Back-to-School Shopping: Money Saving Hacks
Vacations are ending and the back-to-school season is approaching. This means shopping for the coming school year.
Now, this can be pretty overwhelming since people with more than one school-going kid are going to find it hard to make it in so little time.
The rising inflation has also sent shock waves throughout the spectrum which means that now your kid’s return to school will cost considerably more than it did last year.
But as important as it is, it can’t be avoided. However, with prudent planning, you can keep it under control.
Below are given some tested ways to save money on back-to-school shopping.
Do Listing
The first step is to make a list of what you already have and another list of what you have to buy. Include everything in your list. Pencils, colors, sharpeners, paper, notebooks, and much more.
Before going to the store, you must be positive that there is nothing left.
Do Budgeting
Now that you know what you have to buy, allocate a budget to it. Keep in mind that this year’s budget is going to be more than last year’s. You won’t exactly know the prices, but make a rough estimate. You can go online to have a glimpse of prices.
You have to get creative with the budget to get this extra money now so that you have an idea of how much it’s going to cost. Pro tip: Be a little frugal and don’t go open-handed.
Compare Prices and Look for Discounts
With what you need to buy and how much you can spend on it sorted out, now it’s time to look for places where you can buy the cheapest.
Do some window shopping before buying and compare the prices of different stores. You can also find lucrative deals in online stores.
Moreover, look for back-to-school coupons and discounts. This will save you some bucks. Shop from where you find the best prices for quality products.
Do Bulk Shopping
Buying in bulk always saves money. If you look at the price per unit of products you will find that buying in quantity is a lot cheaper than buying in smaller denominations.
With rising inflation, you never know when the prices rise. Items that you know are used regularly like pencils, art supplies, and other stationery items can be bought in bulk. Such items can be stored safely without the risk of going to waste.
School Clothes
Considerable money can be saved on school clothes. First of all, see if your kid’s clothes from last year still fit. If they do, well and good. If they don’t exchange them at uniform exchanges with the ones that fit.
Moreover, check if the uniform of your elder child fits the younger one. If it is in good shape, you can use it and save money.
Additionally, break up your back-to-school shopping into parts to avoid strain on your pocket by putting off buying winter clothes for some time as you don’t need them right away.