Welcome August. It's supposed to be the dog days of summer, but where I live, it's been a pretty comfortable and maybe even a cool summer. With the 4th of July come and gone, price reductions on summer merchandise started to clear the shelves for guess what? BACK TO SCHOOL! What may be the 3 most dreaded words for kids around the country are actually welcomed by parents who want to see their children back on regular schedules and busy with learning. I am sure parents are hearing "I'm bored!" much too often, and have had enough.
Back to school has become quite a marketing blitz that starts in the middle of summer and marches along until the kids are finally back in school and seated in their desks. I've been through it with two sons, and have been part of the shopping throngs looking to get school supplies and the back to school wardrobe assembled. As always, you want to do it right, but get it cheap. Advertising can really put the pressure on to "overbuy" and potentially come home with every "must have" item...and this isn't just for elementary and high school needs. There is the college crowd and the dorm "must haves" that can empty your wallet.
It takes a savvy shopper, some planning and some realistic restraint to keep to your budget. Some things to consider are taking inventory of what you already have that can be reused, shopping sales for loss leaders or incentive items and taking advantage of rebate offers. For clothing, a money saving strategy that helps is to shop thrift stores for great deals. For dorm shopping, thrift stores and craigslist offer excellent buys on gently used furniture, small refrigerators, microwaves and other items.
Below are some links to help you with planning for the "back to school" shopping blitz. Hopefully it will help you to save you some money.
http://www.livingonadime.com/save-money-school-supplies/
http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/2012/07/back-to-school-on-the-cheap/index.htm
http://www.moneycrashers.com/back-to-school-supplies-list-tips/
Back to school has become quite a marketing blitz that starts in the middle of summer and marches along until the kids are finally back in school and seated in their desks. I've been through it with two sons, and have been part of the shopping throngs looking to get school supplies and the back to school wardrobe assembled. As always, you want to do it right, but get it cheap. Advertising can really put the pressure on to "overbuy" and potentially come home with every "must have" item...and this isn't just for elementary and high school needs. There is the college crowd and the dorm "must haves" that can empty your wallet.
It takes a savvy shopper, some planning and some realistic restraint to keep to your budget. Some things to consider are taking inventory of what you already have that can be reused, shopping sales for loss leaders or incentive items and taking advantage of rebate offers. For clothing, a money saving strategy that helps is to shop thrift stores for great deals. For dorm shopping, thrift stores and craigslist offer excellent buys on gently used furniture, small refrigerators, microwaves and other items.
Below are some links to help you with planning for the "back to school" shopping blitz. Hopefully it will help you to save you some money.
http://www.livingonadime.com/save-money-school-supplies/
http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/2012/07/back-to-school-on-the-cheap/index.htm
http://www.moneycrashers.com/back-to-school-supplies-list-tips/
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