We’re almost halfway through August and the kids are getting ready to go back to school. You may be excited to send them back to their school routine, but you’re probably not thrilled about the burden of having to buy them a bunch of stuff they really need.
Shopping for school supplies has become less budget-friendly and absurdly more expensive. A recent survey by LendingTree found that 31% of school supply shoppers said they won’t be able to afford school supplies this year, rising to 26% in 2023.
There’s no doubt that you can spend a lot of money on back-to-school essentials, but there’s also no doubt that there are plenty of ways to save money in this regard. Here are recommendations from shopping and budget experts.
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Inventory
Before you rush out to buy things for your kids, take a good look around your entire home (especially the kids’ rooms). You may already have everything you want to buy.
“It may seem obvious, but when I talk to parents about it, they admit that they shop before going through their kids’ things and letting the kids try on their clothes,” said Trae Bodge, smart shopping expert at TrueTrae.com. “You probably have more on hand than you think, and the last thing you want to do is buy things you don’t need.”
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Buy in bulk
You probably already know that buying in bulk is an effective way to reduce your grocery costs. This approach can also save you a lot of money on certain school supplies.
“If you’re a member of a big-box store and have space to store excess products, it can be worth it to buy select school supplies in bulk,” says Julie Ramhold, senior editor and consumer expert at DealNews. “That way, you can make sure you have enough notepads, pens and pencils and other items to last the entire school year without having to scramble for last-minute shopping before winter break or, worse, right afterward, during the back-to-school season in the spring.”
If there is a lack of space, you can participate in bulk shopping together with other parents.
Buy Generics
Another grocery shopping trick you probably know: buy generic. This approach also works when shopping for back-to-school supplies.
“In many cases, you can get name brand items for much less than the big brands at stores like Target, Walmart or Staples,” Ramhold said. “For example, if you have a child who regularly loses pencils, it’s worth buying a box of the store brand at your favorite big box store or even Amazon. Then, when your child needs new pencils a month into school, you won’t (theoretically) be as stressed out if they lose them as you would if they had lost the much more expensive name brand items.”
Shop with discounted or even free gift cards
You can purchase discount gift cards through gift card resale sites like GiftCardGranny and CardCash and use them for back-to-school shopping (or most other purchases).
“For example, you can save up to 14.9% on GAP gift cards, 12% at clothing store Cotton On and up to 6.7% on Apple Store gift cards,” said Andrea Woroch, a budget expert.
You can also earn free gift cards to redeem toward back-to-school supplies by using a free rewards app like Fetch.
“Simply take photos of your receipts to earn points toward gift cards at stores like Target, Amazon and Dick’s Sporting Goods. These can help you afford those expenses that were out of your budget, like those Nike sneakers your kid is begging for,” Woroch said.
Wait until selected items are discontinued
While you may want to do all your shopping for the new school year in one weekend, it’s smart to hold off on buying a few discounted items and get even better prices in a few weeks when time is running out.
“For example, if your kids are getting by with their current backpacks and lunch boxes, wait until retailers try to push those items out of the store during Labor Day sales and immediately afterward,” Ramhold said. “At that time, you can buy new gear for much less than you would spend during the peak season of back-to-school shopping.”
Ask for help when you need it
If you’re struggling to make ends meet and can’t comfortably cover back-to-school costs, contact organizations that provide free school supplies to families in need.
“First, check with your local school district to see if they offer free school supplies or a school uniform or clothing exchange,” Woroch recommends. “If not, check out this list of resources.
Woroch added that the Kids In Need Foundation offers free school supplies and even free backpack programs to low-income families. The Boys and Girls Club partners with stores across the country to collect and distribute free school supplies to families in need. Contact your local branch for more information. Additionally, United Way hosts back-to-school drives to support families in need.
Use this as a teaching moment for children
Beyond these six ways to save, here are some valuable lessons to learn. Use back-to-school shopping with your kids (if they’re old enough) to teach them mindful shopping. Encourage them to make their own responsible financial decisions when shopping on a budget.
“For teens and tweens, I highly recommend giving them a gift card so they can shop for themselves,” Bodge said. “They’ll be much more conscious of what they buy with ‘their’ money, as opposed to yours, and they’ll quickly learn how expensive items can affect their budget.”
To make this lesson fun, Bodge likes to give away a personalized Visa or Mastercard using GiftCardGranny’s Build-a-Card service.
“You can upload a fun photo and a personal message and the cards will be sent out within a day or two,” Bodge said. “Your kids will have fun shopping with their personalized card and learn so much about wants and needs and how to stay within budget.”
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This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: 6 Ways to Save on Back-to-School Shopping Without Too Much Stress, According to Experts
