How To Save Money on Back To School Purchases
Are you ready for the back-to-school season? While stationery, uniforms, and other supplies are necessary for the new year at school, buying that much each January can be expensive and tiring. Costs during Christmas and New Year’s Eve can hit many families pretty hard, so it can be difficult to pull the money together for back-to-school shopping. To help you save money on back-to-school purchases this year without taking out a secured loan, we’ve put together a list of the best tips and tricks.
Overview:
- Plan and create a budget
- Prioritise essential costs
- Consider second hand
- Check discount stores
- Compare prices
- Buy in bulk
Plan and create a budget
When wanting to save money on back-to-school purchases it’s important to plan and create a budget. Many schools will send out lists of what the kids need before school begins so you can plan what you need and how much money you will be spending in advance. Making a budget is an easy way to keep on track with the money you have, especially when you have multiple school-aged kids. Planning ahead also means you can look around the house just in case there are some old school supplies lying around that haven’t been used yet.
To help create a budget, check out our blog for some great money management apps.
Prioritise essential costs
Make sure to prioritise essential costs when back-to-school shopping.. You don’t have to buy everything in one day, instead decide on one day each week to make back to school purchases. Spreading out your shopping will spread out the costs so you won’t have to buy everything just on one paycheck. Prioritising essential costs can also help you avoid an unnecessary impulse buying on things you don’t actually need.
Consider second hand
Another great way to save money on back-to-school shopping is to consider buying school uniforms second hand. With children growing quickly there are a surprising amount of school uniforms you can buy second hand. You can typically find second hand uniforms on Facebook Marketplace, the school’s facebook page, or sometimes the school office will have a rack of second hand uniforms you can purchase from.
You can also consider opting for second hand school supplies and stationery.You never know what you can get second hand if you just ask. Alternatively, if you have older kids, you can reuse supplies like calculators, pencil cases and notebooks that haven’t been used yet or are in good condition. It’s an easy way to save money while recycling perfectly good items.
Team up with other parents
If you know some of the other parents at the school, you could save big on uniforms by arranging a uniform swap. Once your kids have outgrown their uniforms you can swap them for larger sizes. If you get enough parents to participate there should be enough sizes to suit almost everyone. Kids grow out of uniforms so quickly, it makes sense to swap with parents who have older kids.This strategy will also work great with textbooks. If parents aren’t willing to swap without money changing hands, you can also arrange to buy and sell within the group. Why not take the initiative and start a parents group of your own for the school if there isn’t one already?
Check discount stores
The next biggest expense for school supplies is books. On average books cost parents $117. When looking for books and stationery, check the local discount store. A 96-page A4 binder book costs $1.19 at Officeworks yet only costs $1 at The Reject Shop. So while you might want to spend the extra money on good quality for some things, you can save money on back-to-school books and stationery by thinking outside the box.
Compare prices
It pays to shop around. Before you even walk out the door, compare the price of items online. Note next to each item on your list which store has it the cheapest and note down the price. This will not only help you set and stick to your budget, but it will also help you save more money than if you went to just one store.
Some booklists now include electronic devices for kids as young as Prep. Shopping around for these big-ticket items can seem like the best way to save money. Just make sure the device you choose meets the school’s requirements. If you are unsure, you are often able to purchase these devices through the school. They often get a discount for buying in bulk so it could also turn out to be the most cost-effective way. Just be sure to look around. Also, make sure to invest in a sturdy case!
Buy in bulk
Bulk paying is a great way to save money on back to school supplies. Especially at stationery stores like Officeworks, it can be much cheaper to buy pens, notebooks and other stationery in bulk rather than just buying one or two at a time. Look closely at the prices and how much you can save per item just by getting the bulk pack. Plus if you have spares, you can keep the supplies for later in the year or for next year.
Hopefully, by using the above tips and organising your back-to-school budget early, you can save enough time and funds to enjoy the last of the school holidays with your kiddos!
Need help with back-to-school shopping?
If you’re still struggling to get the money together to buy back-to-school supplies, don’t worry, Swoosh has you covered! Apply now for a secured loan that can help you through the back-to-school season.
