Tag Archives: school supplies

4 Frugal Ways To Save On School Supplies

school-supplies

School is back! While you’re working on gathering those school supplies, be sure you aren’t overspending on some of the essentials. We’re here to give a little advice on ways you can save on supplies, while making sure you still get everything on the list.

Re-use

Start by shopping at home. You have drawers full of unused highlighters and almost-new pencils. Yes, your child may whine that they NEED the new 144 pack of crayons, but they will be just fine with the boxes you’ve accumulated over the years. Search through your crayons and find the newest ones and make your own box. Then find the notebooks, scissors and pencil bag from the year before to add to the pile.

Coupon It

Coupons are everything! Find the best deals online by adding a store’s app to your phone or simply search the web. Know when the best time to go shopping is for those supplies and grab your coupons. You can also bring your child along to teach them the value of saving and how those 2 for 1 deals work!

Go Generic

You don’t need to buy the $2.50 folder when you can buy almost the same one that’s a generic brand for $0.49. Knowing what items don’t need to be splurged on can save you some cash here and there – and quickly build up if you have more than one kid!

Follow Stores Online

Following stores online and subscribing to their email list may let you get ahead of the game. Stores sometimes have flash sales or extra coupons on their social platforms for devoted customers, so scoping it out won’t hurt! If you plan to bargain-hunt this year, monitor your favorite stores’ Twitter and Facebook feeds to find deals.

You can follow these stores on Twitter, for example:

  • Amazon Deals: @amazondeals
  • Coupons.com: @Coupons
  • Staples: @Staples
  • Office Max: @OfficeMax
  • TJ Maxx: @tjmaxx
  • Marshalls: @marshalls
  • Best Buy: @BestBuy
  • Target: @Target 
  • Kohl’s: @Kohls
  • RetailMeNot: @RetailMeNot

We hope these simple solutions allow you to save a little here and there. Those small savings add up in a hurry, so take saving for school supplies seriously! Then, put those savings into an account for your child, so they can use it for college later.

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!