Notebooks, pens, paper, binders, folders, storage containers, book bags, calculators… it adds up! School supplies can be quite pricey, especially if they are bought at peak seasons. Unfortunately for our wallets, it is a required yearly ritual for us parents in order for our children to enjoy a great and smooth school year.
However, shopping for school supplies doesn’t always have to break the bank every year. In fact, there are many alternative ways to shop for school supplies that will not only be incredibly easy on your budget, but it might even prove to be a more sustainable way to get yearly supplies. Here are 5 tips on how to save money on school supplies this year!
1. Take inventory
Before you start to spend any money at all, the first thing you should do is to search throughout your house. Look inside the closets, cupboards, storage units, your child’s old supplies and even their old school bags. You might find something useful laying around that you would have needed to buy anyway.
In fact, a thorough sweep throughout the house might leave you surprised at the surplus supplies that you didn’t know you had. It is a great idea to reuse and recycle what you already have before buying brand new supplies. With all the things that you might find, you could even use it for future activities with the kids.
2. Write down a shopping list and set a realistic budget
Once you have found some supplies around the house, you can make a list of what else your child might need for school. Work together with them to create a list of all the supplies that they think are essential, as well as those that are just something they want and not need.
The best way to get started on this is to review their current school supply list. Sometimes teachers will provide this list, other times, you will have to create it yourself. If you are creating it yourself, think about the essential things your child needs and ask them for their opinions. Match it up with your budget and also cross out the things that you have already found lying around the house.
As you go through the list, you should prioritize the essential supplies and then add on items that are optional. Your kids can also help with the budget if they have some cash stashed away in their piggy bank. In fact, this could be a great opportunity to teach them about the value of money!
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3. Actively hunt for bargains.
Once you have your list set up and your house has been thoroughly recycled for supplies, then it is time to head out to the stores. However, you should not just make impulsive trips to the closest store to be done with it as soon as possible. Instead, you should be prepared for those inevitable back-to-school deals. The best way to be prepared for this is to go online and do some research for such sales close by to your area. Browse some websites and scan through some of their digital flyers, and of course, always keep a close eye on their social media pages. This might seem like quite the effort, but your wallet will thank you for it once you’ve found an absolute bargain of a deal.
4. Don’t sleep on the dollar store.
Dollar stores offer great bargains to certain supplies such as pens, pencils, erasers, highlighters, art supplies and a bunch of others. These supplies offered in the dollar store are usually a fraction of the cost as compared to if you were to buy them at school supply and art stores. Stores like Dollarama and Dollar Tree often also have deals where you can grab a few packs of supplies and stationeries for the same price as just one at certain competitors.
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5. Buy in bulk online
Certain online stores also offer much cheaper alternatives to physical stores. As they are also mass providers of the supply, there are options to buy in bulk at factory costs. By shopping for supplies in bulk, you are extracting a lot more value from the purchase and with the sheer amount bought, it could even be a one off purchase for a lifetime!
There are deals and bargains everywhere, you just need to keep your eyes open!
Instead of going to the nearest stationary store as you do every year, you could be a bargain hunter and look for solid deals in the comfort of your own home. Not only do you save a ton of money on supplies, you might even find deals that could get you years’ worth of school supplies at an unbelievably low cost!
Heading back to school can be stressful, if you find your child is struggling in their classes, contact your closest School is Easy Tutoring to help them get back on track with a highly specialized tutor.
