Five Back-to-School Shopping Tips That'll Save You Money & Time!

It is that time of year again to start buying your school supplies. Is it brand name or no name products? Time to make your decisions and decide on which clothing and bags to buy.

Some of you have grade school children and are already familiar with the drill. But when you're new to this, it's good to go into it with some ideas for where to shop, how to do it and what to buy.

These five tips will help you save money AND your sanity!

DON'T DELAY

The best things go fast at the discount stores, so don't delay. Start your shopping early in order to find the best deals.

Dollar stores will be a good place to start for your pens, paper and other items. All of the goods you need will be available from August.

You will find all you need at office supplies and stationary stores if you are short of time. However, be prepared to pay a bit more.

BUY IN BULK

If you have a few friends that need supplies for their kids (or college buddies) consider buying in bulk at membership stores or other bulk stores.

They may not have everything you need in stock but you will save money by splitting cartons of pens, paper and other essentials.

BUY THROUGH THE SCHOOL

Your school may be able to buy supplies in bulk and share the expense between the parents or classmates.

This will save you the hassle of shopping and dealing with complaints about color and brands as well as saving you money.

END OF SEASON BARGAINS

Stock up now on summer clothes and sportswear. End-of-season sales are a great way to find deals on clothes, especially for children participating in after school sports.

Multi purpose clothes can work their way into winter wardrobes. Woollen tights can be worn with skirts and tank tops with shirts. Cropped pants can be tucked into boots. All if which will make a trendy wardrobe for your kids winter.

Be wary of school dress codes when buying clothes. Rules such as skirt length and showing bare shoulders may be in force.

THE RIGHT BAG IS KEY

Be selective when choosing a school bag for your kids. Care should be taken to make sure it has padded shoulder straps and is not carried below waist level to avoid injury. Try and pick one with a waist strap which will provide extra support.

Fashion conscious students may prefer hobo bags and slouchy purses but these are not suitable for heavy books. If you prefer this type of bag then make sure that you get one with a strap that crosses the body spreading the weight. Heavy books should be carried in a backpack making sure that it is worn properly and not slung over one shoulder.

Every new year at school is ripe with exciting possibilities. Instead of stressing out while shopping for your back-to-school items, be sure to have fun!

Donna Brancheau has been teaching & tutoring in San Diego for 30 years. For great tutoring advice, visit her tutoring web site. Also, you can get unique copies of this article or other insightful education articles to use on your web site!