Back to school

Believe me I did that once and I found a stack of unused notebooks shoved somewhere under the study desk, lots and lots of pens that are barely used, or an old but functioning mechanical pencil. Double check all of the ink of your new found ball pen treasure and throw away the ones that are no longer working. Sharpen pencils, clean the pens, or other school supply item that can still be used. You and your children will not only save money but save the planet as well by being a good and responsible consumer!

3. BUY WISELY. What I mean is that before you go out and buy stuff, canvass first the places where you can get the best deals out of the budget that you have. "Knowing is half the battle" as G.I. Joe once said. So get your game plan on the roll by checking out your local bookstores or school supplies' stores and compare prices! Also, some have found a lot of cheap or affordable school supplies such as ballpoint pens, erasers, rulers, or notebooks at bargain shops, stalls, or bazaars. You can probably get a bigger discount if you buy wholesale! There are stores like that and maybe that could work for you!

A word of caution though -- you get what you pay for. Cheaper school supplies may also mean low quality school supply items. So try to balance your budget and get a mix of affordable school supplies that you typically replenish within the year (i.e. pad paper, notebook, etc) with a bit more expensive school supplies (i.e. compass, mechanical pencil). You want to get the best out of your money but at the same time not waste it on stuff that can be broken or become useless even before the end of the school year.

So there you have it! Three simple back to school tips on getting the most out of your money while buying school supplies for your kids for this school year.

Back to school shopping is upon us and regardless of your economic situation everyone wants to save money. The average household is will spend over $500 on back to school spending according to several surveys recently taken. Haircuts, school supplies, cloths, shoes and much more are all on the list. Households have begun shopping much earlier than in the past, beginning as early as July. Over 25% of households are shopping online as shipping is typically next day and prices can be much lower. Here are a few tips on how you can save money on your back-to-school shopping!

1. Have a specific list of what is needed prior to beginning your shopping. In-store shopping during the back-to-school rush is geared towards impulse buying and putting the unnecessary in the cart. If possible shop without the kids or shop online for what you specifically need. Online shopping typically can assist in saving a phenomenal amount of money.


2. After compiling a list of what is needed begin the shopping at home. See what supplies you still have from last year


3. Stock up with supplies at the end of every school season. Pricing tends to pull back tremendously. Consider waiting till the beginning of October you'll notice a large decrease in price as the back-to-school rush is complete.