Ok, Friends, I’ve gota few strategies I actually use to save money. Of course, I usually blow the savings at Starbucks, but that’s for another post!
Anyway, you can DEFINITELY shave cash off your back-2-school bill by doing these:
SHOP second hand. Goto Once Upon a Child and buy jeans/hoodies/collared shirts/designer clothes
there. Why not pay $8 for gap jeans? I went this morning and got 2 pairs for under $20.
SWAP winter gear with neighbors. How many times have you bought new boots or mittens or jackets atfull price? Send out an email and have everyone pitch in an old jacket to the swap pile.
BUY lunch bags at the pharmacy or tj maxx type store. I just bought a PVC/lead-free lunch bag at the pharmacy for $5.99. Buying eco lunch boxes can get pricy! Just be sure it has some sort of mention about lead testing….
ORDER online. Less impulse buys (like buying extra “things”) during the check out process. If youneed something a week or two out (like sneakers, if you know your kids’ size)you can get cool kicks online.
GO to thethrift/recycle store for BINDERS, corkboards, notebooks, etc. We have a store called recycle north & I go there b/c offices ship out old supplies- I getreport covers, pencil cups, etc., paperclips, clipboards, hole punchers, etc. forlike 25 cents-$1. It’s awesome…I also got a SUPER new 4-drawer file cabinet (tokeep everyone’s papers in order) for $10! I can keep all the school/dr/household papers organized…imagine that!
BUY in BULK andPRE-assemble lunch snacks yourself. One huge bag of popcorn spits down into waymore little baggies (or containers) than prepackaged snacks for the same priceor less. Plus, once they open the prepackaged bags, they can’t seal them and end up wasting more. Cheaper ideas are:
- Popcorn
- Crackers
- Mini rice cakes
- Dried fruit
- Little cookies (you
can even make mini cookies) - Raisins
- Nilla wafers
- Animal crackers
- Fig Newton bars (buy generic or organic)
- Etc.
-
DO NOT BUY A NEW BACKPACK. Go to a thrift store, yard sale or discount store. OR, use one you’ve
got stashed somewhere. It’s not until they hit middle school (elementary,
actually)…that they care about this anyway, right?
WAIT. Wait until thesales hit. Pay full price now for b-2-school or half off in October.
GOOD LUCK AND GET SHOPPING!
