Back To School, Or Back To The Poor House?
I told my son that I would give him $8 toward a backpack. I told him that if he wanted a fancier one, he could put up some of his allowance money for the difference. That’s the rule at our house. Mom and Dad buy the basics the kids buy the extras. It was amazing how my son’s perception of the need for rollers changed when his allowance was on the line. Yes, he has concluded, a regular backpack will do the trick this year.
Thousands of parents are buying back-to-school supplies. From crayons and notebooks to calculators and lunch boxes, the list of what to buy can be as long as the list of your kids’ excuses.
I know that you are anxious to get your kids back into school, but there is no need to take out a second mortgage just to get some quite. Instead, use some of these money-saving tips and you can happily send your kids to school and keep some of the cash for mom’s back-to school celebration!
* Wait for the list to come out and stick to it, otherwise you might buy things you don’t need. Remember, the Bank of Mom doesn’t pay for frills. Any extras the kids want will have to be funded from their own cash reserves. I do understand that it is nice for kids to have “hip” back-to-school supplies. I look at yard sales and thrift stores for brand-name finds. For instance, I recently found a gently used Barbie backpack and a Barbie lunch box and no one would know that I paid $1.00 each instead of the $32 that Becky Johnson’s mom paid. Who says stay at home mom’s don’t make any money?
* Don’t buy back to school clothes. Children don’t need an entirely new wardrobe every fall. Some moms act as if aliens clothes-napped their kids’ clothes the night before school and the fashion police will come arrest them if they don’t buy the latest designer clothes right away. The kids wore clothes all year long, didn’t they? If they need something like a new pair of shoes or new jeans then buy what they need, but don’t just buy a new wardrobe because it’s “the thing to do.”
* Use back to school sales to your advantage. If you know your kids go through a package of socks, underwear or jeans every six months then stock up while they are on sale. The same is true of crayons, paper, notebooks, backpacks and lunch boxes. My son went through two backpacks and two lunch boxes last year, so this year we will buy two while they are on sale instead of waiting until the middle of the year when they are full price. We will also be checking garage sales between now and then to find any good deals on those items. Don’t be tempted to buy things that you wouldn’t normally use, though, just because they’re on sale.
* Go through last year’s school supplies to see which things are still usable. If my student has a working calculator, the Bank of Mom will not extend credit for a new one.
* Limit activities to one at a time. Activity fees can add up fast. One at a time is the rule at our house. If you can’t afford the activity, it doesn’t hurt for the kids to use their own money to pay for it. The best way to teach them money management is to let them manage their own money when they have nothing to lose, instead of after they have maxed out the credit cards that someone persuaded then to sign up for in college.
Tawra
My daughter wears uniforms (skirt, polo shirt) to her Christian school. So I shop at an online store (when I don’t make them) The Children’s wear outlet. They not only have good quality long skirts, they have backpacks for $6/7/8. Also socks and such at good prices. Very pleased with them.
These are great tips. Anything that I cna save on school items can still be used on textbooks and other important stuff. Just plan ahead and don’t forget to use coupons..
Remember you can also “recycle” last years wardrobe using just a few “tricks”. For example add glitter, ribbon, on iron-on pictures to reinvent last years t-shirts. Try cutting and sewing last years jeans into this summers shorts. Try some dye to make faded items look new. An old sweater can be cut up and sewn into technology cases (iPad case, cell phone case, etc.), or even unraveled and knitted or crocheted into something new. Shop at Goodwill stores and consignment shops then reinvent those finds as needed. You can swap clothing items with friends or family. Even old socks can be recycled into cell phone cases or change purses. Simply cut off the worn out foot of the sock, sew up the cut end of the leg of the sock, weave a piece of yarn or ribbon thru the top edge and you’re done.
By learning basic sewing, dyeing, and other simple crafting skills you can “recycle” and “reinvent” just about any clothing item.
This year I am not buying any new clothes. My son’s closet is full, so we will go through it and donate anything outgrown, but he will wear shorts through October. I will buy new pants as needed when they go on sale or at the local children’s resale shop.
We are reusing many school supplies from last year. I bought vinyl folders and dividers instead of the paper ones so they are still in great condition. I purchase school items throughout the year when they are on sale, so I do not have to spend a lot come September. Check the Staples ads each week leading up to the school year, they often have loss leaders to get you into the store. You can spend very little if you only buy the amazing deals. You usually have to spend $5 to get the deals, but you can get a ream of paper for $6 and then get $5 back in a rebate, so you can get a deal there as well.
I always got the kids a new outfit for the first day of school. They maybe got more than that, depending on our ability at the time. When my daughter hit middle school, she wanted a pair of expensive jeans so I told her that I would give her the money for the jeans, but that was ALL she got. Her choice to buy those or buy several cheaper items. It didn’t take long for her to decide NOT to get the jeans. If I remember correctly, she ended up with 8 shirts, 3 pairs of pants and a pair of shoes for the cost of those jeans. She still won’t buy expensive clothes when she can get so much more for the money.
The schools in England don’t break up until about 22nd July. When I was teaching, I used to hate all the “back to school” ads and articles that appeared before our holidays had even started.When we went to Ireland, the in laws, also teachers, had been free since early May and were quite relaxed while we were still frazzled. :)
In Georgia, it’s still the middle of summer when school starts. All I get beyond the required school supplies (and I don’t go by the list provided for all grades in the county…I wait until Open House and talk to the teacher!) are new tennis shoes, new backpack (that will last the entire year and into summer camp), possibly new lunch box, and maybe a new shirt or something “new” to wear on the first day back. That’s IT!
