Ready or not, back to school season is here! As costs creep up on many products, back to school shopping may hit your budget harder than expected. Here are six strategies to help make back to school shopping less financially stressful.

1. Stick to the list: Many schools curate curriculum or grade level lists for you. Reviewing the list ahead of time with your student will help prepare them for what will be purchased, so they know what to expect and what isn’t necessary.
2. Reuse: Your child probably already has some school essentials that can be used again, like backpacks, lunch containers, and other general supplies. Before shopping, check what you already have at home.
3. Boxed kits: Some schools offer pre-boxed supply kits at a set cost. It is worth checking out this option to see if it presents a value in either time saved or money spent. At the very least, it will ensure your student has exactly what they need, eliminating temptation for unnecessary items.
4. Price compare: Check other stores or sites before buying to see if you can find a better price.
5. Buy in bulk: Consider buying school supplies in bulk with other families to split costs.
6. Take advantage of tax-free school supplies: Your state may offer a sales-tax holiday or tax-free weekendto make back-to-school shopping more affordable.

Aside from specific shopping strategies, it’s important to factor school shopping into the budget. If you know this will be an additional spend, you may need to evaluate other spending categories to accommodate.

More information on budgeting for back-to-school shopping can be found here.

For Educational use only.