According to the National Retail Federation (NRF), retail sales during back-to-school shopping months are a close second to those of the holiday months (November and December). A study of over 9,000 respondents by BIGresearch found that the average American family was projected to spend $606.40 on clothes, shoes, supplies and electronics in this year.
So what's the best way for saving big bucks on your back-to-school shopping? Here are eight great tips to help you keep you and your spending in total control.
Take inventory
Sort through all of last year's school supplies, office supplies and those overflowing junk drawers. You are bound to come up with a few items you can cross off that list. Also take note of your child's clothing conditions and inventory. If everything from last year still fits and is in good condition, why go out and buy more?
Purchase supplies in person
Shopping online may be convenient and great for comparative shopping; however a study by BIGresearch estimates that online shoppers spend an average of 44 percent more than those who buy items in person.
Pay with cash
Studies have shown that people who use their credit cards to make purchases tend to spend 12 to 18 percent more on purchases, and this doesn't even include interest if you don't pay the credit card bill when due. When you see your cash dwindling away, it is much easier to put back items you really don't need.
Reuse
If last year's binders and folders are still in good condition, use them. Why not encourage your kids to redecorate them using stickers, photos, fabric or extra wrapping paper you might have on hand?
Recycle
This is a great time to start asking your friends for hand-me-downs. It's also a good time to head out to the local consignment shops. Most of them carry a huge supply of collared shirts, school uniforms and trendy fashions. Don't forget now is the time you can also cash in on some of your child's outgrown items by consigning them.
Hold off buying trendier stuff until school starts
Do last year's backpack and lunch box still work? If so, suggest to your child that you buy a new one after school begins. Once school starts, your child will most likely see a version someone else has that they like more. Definitely buy these items at the start of the school year, because they might be harder to find later in the year.
Shop sales all throughout the year
Resist the temptation to get caught up in the back-to-school frenzy and buy everything all at once. During back-to-school shopping days, it is a great time to stock up on school and craft supplies you might need throughout the year, but does your child really need five new pairs of jeans that they will most likely grow out of or get stained in the next month? You can find get some great deals by waiting until after Labor Day.
Go shopping alone
For school supplies and back-to-school basics, plan to shop without your children. Since many classrooms end up sharing supplies, your children will most likely pick out more expensive items and later find out that they will have to give them up. Also, most likely get distracted when they see all that is available and you will end up purchasing more stuff that they may never use. Let your child pick out their own folders or notebooks on a separate shopping trip, but when it comes to the basic supplies such as pencils, tissues, wipes, erasers and such, shop without your kids in tow and you'll have an easier time choosing plainer, less expensive items.
Shelly Thomson-Blevins - Shelly Thomson-Blevins is just a girl trying to balance love, life, and everything in between.
