5 Tips for Saving Money on Back to School Shopping


5 Tips for Saving Money on Back to School Shopping

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Back to school shopping may be the best or worst time for you, either way, I think we can all agree that it is expensive. All those supplies, books, clothes, etc. it adds up quick and you end up paying more than you intended.

With these 5 tips for saving money on back to school shopping, you won’t have to worry about going broke and you can just enjoy the thrill of this time of year (for the kids and parents alike).

5 Tips for Saving Money on Back to School Shopping

1. Watch for Sales

When it comes time for back to school shopping almost every store is going to have stuff on sale. So keep your eye out and watch for the best sales. Also, compare the prices on things, go to several stores and look at what they have to offer, pick whichever is most inexpensive.

When it comes to buying new school clothes watch out for the end-of-summer sales, you can find some great things for really low prices.

2. Make a List

Make a shopping list and stick to it, some teachers will give you a list of everything that is required for the school year. So use that list or make your own, that way you won’t forget what to buy and you won’t get distracted buying a lot of extra stuff that most likely will never get used.

Save yourself some time and some money.

3. Forget Trendy

Yea I know it’s hard to do, especially for kids because they want what all their friends have. But all the “trendy” supplies, lunch boxes, backpacks, etc. are just a waste of money, by the end of the school year they’ll be torn up or even worse, lost and that’s pretty much just like throwing your money away.

So try to find the most inexpensive gear and make sure that it’s durable. This way it can possibly be used again and come next year you won’t have to worry about buying so much.

4. Stock Up

While the back to school sales are happening it best to stock up on things like pens, pencils, and the little supplies that usually tends to run out quick. Stocking up on these will save you money in the long run because you can only get them on sale for a limited amount of time.

You could even buy back up lunch boxes, backpacks, etc. Just for when there is an accident, you never really know. It’s better to be safe than sorry. I cover a few simple ways how you can know when to stock up in an article here.

5. Look at Home

You never know what is leftover from last school year. Give a good look around your house and see what you can find on the teacher’s list. You may be very surprised at what all you can find and it’s great because you won’t have to buy these things, which will save you quite a bit.

Like I said above with the stocking up, if you do that then you’re sure to have plenty of supplies left over for the next year.

Final Thoughts

When it comes to back to school shopping it’s normal to accidentally overspend and get stressed. But with these 5 tips for saving money on back to school shopping, you won’t have to do worry about either of those things.

These tips are here to help you have the best time and save you some money while doing it. Have you used any of these tips on your back to school shopping? Do you have any tips you would add to this list? Let me know in the comments!

Matt R

Hi, my name is Matt and I'm the founder of Barefoot Budgeting. This site is dedicated to one thing... helping you budget and save money.

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