3 Back To School Hacks To Keep Cost Low

It’s that time of year again – time to get the kids ready for school! Back to school season is just as fun for moms as it is for the little ones. But, it’s even more enjoyable for the moms that can get the most bang for their buck on back-to-school shopping! In this post, I talk about a similar method for daycare.

If you’re ready to learn how to shop for school supplies ’til you drop without dumping your money into overly priced products, read the back-to-school shopping tips featured below.  

Thrift Stores Have Great Back To School Items

Thrift shopping is often frowned upon because the items are secondhand, and you might fear that they may be dirty and germy. However, a quick wash in the laundry will do the trick for most used clothing items. Thrift stores, such as Goodwill and the Salvation Army, often run tag sales. Sometimes all items with pink tags are priced 50% off, or items with red labels are priced under $3.50.

These items can include jeans, brand-name suits, and shoes, among other things. Sometimes, you can score an entire secondhand wardrobe for under $25! But of course, you have to be a savvy shopper. When you learn to shop the tag sales at thrift stores, you’ll be able to dress your children for pennies on the dollar!

Make Use of Your $1.00 Store!

Did you know that dollar stores in your area may actually accept coupons on their already discounted merchandise? The most notable dollar retailer that carries coupons is Dollar General. However, by checking the FAQ of your local dollar store’s website, you’ll be made aware of their coupon policy.

If you have a $1 coupon off an item you’re going to purchase at the dollar store, you’re going to score the thing for free! Thankfully, if you have coupons for a large number of items you need, you may be able to achieve half, or even more, of your back-to-school shopping deals for nothing but a few cents in tax.

Stockpiling Coupons

If you have three kids or more, it makes sense to consider stockpiling coupons for school supplies as soon as you can. Many savvy coupon moms like to use a little trick in accumulating coupons for the essentials by purchasing the newspaper, printing online, and requesting that coupons be directly mailed to their mailbox.

By the end of the summer, the coupon moms that stockpile coupons often find reduced deals because the items have been on the shelf for most of the summer. Frequently, many things end up being free or laughably cheap.

Shopping a Year Early

When you go back to school shopping, it may be tempting to shop a few weeks before the semester begins, like most parents. But, if you purchase items, such as binders, pieces of clothing, pencil holders, etc., just a few weeks after school has begun, just about everything in the store will be marked down considerably.

To further your savings, sign up for email newsletters of all of your favorite stores. Stores like JCPenney send out quarterly coupons for 10% to 15% off of all of their merchandise, including their sales items. It isn’t uncommon to find children’s shorts and t-shirts on sale for less than $5. So, the savings can be considerable.

Other great stores that have awesome deals on back to school products are Target, Walmart, and Amazon. Below are a few items that I am getting for my toddler this fall.

Here are a few outfits that I can’t wait to have my toddler in this fall:

There are so many ways to save on back-to-school shopping for your family. You can stockpile coupons, shop for free (with coupons) at the dollar store, and even go shopping a year early to get your shopping out of the way completely.

If you’re willing to invest your time and keep an eager eye, you’ll be able to score amazing deals for both school supplies and clothing.