The back-to-school shopping season is not the world’s most stress-free experience. Your kids are a mixture of ‘I-don’t-want-school-to-start’ and ‘I-neee-e-e-ed-lots-of-new-stuff’, and of course the supermarkets are full of offers that seem too-good-to-be-true.
So how to navigate this situation? Here are six must-follow tips to guarantee you save money and make great findings during back-to-school shopping season.
Back to school shopping image courtesy of Shutterstock
Tip #1: Create a List
Whether you get a supply list from the school or not, you need your own list to ensure you only shop for the items you need. There’s no point in spending money on products you already have!
This means that you should go through the wardrobes and cabinets to see what items you can reuse this year, and what new items you genuinely need to stock up on.
Knowing that kids will want something new for the year, create two lists. Make a ‘Must Get’ list first and decide a budget for it. You can then make a ‘Can Buy’ list and spend the leftover money on these items in case you make great savings.
Tip #2: Go Vouchering
When it comes to back-to-school shopping, using voucher codes is a cost-effective way to make the most of what you got. Opt for online discounts at VouchaCodes and other similar sites.
If your kids have a favourite brand, then remember to follow their social media channels during the season; shops and brands often run special social media schemes, which can help you save a bit more with the products.
Tip #3: Check Out Second-Hand
There’s no reason to avoid second-hand items. Show your kids some of the amazing vintage, second-hand websites like Beyond Retro and Preloved . They will soon forget about buying everything from the high street and fall in love with these bargain products!
Tip #4: Shop at the Right Time
Be smart with when you start the back-to-school shopping spree. You don’t want to shop at the ‘perfect time’, which is around a few weeks on either side of the start of the school, as prices are often higher at this point.
Either start shopping early on in the summer and make use of the start of summer sales or opt to shop a few weeks after the school has started. You don’t need to have everything ready right from the first day of term anyway.
Tip #5: DIY Treatment
Reality is that branded products for kids tend to cost more, no matter whether they are offered through a back-to-school sale or not. In order to make some real savings in stationery such as files and folders, head down to the office supply stores.
Buy your kids stationery from the home office section and let them find decorative discounts. Stickers, glitter glue and your basic tape and paper can instantly turn a plain folder into a fun and personalised super folder fit for kids!
Tip #6: Team Up
Finally, talk to your kids’ friends’ parents and consider shopping items in bulk. Wholesale items are often a lot cheaper and you can save tons of money in school clothing as well as stationary if you opt to buy in bulk.
While you may not need a 1,000 pens this year, divide them with a few families you’ll save money and use all you bought!
And don’t forget to keep your eye out for all the great offers we post about here at LittleStuff!
