Save Money on Back-to-School Shopping This Year With These 4 Clever Ideas by Amanda Condio

Summer is almost over and it is time to start thinking about back-to-school shopping and all the hype that surrounds it. Believe it or not, your children will survive the entire school year without the most popular shoes and brand-new wardrobe. I stress to my kids constantly that being cool has nothing to do with what you wear. When I was growing up it was a huge deal and I was bullied constantly. Times have changed and young people are much more accepting and understanding. I have saved hundreds of dollars each year on back-to-school shopping using these great tips:

• Buy Used: Used clothing is equally as good as brand new. When you shop at places like Value Village you can get great brand-name clothing for a much more reasonable price. There are a number of other secondhand stores that carry some great finds as well. And let's not forget the Facebook marketplace for used clothing. As other people’s kids grow, they sell their items on Facebook to make some cash for stuff that fits. It is a great money-saving system to get involved in.
  

• Sign Up to Cash-back Sites: There are a great number of sites that help you save money if you choose to buy brand new items for your kids this year. Many stores are going to have massive sales for the back-to-school season, and if you take advantage of the sales you might as well get money back. I like to use the popular site Rakuten, which used to be known as Ebates. I also like to get cash back using Swagbucks, which has a number of other outlets to earn cash. The great thing about Swagbucks is you can install a button to your computer and any site you visit to shop on will automatically detect that your setup for cashback. You just click it to activate your cash-back rewards! 

• Start a Hand-me-down System With Friends: Kids grow constantly and you’re not the only one who is struggling to keep up with the clothing demands. It can cost an arm and a leg to keep your kids wearing decent clothing and everyone knows it. Ask your friends if they would like some of your kid’s outgrown clothes in exchange for theirs. Of course, this only works if they have kids older or larger than yours and you both have boys or girls, but either way there has to be some of your friends you can start this system with. This can save you a ton in the long run and you will keep your clothes being used by someone you know and care about.

• Reuse Last Year’s Items: Your kids do not need new backpacks and shoes every year. I choose to not buy certain characters or fads when buying backpacks or shoes because next year they may not be popular, and if they are in good condition you will not be able to use them as your kids have outgrown the characters. Stick to the basic colors and patterns that you know will never go out of style – they can be used for years to come.

No matter what your financial situation is or what your shopping habits are, it is always a good idea to remind your kids that material items are not the most important thing in the world. Saving money for things that truly matter is a much better idea.

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