Parents of students know summer ends with the added expense of back-to-school shopping. Here’s how to survive this unavoidable annual ritual while keeping your expenses down.
Buy computers with lower speeds and less storage. Higher levels of speed and space cost more and are more likely to be beneficial for gaming than for school research.
Shop at dollar stores for everyday items including writing instruments, binders and paper.
Kids lose things, including laptops and smartphones, so insure them against loss and other damage.
Textbooks are expensive, particularly those needed in college. Save lots of money by buying used, renting, borrowing or downloading e-books.
Accept hand-me-downs. If your kids have to wear uniforms and they’re the same as used ones in good shape, choose the less-costly used option.
Shop in bulk. Team up with family, friends and neighbors to buy common school supplies in bulk.
Wait for sales. If you can hold off, you may find better prices on electronics and clothing during the holidays than in the back-to-school sales season, when retailers figure they have you cornered.
