Back to School time is approaching once again and that means long lists of school supplies that need to be purchased in a very short amount of time. Office Supplies are also needed for when parents go back to work. Before you know it, the holidays are over for everyone and it's back to education and making money at your job. At least you'll get to hear what everyone got up to during the holidays. No matter what grade your student is going into this year, everyone can use a break on the budget with the cost of needed school supplies, right? It's my pleasure to share with you some helpful ways to purchase everything you might need for the kid's back to school shopping list without putting too big a dent in your wallet. Try these recommended tips for becoming one of the best savvy back to school shoppers ever!
No Sales Tax Week
My favorite time to shop back to school clothes or supplies is during the No Sales TaxWeek! The majority of states in the USA have what they might refer to as a sales tax holiday. This is where smart shoppers take advantage of snagging the already discounted sales prices for most clothing, shoes, and backpacks or other types of school supply items and get the bonus savings of NO SALES TAX to boot! These special No Sales Tax weeks are usually between the end of July through the middle of August. Check for details with local stores in your area for the exact week. Stores can become very competitive in their sales pricing during these times and you can really grab a cartful of bargains for the things you need most. Just be sure not to go overboard with your spending just because there is a savings! Stick to your checklist of what school supplies and clothing each child needs for this year and make those items your priority.
Teamwork and Online Sales
Woohoo! Hooray for teamwork and planning ahead to save a bundle! This technique works wonders if you take the time to do your research on the best sales deals and invite friends to join in the savings! Ask your friends, neighbors, or extended family to go in with you on buying in bulk at places like Costco, Sams Club, BJs and other large wholesale clubs. Another great place to buy in bulk and split the cost can be online at Staples, OfficeMax, eBay, Amazon, or other retailers having large bulk stock sales deals. Many times you get a rebate or even a bonus gift card and free shipping with your online orders!
Coupons by Text, Email, or Social Media
Did you know you could be missing out on regular savings every time you eat at a restaurant or shop in a store? Those stores most likely have email subscriber lists, Facebook, Twitter, and other social channels that you can sign up for and follow to receive text, email and social media alerts and notifications for coupons, one day sales, and promo codes for free shipping or $10 off an order, etc. Save big this school shopping season and get on those email lists and follow your favorite Back to School retailers ASAP on social media! There are also websites that let you get free discounts or coupons for nearly every type of product.
Amazon Prime
Saving money is a big deal to all of us, and having the opportunity to get free shipping on orders purchased through Amazon can be huge for getting your must haves for that Back to School list! By paying the yearly fee to have an Amazon Prime account, you can access special savings weekly or even daily with their Amazon Deals of the Day, specials saved only for Prime members and even personalize your own shopping or wish lists on Amazon in case grandparents want to help out picking up some of the bill! For those parents with college students, getting their textbooks and workbooks can be costly. Never fear, the answer is here! Having the opportunity to use the rental services through Amazon with free shipping through Prime membership is amazing! For example: you may buy a textbook on Amazon for $100 or so brand new, or you may find you can get it used for around $50. But, if you rent the textbook through Amazon  you may only pay $12 then get free 2 day shipping with Prime! You get to send it back in a free shipping envelope when your rental time is up at the end of the semester. This has been a huge help to many families, so take advantage of this great savings when your child gets to college.
Watch Sales Ads in Newspaper
It may seem old school, but most major retailers find placing ads in the local Sunday papers the weekend before a big Back To School Sale Week is still a huge priority. Grab your local paper the last Sunday in July through the first week in August and you are bound to find all sorts of super savings on pens, pencils, spiral notebooks, pencil boxes, binders, erasers, scissors, glue, markers, crayons, colored pencils, pens, calculators, and much more! The 1 cent, 10 cents, and 25 cents sales or BOGO sales at Staples, Target, Walmart, Walgreens, CVS, and similar stores can help tremendously on the pocketbook! Keep track of who's having the sale on which items and get there early! These sales tend to run out quick and there are not usually rain checks. Don't be afraid to buy multiples when they are that cheap as you will want to stock up so your student's supplies will last for the entire school year. For those who do not purchase newspapers, most of these sales ads can be found online at the particular retailer's websites.
Rosey says
I haven't looked for coupons on social media. That does make good sense though.
Mauie - The 24-Hour Mommy says
Love the tips! My son's school starts on August 8 already so I'm slowly buying his school supplies.
Jenny says
I usually shop at only target because of the many ways to save. Target coupons, manufacturers coupons, text coupons, cartwheel. So many options, just have to keep an eye out.
Liz Mays says
These are really good ideas. It's nice to buy from multiple sources that have the best prices instead of buying everything at the same place at the last minute! I like the idea of working with others to buy in bulk!
Angela Harris says
Thank you I will be doing some school shopping in the next week or so and these tips will come in handy.
Elizabeth O. says
It's good to look for coupons and discounts so you can save on the school supplies, aside from that you can also wait for the stores to go on sale. Usually, when you subscribe to their pages or websites, you'll get a heads up on when that happens. These are all great tips though!
Cindy Ingalls. says
I haven't had to buy school supplies in quite sometime, but I remember how much fun it was picking everything out. I think planning ahead is a great idea. Scope out the stores with the best offers or check online.
Jeanette says
These are some great tips. I wasn't aware of the no sales tax week and definitely want to look into that and see if my state does this as well. I can't believe it's time to start shopping for school supplies again already!
Christine - The Choosy Mommy says
I watch for penny days at office supply stores and stock up then. I have enough printer paper to last us through college haha!
Jenn says
These are great tips. I can not believe how expensive school supplies are now that our daughter is older. I miss the days of crayons and erasers.