Josh Elledge - Chief Executive Angel
According to a recent survey by the National Retail Federation (NRF), parents expect to spend about the same amount for school needs in 2016 as they did in 2015. What does that mean in dollars? According to tracked spending, that could be as much as $630 per student. While that total cost takes into account clothing, as well as the electronics that have become such a necessity in modern education, a sizable portion still remains for basic supplies.
To reduce that sizable cost, I first recommend you plan to reuse as many things as possible. Go through your house and gather together everything that is still useful and make a list. That will both help you avoid spending on things you don't need, and highlight what deals you need to scout.
Then, as I've advocated for years, start back to school shopping early – this week, in fact – and cherry-pick the best deals on school supplies. It will take planning and driving around, and diligence each week, but it is very worth it. Let me give you some numbers to prove my point.
In 2015, we tracked an abundance of bargains, and we expect 2016 to be similar. Watch for these types of deals at places like Walgreens, Meijer, Staples, and Office Depot/Office Max:
– Paper folders = 1 cent; Poly folders = 50 cents
– Pencils (regular) = 10 cents; Pencils (mechanical) = 29 cents
– Erasers (12 pack cap style) = 1 cent
– Colored pencils =$1; Crayons = 25 cents
– Index cards = 1 cent
– Rulers = 25 cents
– Pens = 1 cent
– Scissors = 99 cents
– Glue (liquid or sticks) = 25 cents
– Markers = $1
– Pencil box = 50 cents; Carry-all case = 79 cents
– 3-ring Binders = 99 cents
– Notebooks = 17 cents
– Backpacks and lunch boxes/bags = 50% off
This list is just a sampling of the great deals to be had. We also see supplies like folder tabs, envelopes, report sleeves, highlighters, paints, papers of various styles, compasses, protractors, correction fluid, pencil sharpeners, and much, much more. Plus, throughout July and August you’ll find a lot of electronics on sale like laptops, UBS drives and advanced calculators.
In addition to school supplies and electronics, retailers offer deals that combine grocery spending and money off on necessary purchases like backpacks and lunch boxes, as well as at least one incentive a season that includes back to school clothing.
Speaking of back to school clothing, I strongly encourage you to start shopping for needed items this week. By doing so, you can drastically slash the clothing portion of that $630 total expected spending. That's because over the next few weeks, stores will be putting current clothing on clearance to make room for fresh back to school inventory. Plus, if you are looking to save even more, hit the secondhand and consignment shops this week, too. Few people comb the racks this early, and people often clean out their closets in spring and early summer, so selection could be plentiful.
Finally, I can't neglect the grocery savings for back to school. Starting this week, it’s an optimum time for school lunch ingredients. Items include lunchmeat that can be frozen, condiments, pre-portioned snacks and cookies, crackers, and much more. Groceries usually have long a shelf life, so as you shop each week, look for things you can stock up on to save big when school lunches start.
