Before hitting the stores, try shopping online this year. Pic: Pexels/Oleksandr Pidvalnyi
Prices for many kinds of items are rising amid surging inflation, and school supplies are no exception. As the reopening of school approaches, families are preparing for back-to-school shopping with the goal of saving money in any way they can.
With a little planning and a few pointers and tricks, your child’s school supplies will be a steal. As a rule, stick to buying only what you need right now, advises Julie Ramhold, a consumer analyst. We have rounded up methods where you can save cash and maintain your cool while selecting school necessities for your children.
Parents Today lists the following 7 tips and tricks to save money and keep your cool:
1. Make a shopping list and set a budget. The first step is to determine what your children need. Work together to create a list of all the supplies that are essential, as well as those that are just ‘wants.’
2. Do an inventory sweep. Before you start making any actual purchases, check through your cupboards, storage bins, and even last year’s school bags for extra supplies you may have laying around.
3. Swap with friends. After you are done with your inventory sweep, don’t rush to the mall just yet. Friends, neighbours and even family members may also have clothing that doesn’t fit their children anymore but would be perfect on yours. Think of it as a swapping shopping spree.
4. Shop the sales. It’s time to hit the shops. Be prepared for those inevitable back-to-school deals and do your research to know which ones are really worth your while.
5. Price matching. In addition to sales, many stores have solid price-matching policies. As always, there are exceptions to the rule. Some retailers let customers price match an already purchased product within a certain amount of time.
6. Look for special promos and coupons. Using vouchers and taking advantage of special promotions is another way to save on supplies. Skim newspapers, magazines, social media and websites.
7. Shop online. You can often buy in bulk and save money (not to mention avoiding the hassle of busy malls) when you do your shopping online. Just beware of deals that seem too good to be true – they often are! Vouchers can also be applied to online purchases.
Surely, with these tips and tricks, you’re ready to face the back-to-school shopping. It is always better to start early than wait until the last minute.