I remember when I was younger, I was still waiting impatiently for the new school year.
By the end of summer, I was happy to be enjoying my vacation again and at the same time, I could not wait to get back to school.
I do not know about you but as far as I’m concerned, I have always loved school.
At the time, we were living in Marseille, a beautiful city located in the South of France.
As in France school holidays last two months; from July to September, during these two months I could not see my friends anymore.
Either they were traveling with their families, or I was leaving with my parents.
Our father often made us travel at that time. This has allowed us to visit many countries in Europe, such as Germany, the United Kingdom, Belgium, Spain, Portugal, etc.
These trips were exciting and full of discoveries for us.
But I was always in a hurry to go back to school for two reasons.
Reason number 1:
Returning to school after a good vacation with my family was a magical moment because I knew I was going to see my friends again and we were going to have lots of fun.
Reason number 2:
I knew my parents would buy me new school supplies. I was going to have a new bag, new shoes, new clothes, new pens, markers, etc.
When the month of September arrived and we returned to school, I was happy and proud to go back to school with my new clothes, my new shoes and my new bag full of new supplies.
And yet, at the time I did not realize that to have all these new supplies, my parents who did not have much money, had to make a lot of sacrifices for us.
They sacrificed so much to please us. And they did everything they could to help us succeed in school and in life in general.
If I had known they were sacrificing so much for us, maybe I would have agreed to go back to school with my old supplies.
And that would have allowed them to save some money on school supplies, have more fun and better enjoy their money.
Do I regret that time?
Not at all!
However, I deeply thank my parents for all the efforts they have made for my brothers and me.
That being said, let’s get back to our topic of the day.
Are you ready to become an awesome student this school year?
If it is “YES”, that’s good. But if not, it is normal.
Maybe you need a couple of days to get adjusted and program yourself to be back at school again.
Perhaps, shopping school supplies will get you motivated?
In this post, I’m going to list the money-saving tips when you go shopping for your school supplies.
But wait!
You still have some spare school supplies from last year, what are you going to do with it?
Is there a need to purchase a new set of school things?
College students and most especially all the parents out there can relate to the struggles of spending money.
No one wants to be dramatic here, but every cent or dollar counts unless you are rich. Regardless of how wealthy your family is, it is still unwise to spend money on those unimportant things.
We can’t argue about the materials that are required for this school year. But for those that still have some at home – that we, the parents or even your older siblings will argue.
So, whether you are already in college, in middle school or younger, you need to be wise in spending money.
If you do this, you can thank yourself for doing it.
For those moms and dads out there, it is important that your children receive a solid financial education from an early age.
It’s your role to help them to understand the value of money and saving, and school supply is one of the best examples to start with.
According to the National Retail Federation, American families are expected to spend almost $700 on back-to-school shopping for their children in elementary through high school. Those with kids going to college should prepare to spend even more. Back-to-school spending will average $977 per family for families with kids heading to college.
With that in mind, now you why learning how to save a few dollars here and there on school supplies is so important.
You can also read my post on: 13 Ways to save more money in 2019 and beyond…
So, as September is getting closer, how can you save money on school supplies?
Keep reading, because in this post, I’m going to share with you 13 Awesome Ways to Save Money Buying School Supplies.
But before that, if you like this post, make sure to save this pin on your Pinterest board for later…
Let’s get started…
1. Do Home Shopping First
Before you check the mall or the stores downtown, you might want to shop in your home first for school supplies.
You might be surprised to discover all the supplies you have just lying around or hidden somewhere in your room.
For parents, check whether you still have backpacks, calculators, pencils, or rulers.
Those things don’t need to be replaced every year, so there’s no problem in having your child to reuse these things.
After you find out about the available supply, it is now time to prepare the list.
So, you will be having the list of only those important supplies that your child needs and be able to set a budget for these.
2. Check on Other Stores
Everyone knows that we have our preferences. That is why it is just common for some to shop at an only favorite store.
We can’t blame you for choosing that store because maybe aside from it has everything that you need; it is just conveniently near.
Well, there’s nothing wrong with it but are you sure that it helps you to save money?
There’s nothing wrong in checking other stores and compare their prices since saving is your main goal here.
Once you find the best money-saving store, stick to it. You might be surprised how much you can save even if you are shopping for supplies.
You may found some supplies that will enable you to save a few dollars or cents, but it is still okay.
At least when you collected those cents or few dollars; this saves you much from spending even more.
3. Be Knowledgeable about Tax-Free Holidays
How much are you aware of your state holidays?
Did you know that there are tax-free holidays?
Yes, you read it right.
Many states have tax-free holidays whenever it is back to school season. Check first whether your state offers this type of holiday. And if it does, don’t waste this golden opportunity.
You will be glad to hear that you can save as much as 10% off from the usual school supplies.
If you are purchasing an expensive item like a scientific calculator or a laptop, don’t worry. Some states also offer discounts for these types of items.
Aside from school supplies, tax-free holidays are also applicable to items such as shoes and clothing.
So, check first to your state for this holiday and save the date.
4. Be Creative
Fancier supplies would also mean that these have a fancier price. On the other hand, plain school supplies cost lesser than those fancy things.
So, purchase those plain school supplies and let your child design it.
You can give them stickers to decorate it or let them personalize it more by doing colorful doodles.
As parents, you didn’t just save money, but you also help your child to be creative.
5. Buying Extra Supplies is also good
For parents who have kids in middle school, stocking up on extra supplies will be a great back-to-school tip.
Buy and stock up on supplies that your child might run out during the middle of the semester.
