7 Back-to-School Shopping Tips For Anyone Who Wants To Spend Less Money
‘Tis season of school push notifications, calendar invites, scheduling conflicts, and weekday morning madness, and your time is about to be taken over by all that and more. Even though it feels impossible to control the chaos of back-to-school season (trust us, we’ve tried), you can have a say in how much money you’re spending on the whole shebang.
With the weight of classroom supplies lists, lunchtime grocery lists, and extracurricular activities equipment list piling up, we wouldn’t blame you if you’re feeling the urge to add everything to your cart, click “check out,” and move on with your life. Still, a little extra planning can save Future You some valuable money and time. For example, now is a great time to think through the home goods and grocery items you need for a smooth morning routine. Or you could look further down the semester and scope out deals on last year’s winter coats and snow boots before new designs push prices up. (Yep, your mom was right about that one.)
If you could use a bit of help putting together a smart back-to-school shopping strategy, keep reading to learn more helpful hints for spending less, why they work, and how they just might change your life. Damn, spending less looks cute on you!
1. Follow The Five-Star Reviews
Whatever you’re buying, be sure to check out those reviews first. Not only can it help you spot potential pitfalls or clear winners, letting the reviews guide your decision-making can cut down on decision fatigue and analysis paralysis. Less time deciding means more time to soak up the summer while you still can.
Plus, you can feel good about the gear in your cart, knowing that dozens (or hundreds or thousands) of others approved this product. Done!
2. Stock Up On Morning-Routine Staples
OK, we mentioned this earlier, but here’s why this hack is super important for saving money and time this school year.
Although notebooks, pencils, and tablets are important, so are things like bagels, cereal, and other a.m. essentials that get your crew out the door on time. Since you’re already scoping out the school supplies deals on Amazon, you might as well stock up on those food items now. Buy ‘em in bulk, stick them in the freezer, and feel prepared once the school year starts again. Saving time = saving money.
3. Double-Check That List Before Adding To Cart
If you recall the trapper keeper bans of the early aughts, you know schools have weird, nuanced rules about what’s allowed in class. To save yourself the returns or the waste of cash, make sure you’re not buying any school swag that’s off limits for whatever arbitrary reason.
Check your kids’ school supply list, check it again, and then maybe one more time. When in doubt, pop it in your Amazon cart and hit the “Save for Later” button. Then you can ask the teacher if water bottles are really allowed in class or your kiddo was just angling for a new one.
4. Chat With Your Kids’ Friends’ Parents
Honestly, this might be the best way to get ahead of any, “but my bestie has these and they’re so cool!” discourse after the shopping is done and the sales are over. By chatting to the parents of your kids’ friends (the people who have the most influence on the stuff they want), you can suss out what trendy gear they’re buying for their kids — and what they’re not. You can also find out where they’re finding deals on the coolest back to school stuff (spoiler: it’s probably Amazon).
5. Shop The Out-Of-Season Stuff Now
It’s a tale as old as time: The best moment to get deals on cute clothes is when you wouldn’t wear said clothes. Thus, the thick of summer was made for scoping out sweaters, jeans, coats, gloves, boots, and any other cold-weather gear. If you’re shopping at the end of the season, get in on deals for shorts, swim gear, and summer sports stuff (the tennis trend isn’t going anywhere, by the way).
6. Start Those Extracurricular Convos Early
While you’re in the flurry of sign-ups for dance classes, football, lacrosse, and the swim team, set aside some time to check in with your kid to gauge their commitment to their extracurriculars. Doing this can help save you some serious cash on those never-ending lists of gear.
Are they obsessed with swinging the racket, or feeling extra excited about running soccer drills? If so, getting the fancy (and oftentimes more durable) equipment might be worth it. If they’re in it for fun or because their friends are giving it a go, give yourself a smaller budget and focus on getting them only the essentials.
7. Don’t Forget Yourself
As the official admin of your kids’ school year, you also need supplies. Think about what you’ll need to get through this fall and spring semester. Is it a fresh planner? A gallon of cold brew? That novel you’ve been meaning to read that’s perfect for the after-practice parking lot pickup? Add it to cart now so you’re mentally ready to take on the fall, too.
source https://www.scarymommy.com/shopping/7-back-to-school-shopping-tips-for-anyone-who-wants-to-spend-less-money
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