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Creatively
Frugal
Back
to School Savings
"How do you prepare your family for
starting back to school without spending a fortune on school
supplies, school clothes, shoes, etc.?"
"I have 4 children, 19 months, 6,
7 and 17. The younger three are homeschooled and the older
will be in public school this year. (First year out of uniforms
for a few years!) I usually purchase items at the end of the
school year when things are on clearance. We also purchase
extras for the shoeboxes to be sent out at Christmastime. We also
stay away from the mall!" ~ Cheryl
"My
kids don't go to school. They are homeschooled, but they still
need clothes and school supplies. First of all, I buy clothes out
of season when they have been put on clearance. I have paid $2 for
shirts and $4 for a pair of pants. JCPenney, Old Navy and Target
are some of the best places that I have found for buying nice
clothes for "a little bit of nothing" on
clearance. If it is still warm where you live, you can find shorts
and short sleeve shirts on clearance right now for the start of
school or for next spring and summer. Also,
for school supplies, I search through 'Back to School' ads to get
the best deals. Then I buy enough to last all year. I have bought
pencils for .10 a pack, crayons for .15, spiral notebooks for .15
and bottles of glue for .15 a bottle." ~ Carrie
"With regards to school
supplies I start checking the sale ads in July and August. Last year
I found paperclips, spiral notebooks, crayons, and most everything
else we needed for as low as 10 cents each. I make sure each child
goes with me so everyone can purchase their limit of items. I was
able to stock up enough at the beginning of the year last year, I
was able to bless others and still have enough for ourselves!"
~ Anonymous
"We buy school supplies once the
teachers send the list. I buy good quality shoes (Nike,
Adidas, etc.) and they last the whole school year. We buy jeans (2
pairs per child) at Sears or Shopko and use their child policy
that allows you to exchange ripped or faded pants for a new
pair. We also buy socks and underwear if needed. A good backpack
should last 2 years. I buy shirts throughout the year when
they are on sale and the secondhand store." ~ Carolina
(5 boys)
"Sales! Sales! Sales!
One of the chain stores (Meijer) will advertise different
supplies starting the middle of July for ridiculously low
prices, 70-page notebooks for 10 cents, folders for a penny
and such, different supplies each week. By sticking to the
supply list sent home from school and watching for these ads, I
can get most of my kids' supplies for under $10 each. For
clothing, we frequent yard sales and Salvation Army/Goodwill
first. I refused to pay $20-30 or more for jeans that the
kids will outgrown in a matter of months, and can usually find
good condition jeans for $2-3 at these places. For other
clothing, I buy at the end of the season for next year and store them
away throughout the year. Rarely do I pay anything even remotely
close to full price this way, too. Now if I could only
find a way to save on school fees!" ~ Carolyn
"When buying for this year, plan ahead for next year.
Make a list of all the things you purchase, including the cost
(maybe just save the receipts) and tuck it away.
Then, start an envelope for each child and put one or two
dollars in it every week. When the time comes to buy next year,
you'll know what you spent and you'll have some of the money you
need so the 'bite' won't feel so big. I live in
Florida and we have a tax-free period for supplies, so that is a
6 1/2 % saving right off the top. I also watch the sales at this
time of year and make a spreadsheet to take with me with the
costs of supplies at each store (I shop Target and K-Mart as
well as Walgreens and CVS for their bargains, since they
are all within a very short distance of one another) -
and 'tick' them off as I buy them." ~ Katy
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"My best way to save on
back-to-school expenses is to not go crazy buying everything at once.
My girls grow like weeds and I have found that if I buy too many
clothing items at the beginning of the school year, by the time they
are ready to wear some of them they have already outgrown them. For
example, I don't buy jeans or sweatpants until late September or early
October. Up until then my girls are wearing dresses, skirts, or shorts
to school. Our budget doesn't take a big hit at one shot and the
little bit here and there is barely noticeable. I am also very blessed
to have the girls' grandparents help out with back-to-school shopping.
Nana and Pa take care of winter coats and backpacks and Gram and Poppy
take care of sneakers. Another way I save is to have a perpetual
school supplies box. Whenever I see notebooks, pens, pencils, erasers,
construction paper, book covers, glue sticks, etc. on sale or
discounted I pick some up. I can't pass up notebooks 10 for $1.00 or
pencil boxes for $.50 each." ~ Annie
"I use the month of August to get
back to school. First I get the school supply lists. Then I combine
all of my children's list into one big master list. I go through
our office supplies at home to see if there are any items leftover
from last year and any extra supplies that can be used. I also wait to
buy items until I can talk to the teacher. Many times the list has
items that your teacher may not use or has lots leftover from last
year. I then ask the teacher if there is something that is needed that
is not on the list. Usually there is something and I get that instead.
Next, I start with the oldest child's clothes and go through them. We
get rid of any clothes that no longer fit, don't like, or never wore.
We go from head to toe. Hats, sunglasses, socks, shoes, etc.
Then we make a list of what is needed. That way we don't buy blue
jeans that aren't needed and spend money on shirts that are needed.
Then I go though the next child and then the next. I take one child at
a time to shop from the list. We get what is needed plus one new
outfit if the budget can handle it." ~ Anonymous
Editor's Note: Thanks to these readers for taking time to share
their ideas!
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