Back-to-school shopping saving tips
A lot of your money might have been splurged over the Christmas holidays, with little or no thought for back-to-school.
The holiday season is almost over and with schools opening early this year (January 9), as parents, we have to gear up for back-to-school even earlier. A lot of our money might have been splurged over the Christmas holidays, with little or no thought for back-to-school.
While kids might be excited about heading back to school, this might be a stressful time for parents who have little or no money for school necessities. What I normally do after getting my bonus, I use a bit of my salary to buy my kids stationery and school uniforms in December. This has helped me over the years, as I realised I can’t save money for January, so it was just better to get the school shopping out of the way.
Here are a few tips that have helped me get through back-to-school sanely:
>Shop for school uniforms such as long-sleeve shirts and tracksuits in summer, when most shops have summer sales and discounts on winter clothing.
>Stick to the stationery list given at school and don’t waste money on unwanted items. Always look out for the most affordable range and don’t buy extra supplies, no matter how cute your kid may find them to be.
> Head to supermarkets for basic supplies such as great deals on pens and other school stationery. This will also be convenient while you are doing your grocery shopping.
>Get your kids involved in covering their school books. You don’t have to buy the most expensive school branded exercise covers, you can buy the brown school cover and get your children to personalise their books by cutting out beautiful photos from magazines and using them as decorations on their books.
>For little children, buy bright stationery such as pencil cases, pencils, erasers and other goodies. This way, you can keep them from disappearing or having the same stationery as other kids at school.
>Lastly, as a parent, you are in charge of what your child eats at school, so plan their weekly lunch. This way, you get to save money and you also get your child to eat a variety of sandwiches and fruits.
Always remember to mark your child’s belongings with name tags so they are easy to find when lost in the classroom. Remember to also pay your child’s school fees monthly if you can’t afford to pay all of it at once. This way, you avoid being called to the school to discuss your child’s school fees during the last term of the year.
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