GUEST BLOG POST: Back to School – Saving on Supplies

August 17, 2011

School-aged children have a long list of supplies for the classroom, many of which remain unused. Keep abreast of sales on school supplies and forgo the expensive flashy versions in favor of basic notepads, folders and pencils. Here are some tips to keep your shopping to the minimum.

  • Contact your child’s school or teacher to get a list of required supplies for school. Knowing, rather than guessing at what is needed, should save on unnecessary expenses, as well as the price of fuel to return unwanted items.
  • Leave the kids at home when you shop. According to 2011 survey data from the National Retail Federation, 51.7% of back-to-school spending is directly influenced by our kids. Retailers, no doubt, use this information when deciding on the placement and display of their items, or in their advertising. As any parent knows, items that were not on the “list” have an uncanny way of showing up in our carts when we have our kids along, and it is often easier to capitulate rather than argue at the register.
  • If you do shop with your kids, enlist their help in keeping within your budget. It’s a great learning opportunity for them about the importance of controlling expenses. Add some cash incentives or extra privileges if the budget goals are met, and you may find your kids are more careful about the pennies than you yourself.
  • At the same time, remember the lesson about being penny-wise and pound foolish. Particularly when it comes to the new items that need to last for the whole school year, such as backpacks and shoes, don’t sacrifice quality for extra savings. You’ll pay more in the long run for “cheap” goods that have to be replaced.

If you are one of the lucky few parents that are not feeling financially constrained this back-to-school season, here’s a final idea to earn some “extra credit” with your child’s teacher this year. Buy him or her gift cards at the beginning of the school year, rather than waiting, as most parents do, till next June. The amount of money that the average teacher will spend out-of-pocket for school supplies for the classroom is, in fact, more than 75 percent of what the average family is projected to spend this school shopping season. Consider your help with these costs as not just another school expense, but a way to invest in your child’s classroom experience and education.

Stay tuned for the third post in the back to school series. Eleanor will cover college-specific expenses, accounts and saving tips.