Saving Strategies for Back-to-School Clothes and Supplies Fountain Hills AZ
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Saving Strategies for Back-to-School Clothes and Supplies
Frugal Living
| Saving Strategies for Back-to-School Clothes and Supplies By Michelle Jones Email mjromans828@alltel.net Nov 6, 2005, 13:52 |
It's that time of year again. summer vacation is coming to an end and children will be starting back to school soon. I guess you could say bargain hunting for the best price (and value) on school supplies and children's clothing has become an annual ritual for our family, but with four school-aged children we generally have to do whatever we can to keep costs down.
The bargains to be had during this back-to-school shopping season have been incredible, at least here in North Carolina. I applaud the national chain stores for offering huge sales and additional rebates to offset the expense of getting children ready for school, and hope that these special offers have been available for everyone. In particular, Office Depot, Staples, Kohl's, Goody's and Best Buys have been amazing. With a little planning (and a lot of patience) we've been able to save hundreds of dollars on the children's fall/winter school clothes and supplies, and even pick up an additional backup computer for our office--with a $350 rebate!
Here's some great strategies for saving money on school supplies...
Take Inventory
Each year, before the school year begins, I spend some time sorting through our children's school clothes to decide what additional items they might need. Clothes that are too small are packed up for a younger sibling, a friend with younger aged children, or one of our local charities. Having just gone through practically every item of clothing they own, it really helps me have a clear idea of what items our children need when the back-to-school sales begin, and maybe more importantly, what they do not need!
Know Your Budget
Decide how much money you can spend on school supplies, clothing and other needed items before you do anything else. Make a list of the general items your children need and roughly how much they will cost (hopefully you'll find them on sale for an even better price, but just give your best estimate here). Then, every time you shop for back-to-school items keep a running total of your purchases so you don't overspend your budget.
Some Simple Ways to Track Your Spending
One great way to keep track of your school supply budget is to do all your shopping at once, or at least within a short period of time--such as one week or less, then you'll know exactly how much you're spending and when it's
time to stop. (Whereas, when you shop a little here and there this week, a little here and there next week, and so on, you'll be more likely to lose track of how much you've spent and will overspend your budget.)
Another great way to keep track of your spending is to keep your receipts in a visible place such as your wallet or even the kitchen counter. Then, as you continue to shop through the month keep a running total of your receipt...