Back to School Shopping Tips

I don’t know about any one else, but getting the kids ready to go back to school can be an expensive and hectic adventure. Here are a few tips to help make the experience a little more pleasant.

1. Shop right when the stores open. There won’t be as many people to deal with and the sales associates are more likely to be helpful. I’ve discovered if I can get out on the road before 10:30 the traffic is much better too.

2. Shop in stores you are familiar with. The experience will be more pleasant. There is nothing worse than wandering the aisles unable to locate what you want.

3. To save time and money choose a store that you know offers competitive prices, and don’t worry about missing out on the “deals”. By the time you pay for gas to get to those steals you may as well have just gone to one store that had fair prices to begin with and get all your supplies at once.

4. If you are a die-hard sale shopper, check out the Sunday circulars, but buyer beware some of the “deals” aren’t deals at all. I recently went to a store that doubled the price on backpacks then reduced them 50%. I know this because we found the same backpack at Target. Target’s regular price with this other stores sale price–Exact same item.

5. Make it a fun adventure for the kids. Include a trip to the park on the way home, or treat them to an ice cream cone once the shopping is complete. Shopping doesn’t have to be a chore. It can be fun, especially if there is something to look forward to at the end.

6. Finally, set a realistic budget and stick to it and don’t forget, almost every teacher sends an additional list home once school starts.

Back to school shopping can be a rewarding experience if approached with a plan.

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