Back-to-school deals
Sharpen your pencils and take notes for school supply savings
Back-to-school shopping can be daunting with long school supply lists that may mean big bucks. Here are a few ways to manage costs:
1 Go it alone Bringing your children to the store when you shop could lead to more items in your shopping cart or more pressure to buy specific items. Some 65 percent of back-toschool shoppers said half or more of their purchases are a direct result of their children’s influence, according to a National Retail Federation survey. To avoid this, get your children involved in the process ahead of time. Have them browse store ads at home and point out things they like before you shop, recommends Deborah Meyer, a certified financial planner and owner of WorthyNest financial firm in Missouri. When it comes time to hit the stores, leave the kids at home so you can make the final call on what to buy or leave on the shelf.
2 Let the kids help If you’d rather take your kids with you, it’s a good chance to teach them about budgeting and prioritization, said Jill Fopiano, CEO and president of O’Brien Wealth Partners in Boston. “They should get what they really need, of course, but maybe also one or two things that they really want,” Fopiano says. “And perhaps they put some of their allowance money toward that.” Indeed, students have begun contributing more of their own money toward back-to-school purchases in recent years, according to Katherine Cullen, director of retail and consumer insights at the National Retail Federation.
3 Work slowly Don’t feel compelled to purchase everything at once. “What we’ve seen is that more people are starting their shopping two months before classes start,” said Cullen. “And one of the primary reasons they are doing that is to stretch out their budgets and capture deals all season long.” There are deals throughout the summer. For instance, Amazon.com has hosted a Prime Day sale in July, and other retailers offer deals at the same time. Some states offer tax-free weekends in late July and early August, when consumers can purchase some back-to-school items without paying sales tax. Another money-saving strategy? Subscribe to monthly supply deliveries during the school year. Cullen says retailers like Target and Amazon offer a discount when you sign up for recurring deliveries of items like computer paper and other office supplies.
This article was provided to The Associated Press by the personal finance website NerdWallet.