The first day of school is less than a month away, but we’re all set in the school supply department.
This is the first year that all three of my boys will be in school, so I knew I had to get on top of the back-to-school supply list before summer disappeared. My mission: To get the list done and to spend as little money as possible.
Make a master school supply list.
I started by merging all of the boys’ school supply lists into one master list. Rather than think about what I needed for each individual boy, I could see everything I needed to buy in one place. This was when I discovered that we needed 26 glue sticks. Yes, 26 glue sticks. Having a master list makes it much easier to bulk buy.
Keep the list with you.
A master list is great, but it doesn’t really help if you forget it at home. You can keep things “old school” by writing your list on a piece of paper you keep in your purse, but I found it too easy for it to get lost in the abyss of my bag. Instead, I opted to use Evernote for iPhone. It’s a free app, and I love it because I can keep track of everything from school supplies we need to what size shoes the kids wear. It’s easy to update when I buy things on the list, and I love that it can sync with our home computer.
Shop at home.
Before you head to the store, do an inventory to see what you already have. I discovered that I already had brand new boxes of crayons and colored pencils I got for cheap during last year’s sales, so I was able to cross those off the list. I was also able to pull Kleenex and Lysol Wipes from our stockpile. The boys already had backpacks and lunchboxes that are in great shape, so we didn’t have to worry about that.
Clip those coupons.
This time of year, you’ll find coupons on everything from dry erase boards to pens. Look for coupons before you shop so that you can save at the store.
Look for deals.
All of the big discount stores – Walmart, Target, Walgreens – have great deals on school supplies. But don’t forget Staples, Office Max, and Office Depot, too. Andrea at Savings Lifestyle has a great database of the hottest school supply deals. Be sure to check out the best deals before you head to the stores.
Simple is better.
My boys love Angry Birds, SpongeBob, and Phineas & Ferb, but notebooks and pencil boxes with licensed characters on them cost 10 times more than plain ones! Buy plain items and let the kids decorate them with stickers you already have.
When it comes to backpacks and lunchbags, think timeless and think quality. It always seems like the ones with fun characters on them either fall apart or fall out of favor with the kids. I splurged on Lands End backpacks last year, and I don’t regret it. They’re a great quality with classic designs and we’ll be able to use them for several years.
I’m pleased with how this strategy worked for us. I’m currently applying the same strategy to our back-to-school clothing shopping, and I’m almost done with that list.
It’s easy to get caught up in all of the Back-to-School marketing hype, but when you have a clear plan, it can really help you save money and your sanity.
How are you doing with your back-to-school shopping list?
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{ 4 comments… read them below or add one }
I have heard that Lands’ End backpacks have a lifetime guarantee on them and they will replace them if they get worn out. Have you heard that? I have not purchased on from Land’s End, but I think I would if I knew I only have to pay for one backpack for child’s entire school career.
I have heard that, but I don’t know if it’s actually true. I just figured if I was buying 3 $10 backpacks a year, it made more sense to buy a $35 backpack that would survive 2 or 3 years.
L.L. Bean has great backpacks and everything at L.L. Bean is guaranteed for life. The only problem is that, as with my girls, fashion seems to be more important than durability and a new one is needed with the change of schools.
Thanks, Kris – That’s good info to know about LL bean. Is there any way you can convince your girls to add some bling to their old backpack rather than getting new?