Try some #shopping #hacks to ensure you don’t break the bank on back-to-school shopping, says the Krazy Koupon Lady. Shop on Sundays and Mondays so your preferred stores don’t run out of supplies; look for manufacturer coupons on things like pens and Post-its; check the local dollar store for basics; and download store and shopping apps to track the sales. If you’re shopping someplace new, many loyalty programs offer a percent-off deal to incentivize the initial purchase online or in person, the site says, and you may be able to apply credit card and loyalty rewards dollars to your purchases, too. #BackToSchool
Tag: back-to-school shopping
Shopping the Back-to-School Sales
Back-to-school season is a lot like the holiday shopping season, with stores competing to provide the best deals on clothing, electronics, computers, backpacks and more. TechRadar offers a comprehensive list of the latest price cuts on everything a student might need before school starts again, including small appliances and furnishings ideal for the dorm room. It’s one of the best times of year to buy a new computer, printer, tablet or smartwatch, so even if you graduated years ago, you can shop the #deals now through the end of August and well into September. #BackToSchool
Back-to-School Spending Set to Break Records
The National Retail Federation says back-to-school shopping will break records again this year, according to Forbes Advisor, at least in part due to price inflation. K–12 spending is expected to average $890 per student, up from $864 in 2022, and college students are expected to spend $1,367 each, surpassing last year’s $1,199. Fortunately for shoppers, several states are holding tax holidays during back-to-school season. If your state isn’t among them, big-box stores such as Target, Walmart and Sam’s Club are marking down essentials, and Amazon is offering 20% off school supplies. #BackToSchool
Building the Back-to-School Spirit Amid Uncertainty
This year’s back-to-school to-do lists likely include more than equipping the kids with new clothes, crayons and backpacks. #COVID-19 — and in particular, its highly contagious #Delta variant — has brought new uncertainties to reentry.
Parents must navigate mask mandates and consider the level of risk their children face in returning to in-person classes. One vaccine is approved for use in children 12 and up in the U.S., and availability may expand to all school-aged children in the next few months.
Until the #coronavirus is conquered, it may be difficult for parents and students alike to be enthused or unworried about the start of school. But there are some strategies you can follow to ease kids back into the swing.
The New York Times suggests returning to a regular school-year routine that includes regular bed and wakeup times, as well as consistent mealtimes. For grade-schoolers, a ban on screens starting an hour prior to bedtime can help establish a rhythm.
Outings such as hikes and picnics can help everyone cope with the transition back to in-person activity after a year-and-a-half of restrictions. Decide how much risk is acceptable when it comes to kids’ participation in sports and other activities, especially those held indoors.
Families may want kids to avoid “high-breath” activities held in close quarters such as choir, band or wrestling, for example. Follow the recommended safety precautions and try to emphasize what kids can do as they return to classrooms, CNN says — not what they can’t.
Students may not need as many new clothes if some of their classes are held remotely, but they may need new laptops and tablets to pursue their virtual lessons effectively. Shop retailers’ many back-to-school sales for the best deals.
Anything that won’t get used this year — stuff such as too-small clothing, last-generation phones and laptops, and equipment for the sport no one in the family plays — can be donated to ClothingDonations.org.
Sort out all of that that extra stuff, put it in bags and boxes, and leave in a designated location on the scheduled day for #contactless #pickup. You’ll be glad you have the room for all of the new stuff that every new school year seems to bring in.
Back-to-School Shopping Sans Clutter
Families with children in elementary through high school plan to spend an average of $848.90 per child on back-to-school shopping this year, according to the National Retail Federation, or $59 more than last year.
Given the downturn in spending while kids were distance-learning during the #pandemic, the uptick isn’t surprising. In fact, that lull in spending may mean that many students (and their parents) will be buying more #stuff this year than ever before.
If you’re going to be shopping for school in the weeks ahead, consider what you really need — and what you and your kids can shed in order to make room for it. Otherwise, all of that too-small clothing and all of those broken iPads will just add to the #clutter.
To keep levels of #junk in check, do a thorough #decluttering before you send the kids back to school. Help your children sort toys and books into four piles, Motherly suggests: Keep, donate, trash and “not quite yet.” Put the not-quite-yets in a closet or other out-of-the-way place until your child is comfortable letting them go.
Clothing is simpler: If a garment doesn’t fit, it should be handed down, sold at your next #yardsale or #donated immediately. If something it too worn to be of any further use, you can cut it into rags or trash it.
Books that won’t get read again can go, too. While you may want to hold on to classics that get read again and again, some books are age- or classroom-specific. If your child isn’t going to read a book again, you can donate it to a local library or ClothingDonations.org.
Finally, you can take any starred assignments and drawings from last year off the bulletin board or fridge. New ones will be on the way in just a few weeks, and Family Handyman suggests several #space-saving ways to save and show off a few family favorites.
Once you’ve cleared out the extra stuff you won’t be using, you’ll have space for nearly $900 in new goods. Make a list and start shopping early, however, since there may be shortages of essential items such as backpacks, stationery and tablet computers due to supply-chain disruptions.
“What we will likely see is more limited choice and lower stock levels towards the end of the back-to-school period,” Neil Saunders, retail analyst at GlobalRetail Data, told CNN. “Some consumers will inevitably miss out on the things they want to purchase.”