Going back to school can become a very expensive month. Clothes are a necessity - whether it is uniforms or just the latest fashions, there needs to be lots of them. Then there are the school supplies, which can be just as expensive. Teachers provide long lists of what students need and they all need to be in the backpack by the first day. Knowing how to save money on these supplies can mean hundreds of dollars in your pocket for something else.
One of the best ways to save on clothes for school is to get the Sunday newspaper in your area. Pull out all of the circulars from the different stores and start to sort through them all. Each one will highlight some of the fashions as well as the prices. This will give you an idea as to whether the store even has the "look" that you are going for.
Make a game plan of what stores you want to shop at first. Start with the ones that have the lowest prices and then work your way up to the more expensive ones. This will allow you to try and get the majority of the wardrobe at the lowest prices.
When you get to the register, look around. Some people leave coupons that they had at the register if they weren't able to use them. This is your opportunity to save even more if the circular you had didn't have a coupon.
The cashier is likely going to try and convince you to get the credit card for the store. Listen to the gimmick. If it's 10% or higher on today's purchase, go ahead and apply for the card. You can always cancel it as soon as the first statement comes. 10% or 20% off of your day's worth of purchases can add up very quickly!
School supplies are a completely different beast. You might need anything from crayons to notebooks to hundred dollar calculators. Office supply stores always have the best back to school supplies because it's what they specialize in. Before you head down there, though, look online for coupons.
Know some of the name brands of the products you are looking for. This includes Crayola, 3M, Avery, and even some calculator brands. Do some internet searches for coupons on these items or go directly to their website. Print out as many as you can find.
Now when you head into the office supply store, you are going to find a lot of great deals - plus your coupon makes it even cheaper. If you are already a rewards customer of one store over another, make sure to visit that store, even if it is a mile or two up the road. You might earn additional rewards that could pan out to several dollars over the course of your shopping.
If there are deals for "2 for the price of X," go ahead and get 2, even if you only need 1. The other is free and you may need it later on in the year.
Back to school shopping doesn't have to break the budget, as long as you have a plan of attack to get the best deals.
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