Back to School Shopping Hacks
Shopping Hacks to Save Money, Time, and Your Sanity
Back to school shopping, especially for multiple kids, can be taxing on your patience as well as your budget. While we can’t do much about your patience, we can certainly help your budget. Here are some Back to School shopping hacks to help you get through the next few weeks without breaking the bank.
START WITH A LIST
Make a list. Start by making a list of everything you’re going to need, not just for school but for all your children’s activities — school supplies, clothing, shoes, books, electronics, sports equipment, haircuts. Check to see what you already have so you don’t end up spending money on extras. The list will also help you avoid impulse purchases or your little one telling you they “just have to have it.”
OUT WITH THE OLD
Start by cleaning out closets. Figure out what fits and what doesn’t so you’re not buying doubles. Then bag up the goods (providing they’re still wearable) and have a party with some other moms. Put out tables for the clothing, and let everyone exchange away. Designate one person to take the remainder of the clothes to the donation center.
Take worn out clothes to Donate2Impact, where they’ll be recycled to make clothing and other goods, AND proceeds go to local nonprofits.
CHECK PRICE MATCHING
Many places price match. Target price matches most things, and so underwear, socks, and the basics are covered. What you might not know is that stores like Kohl’s, Nordstrom, Gap, Old Navy, Sears, and JCPenney also price match.
If electronics or sporting goods are on your back-to-school shopping list, check out Best Buy or Dick’s Sporting Goods.
Just make sure you have read and understand any of these store policies before you go shopping.
RESALE CLOTHING STORES
Hit the thrift store – Many kids grow out of their clothes before they wear out. Plato’s Closet, Thrift Giant, Kid to Kid and many others offer great quality clothing at a discount. There are plenty of online garage sales (Facebook, eBay, Thredup.com, and more) as well.
TAX FREE HOLIDAYS
Save the 8.25% – The next tax-free holiday in Texas is August 8-10 where retailers offer clothing, footwear, school supplies, and backpacks priced less than $100 without sales tax (8.25%). Crowds can get a little crazy, but the savings includes items purchased online.
ONLINE COUPONS
Check the website – Before you go anywhere you should always check the website of the store to see if there is an online coupon. Nine times out of ten, there is. A lot of stores will also price match their own website.
There are also lots of other online coupons and apps. TheKrazyCouponLady.com, RetailMeNot.com, and Coupons.com are among the three most recommended. Check the sites first to see if there’s a coupon code.
GIFT CARDS
Gather old gift cards – Right now, take 15 minutes and go through your drawers, your purse, your leftover gift bags and everything else you can think of to look for gift cards — new or partially used. Gift cards, once used, usually have an expiration date so you want to take advantage of them. Put them all in one place, either in your purse or in the car, so you don’t forget them.
Gift cards at a reduced price – Places like Sam’s and Costco, as well as sites like GiftCards.com and Amazon.com, allow you to purchase gift cards at a reduced price. Just because it says “gift” in the name doesn’t mean you have to give it away. If you purchase a discounted gift card to use, you’ll save yourself a little bit of money.
BOGO
Buy one get one free – When you find something that your child likes such as shoes, and there is a BOGO offer, buy the next size or ½ size up so you’re not having to search around halfway through the school year for a new pair of shoes. Kids can be picky and they can also have trouble letting go of something they like, such as a t-shirt or favorite pair of jeans. If you can get a BOGO, get the next size up so you’re covered.
BUY IN BULK
Split the Savings – It’s true that your family probably doesn’t need a gross of pencils or notebooks, but between your family and a few others, you might. Get with friends and classmates and buy the basic school supplies in bulk when it makes sense.
