Back to School Shopping: Get What You Need and Stay Within Budget
Why are families spending HUNDREDS $$ on “back to school” shopping? Did you know retailers consider this time of year as one of the most profitable shopping seasons, only 3rd in line after Christmas and Mother’s Day. I don’t get the hype and I won’t allow you to fall for it either.
Visit Work It, Mom! to read my article on eight budget conscious preparations for back to school.
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My daughter is going into her second year of preschool and fortunately we have the option of buying a complete set of the needed supplies from the PTA. The set comes prepackaged with everything on the list and it’s delivered to her classroom before the first day. I didn’t even bother to compare the difference in cost versus running out and buying everything on the list because the price seems reasonable. But even if it’s more, I’m paying for the convenience. (Those who have shopped with a four-year-old know what I mean!)
Her backpack from last year is still in good condition so I hear you there, but I do have to buy her some clothes because many of her fall clothes from last year ARE too small. She is growing like a weed. She’s tall for her age (my ex is 6′2″) and she has put on some pounds since then. So a few new items are a necessity. But I definitely will not be buying all new stuff, and I also will not break the bank on the new stuff!
hahahaaa I do all of this!!! luckily for me my kids schools send a list in the mail of the supplies needed.. especially when it requires a dang scientific calculator!!! it gives me time to budget for said items and look for the best deal. As for clothes.. I don’t buy for that same reason.. they get a few pieces to mix and match with what they already have and I’m a sucker for a new pair of shoes LOL
Regarding supplies - I spent just under $250 but that included a scientific calculator (TI-84) & 2 flash drives. After I did my inventory I only needed to buy composition books, graph paper and filler paper/dividers and 2 new binders. I had to buy my son a new book bag because they passed a rule that they can’t have rolling backpacks anymore.. I’m sure I won’t even spend $80 next year for 2 kids.. LOL
Clothes - I do an inventory and normally only buy tops.. but I shop off season so outside of a few “trendy” items for the teenager we are good and they spend their own money so it doesn’t come from my pocket!
Great post!
My son went back to school yesterday and he is in the 5th grade. He is going to a charter school this year rather than our cities school district schools. The charter school basically provides all the supplies the kids need. The idea behind it is that the students have to earn their supplies by having good behavior, completing assigned work and tasks. All the schools in my area require kids to wear uniforms which also saves me money. I can get a set of five uniforms–(5 shirts, 5 pair shorts or pants) for about $65.00. I cannot complain!
You are so right on with this! I generally don’t fall into the whole bit because I keep supplies on hand throughout the year too. So I just check the bin and compare the lists. I will have to get my son a new bag because he is hard on them. This year I will invest in a good quality one (instead of the usually ones he picks according to whoever his favorite super hero is at the time) and hope it lasts the whole year. As far as clothes go, what he has been wearing all summer will do fine for the next couple of months while I gradually stock up on stuff for the fall. I do have to get new uniforms for my daughter so that will be the biggest expenditure. And I’m definitely doing all the shopping without them!
If only kids were as enthusiastic about “Back to School” as the retailers are
Maybe back to school shopping should be measured by grades:better grades-more shopping for back to school items; grades are down-shopping is down.
Luckily as they progress, there is less stress on what they HAVE to buy for back to school, and it is more about what they really NEED for school. I remember lists of items that my daughter brought from grade school, in junior high -nada, in high school -zilch
I am so relieved, clothes can be worn from last school year (duh, it was only two months ago, what do we need to buy to be able to go back to school?
I am with you SM
now if only I can convince my mother that 15 year old does not need to buy 10 notebooks and 100 pencils and pens to do well in school
Great post. I did the “back to school” shopping - alone- just the other day. Two polo shirts to replace ones that were ruined, three pairs of pants to replace ones with holes in them, a light jacket to replace one that was outgrown and a book bag, to replace one that is shot. All done strictly based on need. Lots of money saved as it was done with sales and a coupon. Like you said, we buy stuff during the school year as required (typically shoes and jeans as they are the first to go), so “back to school” shopping is really just like any other time.
By the time I was in 9th grade, I was buying all my own things for back to school, so I didn’t have to take dibs on who would get the 1 red pen in a pack (or other things like that) from when my mom picked up school supplies for the three of us. She never spent more than $50 for the three of us though.
And by the time I got to university, my “back to school shopping” consisted of picking up 2 “5 subject” notebooks and a sharpie if I can’t find the one from when I last moved back to res. Nothing more. There are a heck of a lot freebies that can be found on campus, and I still have a mountain of pens/pencils that I am trying to get rid of!
another way they get shoppers are the “tax free weekends” we have here in TX. People run out by the bus loads to save $5.00! It is just not worth it, the crowds are crazy and the stores are a mess! Plus it is hot here well into Oct.-Nov. (Dec. for that matter!), so the kids where shorts for a minute. Oct is when I buy a few pairs of jeans. Plus when you catch a good sale and put it aside, the kids are set. Right before the 4th of July, Dillards had a sale where the items were marked down 40% plus for 3 days it was an additional 30% off, so for 2 kids I got 18 items for $100.00! Also if parents look at what their kids wear to school, no matter how much clothes you buy them, they seem to love to wear the same thing over and over. Sometimes I send mine back into their rooms to change! ” Didn’t you just have that on last week! LOL!
Darn, I wish I would have read this last week. I just went this weekend and dropped some serious full-time student non-working single mom cash on cloths for my babes. I got a good deal but now I’m just like “dang.” Well she is going into the first grade so now I know better and I will make sure to apply your tips going forward. Just to make myself feel better, my six year old daughter grows like a weed, she is 4′10″ and wearing size 8 for height not girth. So I guess I do need to keep updating her warobe, but I can do more to save money… thanks for the tips
I commented on the Work It Mom! page, but I’ll post it here too: (Excellent Article!)
I agree! My daughters (6 & 7) only need a few filler items to be completely “back to school” ready. Luckily, because they are close in age, my youngest daughter gets hand-me-downs that she is completely thrilled to have.
My oldest daughter, frugal little miss that she is… loves bargain shopping with mommy. At the end of the school year, we go through items that no longer fit/are damaged etc., and we decide what we’ll do with them. Salvation army, uniform swap (at the beginning of the school year), garage sale, etc. After that, we go to the Salvation Army and check out what others have returned. There is often an entire rack devoted to school uniforms. I purchased 6 pairs of pants, 8 shirts and two jackets for $37. I see NO reason to spend a lot of money on clothes that they tend to mess up. I also shop on e-bay. I just recently won a bid for 8 brand new French Toast shirts for $14. That included shipping. Over the summer, I’d pick up something here or there if it was on sale, etc. As far as an item such as shoes, we generally shop at Payless and Target for their shoes. There are plenty of quality shoes there.
I run a home based business on the side, so I always have supplies. My kids go shopping in my supply cart for the school year. I rarely have to buy more than a few items for them. Even when i do, it’s normally something special on the teachers list. If I didn’t have a business, I’d probably get most of what’s on the list from the dollar store. Local convenience stores like Walgreens, CVS and Rite Aid often have GREAT deals for supplies as well. Sometimes even better than the larger stores. It’s definitely a good idea to check the ads.
Overall, there are so many things going on that we’ll have to pay for at the beginning of a school year, I’d rather save when I can and where I can.
staples is also a good store to shop at i got 10 folders for free and notebooks 5 pack for 2.00