Now that summer is upon us, it’s time to put school in the rear view mirror. Or is it?
The start of the next school year may seem to be off in the distance, but we all know how quickly summer flies by. Before you know it, the kids will be looking for books, backpacks and other school supplies.
But you can stay ahead of the curve by planning for those needs right now. Here are some ways to do just that:
- Make a list. Sure, you won’t be able to anticipate everything your kids will need, but there are essentials that never change, such as pens, note pads, back packs, etc.
- Come up with a budget, and stick to it. And share it with the kids. That way they’ll know how much money you’re willing to spend. So if they see something that they really, really want but the price tag is too high, they may have second thoughts about pestering you for it.
- Start saving. Speaking of budgets, stash away some “school supplies” money each week for the next several weeks so you have adequate funds to spend at the end of summer.
- Look for bargains in stores over the next month or two. And keep in mind that many stores begin their back-to-school sales at the beginning of August and often have limited supplies, so the sooner you pounce on those deals, the better. The last thing you want to do is scramble all over town looking frantically for supplies.
- Buy in bulk. If you have a small squadron of kids, check out the wholesale stores like Costco and BJ’s for additional cost-savings. And it’s not a bad idea to team up with other parents to make bulk purchases that can then be split up.
- Go to yard sales and see what you can pick up. Many parents will be looking to get rid of extra supplies their children didn’t use or no longer need. You may be able to find good deals on supplies such as books, pens and notepads, and even electronic tablets or laptops.
- Save money by renting. For college-age students, check into renting textbooks from online stores such as Chegg, or CampusBookRentals. There are also several websites like BIGWORDS that let you compare sale prices of books at numerous stores.
Imagine all the stress and headaches you can avoid by getting a jump on the next school year!