Five Back-to-School Shopping Tips that Save Money

Back-to-school shopping can be one of the most joyful times of year. But be sure to plan ahead to make sure your back-to-school shopping list—from backpacks to crayons to clothes, shoes, and supplies—fits your budget. 

Based on the age of your child, you might need to spend at least $1,000 per child for back to school shopping. But back-to-school shopping doesn’t have to wreck your budget or get you into credit card debt. Fortunately, there are many ways to save money on getting your kids outfitted and freshly equipped for a new school year.  

Here are a few back-to-school shopping tips to help you save money and start a new school year with happy kids—and a healthy bank account. 

1. Find School Supplies at Home

Before you buy anything, raid your home’s cupboards, shelves, home office, and storage spaces to take stock of useful back-to-school items that you might already have. Your house might be bursting with office supplies like binders, notebooks, craft supplies, highlighters, pencils, and pens that you can repurpose for your children’s needs. Some things might not be brand new, or might have originally been intended for the office—but they can still be useful for school.

Not only does using what you already have save money, it reduces clutter in your home, freeing more space for other purposes. One of the easiest ways to save money on back-to-school shopping is to check your home first, before you go to the store. 

You May Like These

Back-to-School Budget 2020: How to Save Money This Year

Credit Card Debt Relief

Ways To Save More Money

2. Ask Friends and Family Members for Hand-Me-Down School Supplies

The people in your life almost certainly have extra items lying around their houses, especially if they have older kids. Ask your friends and family for extra supplies they could contribute to your back-to-school haul.

Arrange a school supply and/or clothing swap for parents at your kids’ school, at your church, or through some other group you’re affiliated with. This is especially convenient for schools that require uniforms, as frequently a kid will wear a uniform for just one year before needing a new one. 

These events not only save you money and give new life to things people aren’t using, they can help you build stronger friendships and deeper connections with your community. Giving stuff away can turn back-to-school shopping into an opportunity for socializing and fun.

3. Pay Less for Big-Ticket Items

Sometimes the biggest savings on back-to-school shopping can be found on the higher-priced items. For example, if you can save 10% on a new laptop that usually costs $1,000, that’s a savings of $100. By planning ahead and doing your homework, you could lower your spending on back-to-school shopping.

Do some research to find the lowest prices on pricier items like graphing calculators, computers, or specialized attire. Compare prices at big box stores online, get on mailing lists for updates on sales or coupons, and use coupon and cash back apps to keep an eye on deals that let you earn money with what you spend.

Another strategy is to purchase big ticket items at off-peak times of the year. Can your child wait a few months until Thanksgiving break to get that new calculator, laptop, or tablet computer that they wanted? If so, you can probably find shockingly good deals on “back-to-school shopping” for electronics during Black Friday and Cyber Monday. 

4. Save Money on School Sports and Extracurriculars 

Some of the biggest opportunities to save money on back-to-school shopping can be found outside the school day—by saving money on supplies and equipment for extracurriculars like sports and music. 

You can find tons of used sports equipment on websites like Craigslist, eBay, Facebook Marketplace, and Play It Again Sports, which also has brick-and-mortar stores in some cities. If you must buy new, consider checking around on sporting goods store websites (or asking store staff in person) for the lower-end beginner models. 

Especially if your kids are trying a sport for the first time, they don’t need the most deluxe, glamorous sporting goods. Get them started with lower-cost beginner-level equipment for much less than the more specialized or high-end items that professionals or more experienced athletes use.

What if you have a musician in the family? Ask if the school can provide instruments, especially if your child is just getting started with the school band or orchestra. If not, try renting instruments from local stores or looking for used items online. These tactics can save you a bundle, as new musical instruments can be quite expensive to purchase. Until your child has reached a committed level in their musicianship, they don’t need a high-end saxophone or a virtuoso’s violin.

5. Get Thrifty

Another good way to save money on back-to-school shopping is to minimize the number of new clothing items you buy for your kids. Especially if your children are young and growing, they’re likely to outgrow their “new” clothes so fast that it can be better for your budget to buy used clothing at thrift stores. 

Places like Goodwill, Salvation Army, Value Village, or other local secondhand or consignment shops can help you save big money on school clothes. Many local charities and churches also run their own thrift stores, so shopping there can be a great way to give back to your community.

Thrift store shopping can be fun for the whole family, especially if your kids are more artistic or interested in fashion. Buying gently used allows your children to get a little more creative in their fashion sense. By purchasing secondhand clothes, vintage items, or other lower-cost clothing, your kids can develop more of their own personal style, instead of wearing the same mainstream brands as every other kid at school. 

Back to school shopping has come to rival Christmas shopping in terms of family expenses. But, by learning new back-to-school shopping tips that save money, you can gather all the supplies your family needs to have a great school year without breaking the bank.

Learn to Save Money, Pay off Debt, and Plan for the Future

Back-to-school shopping should be a happy occasion, but if new clothes, books, and backpacks are putting your family into debt, it might be time to seek debt relief. Freedom Debt Relief can help you understand your options for credit counseling, debt settlement, and other ways to help you get rid of debt faster and move forward in life.