Single Parent Budget advice on SingleDad. Learn how to stretch your 2010 Single Parent Family Back to School dollars.
Single Parent Advice - Back to School Shopping on a Budget
| Author: By Debra Muccio for Ideas That Spark | Posted: 09/03/10 | ||
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August and September are two of the most expensive months of the year thanks to back-to-school shopping. But there are still plenty of ways to stretch your dollar and get more bang for your buck:
1. Take
inventory.
Check your kids’ closets
and desks to see what clothes and supplies they already have. You might
be surprised to find you have less to buy than you
anticipated.
2. Shop
end-of-season/clearance racks.
Take advantage
of discounted end-of-season bargains. For example, inexpensive summer
shirts can be paired with basic sweaters to get through cooler months;
this works especially well if you have mild winters where you live. And
while you’re at it, stock up on larger sizes for next
year.
3.
Take a sales tax holiday.
Take advantage of
this huge break: In certain states, you can avoid paying sales tax for
your back-to-school supplies during a select number of “tax
holiday” days. This often applies to everything from clothes
and shoes to school supplies and backpacks.
4. Cruise the discounters.
Chains like T.J.Maxx and Marshalls are already discounted up to 60
percent off department store prices, so no need to wait for a
sale.
5. Shop on Sunday for school
supplies.
At chains like Staples and Office
Depot, you'll find amazing deals on school supplies through the end of
August -- some for $1.25 cents, a penny or even free. Be sure to check
the weekly circular for that week’s deals, and be prepared to
run out the very first day (Sunday). These items sell out
fast!
6. Surf for
coupons.
Printable coupons for some school
supplies and apparel (underwear/socks) can be found online. Before you
go anywhere, browse coupon sites like CouponCabin.com or
RetailMeNot.com, along with specific retailer sites.
Just by making these small changes to your family’s back-to-school binge, you can save big bucks for the fun stuff you do together when the kids aren’t in class!
Debra Muccio is the mother of a 2-year-old girl and blogs at AFrugalFriend.net, where she finds the best deals and freebies on everything from groceries to entertainment.