I’m lucky that my daughters school uses uniforms. They’re very specific-we have to purchase from the actual uniform store, but she can get by with a handful of polos and 4-5 skirts, for an entire year. Plus, they have a consignment sale at the school before it starts back to sell outgrown clothes, and purchase new ones for a good price. I do, however, she’ll out for her backpack. I buy hers from pottery barn (I know, I know, but stay with me…) they can get them monogrammed, have matching lunch boxes, and they HOLD UP. They get major use and still look brand new at the end of the year (the lunchbox too!) I then use them as awesome luggage, and since it has her initials on it, it’s perfect for flights. She has one that’s three years old, and it’s still in almost perfect condition, minus a few stains. (Which is a miracle, considering they have been drug everywhere….from school, to dance, riding in the bed of my truck every day, and the barn!). I consider that less of a splurge, if anyone is looking for a backpack that will stand the test of time!
I taught my children to organize their closets about a month before school started. (Keep, donate, or move to the dresser for play clothes.) Then we sat down and talked about their needs and wishes. Since our family did not take vacations or dine out, back to school shopping for clothes and supplies was a special event for us. That being said, they often decided to wear garage sale items on the first day of school!
My daughter uses a Jansport backpack….2 actually so she can switch out different sizes. They last years. They may cost more up front but when she went through 2 cheaper bags in kindergarten, I changed tactics. She has now had the same 2 Jansport bags for 3 years and both are in great condition. Sometimes saving money up front isn’t really saving. I don’t buy “school clothes” either… I do watch sales and the thrift stores so she has a couple new-to-her pieces for school.
Though I agree that saving money is the ultimate goal… I think it is VERY IMPORTANT to look at the big picture. The lowest price is NOT ALWAYS the best deal in the long run. Buying a cheap backpack that breaks/rips/falls apart by January is NO BARGAIN!! Buying cheap crayons that don’t color well (but instead leave a lightly tinted wax mess on the paper are not acceptable. If you need to replace items, THIS is the time of year to do it. And you CAN find the GOOD products at lower prices is watch the ads closely. Example: who would know that STAPLES is one of the cheapest places to shop for back to school supplies for a couple of weeks in the summer?? If you are going to need spiral notebooks this school year, get them NOW at 25 cents each and stock up for the entire year (or you will be shopping later for the same spirals at 4-8 times the price). 3-Ring Binders? Check out your local thrift store. I have gotten BEAUTIFUL binders that sell in the stores for up to $12 for 1-3 dollars. (Speaking of binders…here is where you don’t buy the cheapie binders and celebrate how little you spent. You’ll be buying it again in a few months and paying a boatload. Bringing this comment back to where I started. I spent more money on a backpack with a heavily reinforced, leather-bottom and it was good for four years. THAT is long-term savings.
Yes I agree with a lot of what you said but you do have to put pen to paper and do some figure. For example, if I can get a cheap backpack at the thrift store for $2 (which I could) and had to replace it once a year that means I am buying 2 bags a year = $4 a yr = $16 in four yrs. So if I bought an expensive back pack for $30 that lasted 4 years then the cheap ones were still cheaper in the long run. You need to put pen to paper and add all of these things up.
Yes look at all of your ads and sometimes things like cheap crayons don’t pay.
The main thing though for me was I taught my kids not to waste their things, to be careful with their paper, pencils – just because I could get them for cheap was no reason to not be careful with them. I even did things like if a crayon broke I would put a little tape on it so they could keep using it. If I didn’t have the money, they didn’t get a back pack. I went to school for 13 yrs and never once had a back pack so you can survive without one. I think we need to concentrate on teaching the kids to be more careful with things they have and that would save many people a lot of money just doing that. Now before you all get upset I know kids are kids and things will get messed up but they can be taught to be more careful and respectful of their things instead of thinking mom and dad will just get me a new one.
I completely agree. Spending the money to get a nice backpack that will last a while is much better than a cheap-o backpack that falls apart. I had gotten a cheap backpack for $3 and it got a rip in it the first week of school. Also, they don’t always protect what is inside, costing more money. If you can afford it, buy a more durable backpack that will last. Sometimes you can find these on fb market place or garage sales for cheaper. I don’t agree with not having a backpack. Once upon a time, maybe people didn’t use them as much. But that was along time ago. If you’re in survival mode, then do what you can do. If you’re in survival mode, call the school and they can usually hook you up with a backpack and school supplies. But, if you aren’t in survival mode and just looking to save money, get a decent backpack that will last longer.
Kids’ school supplies usually run out half way through the year. Stock up during the Back To School Sales, and use them for stocking suffers at Christmas :)
When I was a kid, all new stuff was the thing to have. I thought it was crazy then, and I told my mother. We went through my wardrobe and supplies a few weeks before school started to see what I had and what I needed. I always did get new shoes because my feet were still growing School supplies were on sale, but not clothing. Fall and winter clothing went on sale after Christmas and spring and summer clothing went on sale after the Fourth of July. If you waited that long, the pickings were very slim. My parents always got me the things I needed at full price.
Please note that Jansport backpacks are not waterproof. I’m a paraprofessional at a high school & I have seen many, many frustrated students because they thought their projects, assignments & notebooks were protected in their backpack. Many times their work is ruined. For as costly as Jansport backpacks are remember they won’t protect assignments & books.