Save On Back-to-School Shopping
According to the National Retail Federation's 2010 Consumer Intentions and Actions Back to School Survey released in July, the average American family will spend $606.40 on clothes, shoes, supplies and electronics for children headed back to school in grades K-12.
The survey also found that more than 60 percent of adults said that their children influenced more than half of the decisions on back-to-school purchases. When adults are responsible for paying bills yet our children have their hearts set on buying the latest trend, it's not always easy to save money. Here are a few tips to help put some savings back in your pocket when doing your back-to-school shopping.
Make a list: Try to cut down on impulse buying at the store by starting off with a complete list of what is needed.
Shop at home: Look around and see what pens, pencils, notebooks, calculators and flash drives you may already have. Go through your child's wardrobe and discuss what new pieces are needed and what can be dressed up with a new top or accessories.
Go green: If your child balks at reusing something, appeal to the fact that recycling and reusing things is much more in fashion than throwing them out. You can reinvent old notebooks with stickers while backpacks and lunchboxes can be updated with zipper pulls or patches.
Create a budget: Now that you know what you really need, create a budget. Share it with pre-teens and teenagers and ask them to help you meet the budget by looking for sales and bargains. The survey listed above found that teenagers are expected to spend an average of $31.74 of their own money for school items while pre-teens will kick in an average of $18.27. Consider offering to split the savings with them if your back-to-school shopping comes in under budget.
Shop where you'll save: This year, seven in ten families will shop at a discount store. If you only have one child, consider teaming up with other families to divide supplies after a shopping expedition to warehouse clubs. Dollar stores have fun selections of basic supplies and it is the perfect place to let your young children choose what to buy.
Look for bargains: Keep an eye out for back-to-school sale advertisements on television, in the paper and online. This year 30 percent of back-to-school buyers will shop online where you can visit the site's clearance section or search the Internet for coupon codes that will add extra savings or offer free shipping.
Sometimes it's worth it: If your child really wants that $60 pair of jeans, he or she may wear it more than three pairs of $20 jeans that they keep hanging in the closet. Just be careful the item is not so trendy that it can't be worn when the fad is over.
Everyone is being thrifty: Nearly one in five families said they will shop at thrift stores for school clothes. Why not look up your local thrift store or consignment store and check it out. In addition to clothes, the savings on accessories such as belts and purses can be astounding.
Uniform savings: Some consignment stores offer uniforms and families can also create "swap meets" to exchange uniform items among each other as children change uniform sizes.
Don't overspend on technology: It is doubtful that your child needs the latest edition of a computer or calculator with all the bells and whistles. Buy equipment with only the features that are needed. Before buying expensive calculators such as those with graphing functions, check among friends and family to see if they have one that they can lend or exchange for a new, less expensive one that will meet their current needs such as balancing a checkbook.
Don't do it all now: There are two good reasons not to buy a full wardrobe full of clothes now: (1) when children get to school and see what everyone else is wearing they will come back home with a brand new shopping list and (2) there are still sale days ahead such as Labor Day, Columbus Day and even pre-holiday sales when you can flesh out the wardrobe and save money doing it.
Save all year round: Create a scrap paper bin in your home so that paper that is only used on one side can be used again for homework drafts or scrap paper. Be on the lookout for bargains throughout the year so that you will be prepared next year with having some of your list already bought and paid for.
