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Back to School on a Budget

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School supply lists seem to get longer each year. With those longer lists and generally higher prices all around, the price of preparing for school has climbed steeply. Take advantage of these money saving tips to get the most bang for your back-to-school bucks.

Shop Tax Free

Since 2004, the state of Missouri has offered a back-to-school sales tax holiday. This year the tax holiday will be Aug. 5-7. Tax adds up, so this is a great way to stay on track with your budget, especially if you’re planning on making a large purchase like a laptop. Keep in mind the stores will be much busier this weekend, but your pocketbook will thank you. Here are the guidelines for this year’s tax-free weekend:

Check Your Inventory

Look through your child’s supply list and check whether you have any of these items on hand. If you’re anything like I am, you will see unopened paint, markers, glue and crayons in your craft drawer. You may also be able to salvage items from the previous school year. On the last day of school, my daughter came home with three completely unused notebooks, so I put those back for next school year. You might also realize your child’s lunch box and backpack are still in great condition, so you can use those again this year.

In 2021 families with children in elementary through high school planned to spend $848.90 on back-to-school items, which was an increase of $59 from the previous year and an all-time high. -National Retail Federation

Visit the Dollar Store

We love finding arts and craft supplies at our local dollar store. You would be surprised by the name brand items you can find for just a dollar. If you find a great deal, stock up so you have plenty of pencils and crayons for the year. Just be aware you also can sometimes find school supplies for less than a dollar at your local Wal-Mart.

Compare Prices

The internet has made comparing prices so much easier! Before I purchase an item, I do a quick Google search for the item in the shopping tab. You can compare prices at all the stores that carry that item. Make sure to take into account shipping charges that might apply if you purchase online rather than picking up at a local store.

Use Promo Codes

When selling items online, most stores offer a promo code for free shipping or a percentage off a purchase. You might have to search for it, but there is almost always a special in the top banner of a website. You might have to join their email club, but I find that to be worth it. You can always unsubscribe from their emails later.

Thrift Shop

Check out your local thrift shops for gently-used kids clothing. You can score some great finds! Because kids grow out of their clothes quickly, I like to sell and purchase items from other moms I know. I’ve been able to find name brand clothes in perfect condition for as little as $2.00 per item. There are many Facebook groups and virtual garage sales you can check out. When my kids have a specific item in mind, I have had great luck with the app Poshmark. I found the exact pair of brand new softball cleats my daughter had her eyes on for just $15 when they were out of stock at the store and online.

Spread Out Your Shopping

Back-to-school season gets me in the mood to purchase a new fall wardrobe for my kids. But in reality, school begins in August when it’s still hot outside. Their summer wardrobe will still work for the first month of school. I like to purchase a few items each month over a few months. I will purchase one or two back-to-school outfits in August and a few more items in September. Jeans can be pricey, but they don’t need jeans until the weather cools down, so I wait to purchase those until October. By spreading out your clothing purchases, you will have more money to purchase school supplies.

You can also spread out your shopping by purchasing a few items on the supply list each month during the summer. Our school district sent home the school supply list for next year on the last day of school. I’ve grabbed a few items on the list each month over the summer to lessen the burden of spending in August.

Create a Sinking Fund

A sinking fund is a great way save for a larger expense by adding to the fund over time. If you plan to spend $800 on school supplies in August, divide that by how many paychecks you have until then. If you have four paychecks, then $200 is the amount you will deposit into your sinking fund on each payday. Then, when it’s time for shopping, you will already have the cash on hand.

Shop Alone

My best money saving tip is to leave the kids at home. I find that when I bring my daughter along for back-to-school shopping, my cart fills up with a lot of unnecessary purchases. She decides she needs a new water bottle with her favorite character on it and inexpensive items on your list like a pencil pouch turn into a $20 flip sequin pencil box. I would suggest shopping for the majority of the school supply list on your own and then taking your children to pick out a few special items like their backpack, lunch box and clothes. That way, your kids will still be excited about their new school items, but your budget won’t be taking a hit.

Regan Lyons is a girl mom and freelance writer. She lives with her husband, Cale, and daughters, Atley, 8, and Ensley, 2, in St. Joseph, MO.

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