small packages of crayons, watercolors, markers, colored pencils and other art supplies, parents can get together with other parents and order these supplies in bulk, thereby saving money. The same goes for pencils, pens and notebook paper. Freebies such as pens and pencils picked up from banks and other businesses are other ways to save money.
Set Spending Limits
Most of all before embarking on a trip to the store for school supplies, parents should let their children know they’re on a strict budget and limits for spending need to be set. It's also better to leave children at home. It’s amazing how much money parents can safe shopping alone.
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