So, make sure to purchase these in-demand supplies while these are still on sale. You can stock up on items such as markers, glue, extra notebook, and others.
If in case your child ran out of this particular supply, you can still have an extra that you kept on your drawers.
So, you saved money from purchasing; you also saved yourself from taking a trip to the school supply store just for it.
Just a friendly reminder, make sure you put these supplies on a place where you can find it easily in case the need arises.
6. Supply Swap
What if you have stocked up a particular supply more than what you just needed?
Well, you can continue keeping them, or you can plan on doing a “supply swap” with your neighbors or other parents.
For instance, you have kept many packs of pencils, and your neighbor has many reams of bond paper. You can talk to them to see whether they wanted or willing to supply a ream of bond paper over several packs of pencils.
You didn’t just save yourself from spending on purchasing the item but also the costs for your gasoline to drive to the nearest store.
So, it is a win-win solution for both of you.
7. Follow them on Social Media
Since we are enjoying the convenience, the online world offers might as well make use of your social media for the better.
If you think that following stores on sites such as Facebook and Twitter will not do well for you, you’re thinking the opposite.
Well, some companies are fond of sending coupon links or even advance notice of their upcoming sale to their ever-loyal followers.
If you wanted to save money on school supplies this year, follow your favorite stores or brands on social media accounts and be updated of the great deals along the way.
This is simply the perks of being a loyal follower.
8. Shop on Thrift Stores and Garage Sales
Why should you consider visiting thrift stores and garage sales?
You can find great treasures there, especially – school supplies.
You can also find shoes that are used but are still in good condition, clothing, and even backpacks.
You get to find an incredible bargain at the same time you saved yourself some extra shop.
Isn’t that wonderful?
If in case you can’t go to those places for some reason but wanted to save, you can ask your friends or your other family members to update you in case they happen to shop there and find a great item.
For a parent who wanted to shop for clothes for their children, it would be best to shop for these in the middle or later part of July.
Why?
So, what if your child wanted for new clothes, you have something to give without getting stressed thinking about its price. Just make sure to let them wear it during the start of the school to feel its “newness” and your love.
9. Choose One Sports and Activities at School
It is not that we are against the idea of participating, but it is also one of those things that are added upon the expenses.
Choosing one for each will help ensure that you or your child have a better balance in school and sports.
For parents who have several children and wanted to be enrolling in different sports or an activity, that is indeed one of the reasons that stress the pocket of your parents.
That is why, for parents, it is your job to explain these things to your child.
If your child wants to be part of a musical group or to go on a music lessons, the best advice here is to purchase a used instrument.
Many sites offer used musical instruments and other supplies.
Also, you can save from sports equipment that your child needs by purchasing the used one but still in good condition.
You can choose not just for the best instrument but also the best price.
10. Getting a Uniform
Some schools do not require their students to wear their uniforms, while others require.
So you can imagine how the new clothes that you buy will look older since it is used every day.
Compare to having uniforms. It will help you save from spending your money from purchasing more clothes unless it is needed.
Have you heard of a uniform exchange?
Some schools encourage their parents to sell or donate those uniforms that their child has outgrown.
If your school has it, take this chance of saving some on your uniforms and keep that money for future needs.
11. Quality Supplies are Still the Best
From the previous numbers, we have included in this list about buying plain school supplies, visiting thrift stores or garage sales.
With those stores, everyone can already expect that they will be finding products that are in cheap or low in price.
Well, there’s nothing wrong about it, but if you are after quality, then you should get the best and of high-quality.
It might be a little bit over than what you have budgeted or expected but to have a quality product that will be used for a longer period, that is the best choice.
12. Work for It
What if you set a budget or limit for the items that your kid fancied for this school year?
Well, here’s the best solution: let them work for it.
This explains why parents would tend to assign chores to their children to accomplish in exchange for the chance of getting that fancy item for this school year.
Through this, parents teach their child to understand the value of money and the item as well since it is the fruit of their hard work.
This value is taught to children is life-changing and will always be on their mind until their adulthood.
13. Be Firm in Saying “NO”
Every parent in the world wants only the best for their child.
Remember when I told you that our parents sacrificed so much for us even though they did not have a lot of money?
That’s exactly what I was referring to.
And when it is back to school, we all wanted them to have a fun school year. But it doesn’t mean that not buying the things that they wanted would mean that we don’t want them enjoying their school year.
To help you save some extra cash, before leaving the house with a prepared list of school supply, tell your child that you will only be buying those that are listed and will not be buying those that are not listed.
It is already a common scenario where kids would beg their parents to buy something that is needed or is expensive.
What is the best solution?
Do the shopping on your own. Buy only the things that they need on the first day, and while they are still at school, it is now time for you to buy the things left on the list.
At least, by doing this, you ignore getting forced to buy things that are not important and lets you save some extra cash for later use.
Conclusion
We know how hard it is to earn money.
Having a long list of bills to pay, there is an urge to save some cash for future use.
As much as we wanted to save, there are things that we can’t avoid to buy. One of which is the school supplies.
In writing this article, I am fully aware that saving a little money on school supplies will not change your life.
But given the economic situation the world is going through right now, it’s important to know how to manage your expenses well.
Any saving of money is always good to take.
But given the economic situation the world is going through right now, it’s important to know how to manage your spending well.
Any saving of money is always good to take.
Saving a little money on unnecessary things will allow you to use it for more important things, like education or health.
Thank you for reading this article.
I hope my 13 tips to save money shopping school supplies will help you “SAVE SOME MONEY”
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