School Supply Shopping Tips In Fort Worth
For many of us, it seems like we just cleaned out backpacks and put away papers from the last school year. It’s hard to believe that in such a short time the morning hustle to get out of bed, get dressed and fly out the door for school will begin.
While we lament the easy days of summer slipping away, we easily forget that it’s time to stock up on supplies and clothes for the coming year. Since many of us choose—for better or worse—to wait until the bitter end to get ready, our goal is to make the back to school shopping as painless as possible. Below are some of the best deals and hacks that we’ve found!
School supplies
The National Retail Federation estimates that parents will spend, on average, $695 per child on back to school items this year. This number is only second to how much families spend on Christmas!
Due to this, 60% of parents say that affording school supplies is a challenge. If you are looking to save money, start by searching your house for left–over supplies from last year. Before you even hit the store, you might find unused folders or packs of paper that can easily be repurposed. This can also be done for clothing.
Use the last few days of summer to clean out closets of all clothing that is too small. You can either donate or resell many items for a little extra money. Once it’s all cleaned out, you might even notice you need less than you thought.
When you do have a final list of what you need, skip the big box store and head to the dollar store for starters. You can find bargain prices on common classroom items like tissues, notebooks, pencils and markers. Another tip is to follow major stores on social media for extra deals. Many times, stores offer exclusive coupons to their followers.
And finally, devote time to search for deals on the big–ticket items on your list. This could be a new winter coat or a graphing calculator. Instead of racing around town for the best deal on a glue stick, use your time to get the deepest discount on the most expensive supplies.
Clothes shopping
While “back to school” can be synonymous with a new wardrobe some years, this might not be the best time to hit the mall if you’re looking to save money. Consumer Reports notes that the deepest clothing discounts can be found near the end of September after the initial rush ends. The good news for Texans is that you won’t need those fall clothes for several more months, so don’t run to the store now!
In addition to clothes, backpacks are another item that will be much cheaper a few weeks after school starts. Consider throwing your old one in the washing machine and using it for a few weeks until most store put backpacks and lunchboxes on sale.
Back to school shopping can be stressful from both the time and financial angle. If you have the extra money—and are able to score some great deals—consider picking up a few extra items for a school supply drive in your community. There are numerous opportunities to donate in Fort Worth. Just think, it could make the school year much easier for even more kids in your community.
