Back to School Sales Going on Now
These words bring a wistfulness for the fleeting summer to teachers and should bring joy to the hearts of parents but for some families, the cost of back to school can strike a note of panic.
As the oldest of 3 girls, I can remember my mother saying, “Now I have to buy 3 of everything for you girls and that puts a pinch on the pocketbook!” I don’t remember my parents talking about a budget but I do remember the excitement I felt as I got to pick out my own things for the brand new school year.
6 Things To Do
1. Set a budget. For a teaching opportunity put that amount in cash in an envelope so your children can physically see it dwindling. For older children, you may even want to give each child their own envelope so they have some pride and ownership in the choices they are making. Guide them in setting priorities as they shop.
2. Look at what you already have at home and pull things together. Sometimes kids don’t use all the stuff that was purchased during the last school year and they brought them home in their backpack.
Start a treasure hunt to see what you can find. There is nothing wrong with reusing and re-purposing things. Our daughter took a binder from the previous school year and covered it with a fun duct tape she chose to make it “new and her own” one year.
3. Make a prioritized list of things that MUST be purchased prior to school starting. Some things like clothes and shoes can be postponed a while since the weather on August 10th and the first day of school on August 16th is pretty much the same.
Here in Iowa, the kids start school in sandals, shorts, and T-shirts because it is usually warm. Just because there are back to school sales doesn’t mean your child needs a new wardrobe. A new shirt/dress to feel special in for the first day could be a compromise. Do however check pant length prior to that first cold snap. This one caught me as a mom a couple of times. (Darn kids grow like weeds when you aren’t looking.)
4. Start watching the flyers in the newspapers for great deals on paper, pencils and other necessary school supplies. And no they really don’t need the locker decorations (I have seen mini battery operated chandeliers hanging in lockers), fancy colored pens and pencils by the pack, a box of 64 crayons or an electric pencil sharpener.
This is a great time to discuss the difference between needs and wants since you have the school’s list right there in your hand for back up! Speaking of needs, a plea from a teacher...DO SEND KLEENEX BOXES or plan to send a couple in January when our initial stash has run out and it is cold and flu season.
5. Hit garage sales, dollar stores, and resale shops. These can be great places to pick up gently used clothes and maybe some fun extras like books.
6. Talk to the teacher. There may be things on the list that aren’t necessary at all or can be purchased later in the school year. In our district, teachers do not make supply lists by class, the district does it by grade level across the entire district.
Other districts don’t update lists from year to year and teachers end up with a closet shelf crammed full of 28 bottles of hand sanitizer left over from prior years. This is a great way to help your child’s teacher and start a relationship with them on a positive note.
Start school early for your children by beginning their financial education with their first teachers, you, their parents.
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