13 Genius Back to School Tips for Saving Money
Can you believe it is already time to start thinking about back to school? Pretty soon the lazy days of summer will be replaced with the hustle and bustle of day to day school life. While you might be ready to send the kids back off to school, you might not be thrilled when you think about the expenses involved. Luckily, there are plenty of ways you can save money during the back to school season. Take a look below at 13 genius back to school tips for saving money so you can enjoy the back to school season for less.
1. Download the FREE School Supply Price List
Whether it be the list the school provides or one you write up yourself, shopping from a list will help you stay focused and prevent you from winging it. You don’t want to spend money on items you don’t even need or have use for.
Our Stockpile Price List is also a worksheet, it lets you make one single list of all the items you need for all of your kids, then you can check off each item as you grab it! This means you can grab deals as you find them and you’ll always know what you have and what you still need to buy. Shopping from a list keeps you accountable and helps prevent overbuying and also last minute shopping. Download the FREE School Supply Price List Here.
2. Join the Passion For Savings Facebook Group
Facebook is a great way to not only stay connected with your friends and family, but to also keep up with the best back to school deals. Our Private Facebook Group has over 37,000 members and we post updates on all the best Back to School Deals each day, this group is really one of the best ways to stay up to date on all the deals as they go live on the site. If you’re looking for sales on Uniforms, Backpacks, Laptop Computers and more this is the place you want to be, a lot of those deals sell out fast and the Facebook Group is always among the first to know about the sales each day!
You can Request to Join the Facebook Group Here. Please Note: I have to approve people manually into this group to avoid a lot of spam so it may take a little bit before your approved once you request to join.
3. Visit your local dollar store.
While you can’t find everything you need, your local dollar store is still great for things like boxes of pencils, crayons, rulers, and note cards. You can often times find them at your local dollar store for less than most retail stores. Some of my dollar store favorites include White Boards, Flashcards, Dry Erase Markers, Lunch Box Items, Calculators and more.
I’ve got a great list of My The Best Dollar Tree Back to School Deals Here.
4. Price match and make one trip.
Don’t run from store to store. Instead, choose a store that offers price matching and shop there. Just bring your ads so you can get the sale prices on the items you are interested in. Call ahead to see which stores offer price matching, as it may vary from store to store and state to state. I love to use Price Matching to take advantage of deep discounts on school supplies this time of year, If you find a name brand item that Walmart carries in one of the School Supply Ads you can price match at Walmart and get the same price. This is really handy when an item is sold out at your local office store, or when you want to get more than the limit of an item.
Read My Target and Walmart Price Match Tips here.
5. Shop your closets & drawers.
Before you head out to shop take an inventory of the items you have on hand. You might be surprised how many perfectly good school supplies you already own and can use in the next school year. I noticed for example this year my kids have USB Drives and Earbuds on their list again, these came home last year at the end of school and they are still in great shape which means I plan on Re-using those items again this year, Just pull them out of the drawer or closet and add them to your stash of school supplies, it’s one less thing you need to buy!
6. Check Your Sunday paper.
Even if you don’t usually get the Sunday paper, now is the time. You will not only see all of the extensive back to school ads, but school supply companies will be offering coupons that aren’t typically offered during the rest of the year.
Stacking Coupons with sales is a great way to get double the savings. You can find Printable Coupons for School Supplies this time of year, these are also great if you don’t typically get the Sunday Paper each week.
7. Watch for penny sales.
Many stores offer penny sales during the back to school season where certain items are offered for just a penny. Keep your eyes peeled for these sales so you can take advantage of them. Take a friend with you so you can get the maximum amount allowed per person.
Each Friday we post all the best Back to School Sales happening the following week on our Back to School page, that list is perfect for spotting the 1¢ deals before they start so you can grab them before they sell out each week.
8. Buy in bulk.
Partner up with another family or two and buy your supplies in bulk from a local wholesale store. This is a great way to stretch your buck while getting all of the supplies you may need.
Amazon is a great resource for Buying Bulk School Supplies. You can get some great deals on everything from Dry Erase Markers to Pencils, Kids Scissors and more!
9. Buy early.
Prices are at their lowest during the start of the back to school season. Once all of these school supplies go back to the home office section, they will no doubt cost more. Shop early for the best deals.
Typically the Back to School Deals start the First Sunday after the 4th of July, that means you want to be ready to shop early even if your kids don’t go back to school until after Labor Day, the earlier you shop the more time you have to take advantage of the loss leaders and penny items at the office supply stores. Check out our Back to School Page for all the best Back to School Deals going on this week!
10. Look for secondhand items.
Some supplies might be cheaper to buy secondhand. This could be the case with some types of scientific calculators, computer supplies, and even school uniforms. Consider thrift stores or Craigslist for these items to see if you can find a deal. It’s also a great idea to shop Consignment Shops and Online Thrift Stores for Kids Clothing, I have found some great deals on Uniform Jackets, Belts, Shoes and more at online consignment shops like Schoola.com.
Right now Schoola.com is offering a FREE $20 Credit to All New Members which is like getting $20 in FREE Kids Clothing!
11. Don’t shop with the kids.
Taking the kids school supply shopping can be expensive. They will see colorful folders and erasers that are twice the cost of plain ones. They will also see items they don’t need. Instead, shop from the list alone and get the job done for less.
12. Skip the name brands.
Just like clothing comes in name brands, so do school supplies. Try out some generic brands and see if they aren’t just as good. I also like to look for quality, if I can buy a more dependable item especially on things that aren’t disposable then I may be able to get more than one use out of it. Last year I found a great deal on these School Supply Boxes and they are still in great condition so my kids will be able to re-use them again which saves me money!
13. Use freebies you have.
You know all of those advertising pencils and pens you get at conventions and work events? Now is the time to pull them out!
Get back to school for less this season. Take advantage of these 13 genius back to school tips for saving money.
