Back to school shopping involves the purchase of all kinds of things, notebooks and pens, backpacks, pants, sporting equipment, etc. School shopping can be frustrating, and stressful. The following are the steps to surviving back to school shopping.
Step One: Start early. You do not want to leave your back to school shopping to the last minute. If you are going to put any of it off, put off the clothes shopping, as this will allow your kids to get the most up to date items. When it comes to the items they need for the classroom, however, you do not want to run the risk of not being able to find an item your child needs. What happens if the store is out of graphing calculators? Most stores have back to school sales at certain times. If you want to start early, but still take advantage of the sales, simply ask the store manager when their back to school sales will start.
Step Two: Make a list of what you need. It is not a good idea to go back to school shopping without a list. Back to school shopping can involve visiting a number of stores. It can be really frustrating if you have to go back to a store you already visited because you forgot something. When you create your list, you should try and organize it according to the store, or aisle so that you will be at, that way you don’t waste time, or have to back track. When making your list, make sure you talk to your child about the things they want. For example, if they want themed folders, make sure you know what theme. If they really want a pair of gym shorts, either take them with you to pick them out, or get a description of what they want, and keep your receipts.
Step Three: Use all the resources available to you. If you want to survive back to school shopping, help your friends and neighbors out, and let them help you out. You can pick up binders, and let them pick up lunch bags. The idea is to divide and conquer. Of course, if that won’t work, another resource available to you is the internet. If you plan ahead, you can order all of your school supplies, gear, and clothes online without even leaving your house, and it can all be delivered to your door before school starts. Online shopping is great, and as long as you use secure sites and know the return policy, it is pretty risk free.
Back to school shopping is not that hard, but it should involve some planning and organization, as that will make it go smooth. The best way to save money is to watch for sales, start early, combine purchases so you can save on shipping, and save time (which ultimately save money) by planning out your purchases well.