Tax-Free School Shopping & More Money-Saving Tips

Back to school shopping (much like holiday shopping) may be an inevitable annual expense, but it doesn’t have to be expensive. With a little advanced planning, you can stay frugal in almost any area of your life. Whether you’re heading to the store for Elmer’s glue and pencil cases or laptops and shower caddies, here are some back-to-school shopping tips that may help:

For Elementary & Middle School Students

• Stick to the list. Many younger students will have school supply lists and when they don't, make a list before leaving the house. Discuss needed items with your children and agree to let them add only one more item to the cart. This will cut down on the number of "necessities" you won't learn about until you get to the store.
• Bring your calculator to the store. Calculate to see if supplies advertised as “big savings” are indeed a good deal and determine whether or not buying bulk items is worth the savings. Moreover, the kids can add up the cost of everything that goes in the cart. They can assume some responsibility for back-to-school shopping (aside from scanning the shelves for more “must-haves”) and they can see for themselves how quickly everything adds up.
• Consider leaving the kids at home. You will be more likely to stick to the list, and to your budget, when there’s no one around begging for personalized calculator covers or sneaking erasable markers into your cart. You could also split the list into supplies you get when the kids are not around and other items, like clothing, that may require their presence.

For High School & College Students

• Textbooks may be the most expensive item on a student’s list, so shop around like you would for any major purchase. Get a list of exactly which books are required and check out a resource like eBay’s Half.com. Search here for what you need, or search online for other textbook deals. Having the ISBN will help you make sure you are getting the correct book, as well as the correct edition.
• Teach college-bound students how to budget expenses with this budget calculator. They'll learn to appreciate the expense of education while learning how to manage their finances.
• Inquire about expensive items the school requires. Find out if the $90 calculator on the list is really necessary or if a less expensive alternative would work just as well for your child's coursework. Ask if students use the entire $75 calculus textbook or if someone can get by borrowing the library’s copy or sharing a copy with another student. While no parent wants their children to be less prepared than their classmates, it never hurts to see if there are ways around the outrageous price tags of “required” supplies.

For Students of Every Age

• Check out online stores and search the newspapers for special sales before hitting the stores. Every store has a competitor and all of them want your business. The deals may look great once you walk through the door, but how do they compare to the competition down the street? If you are choosing between two office supply, computer or discount clothing stores, find their deals online or in the newspaper before you head out so you can compare.
• Don’t forget to budget. Take a good look at your kids’ school supply lists and estimate the price of each item (this will be easy once you do your homework). Add up the prices and budget for how much you plan to spend. Make sure you can afford to spend this much before heading to the stores. Planning and budgeting will help eliminate surprises at the register and help you resist picking up unnecessary items that will put you over your budget.  
• Combine trips by shopping for all back-to-school items on the same day. Shop for all kids, regardless of age on the same day and see if there are any household needs as well. This type of planning can also help you save time and a lot of money on gas.
• Save receipts! You may find a better deal and be able to make returns. Some stores also offer a price guarantee for when you find the same item cheaper at another store. So, you might be able to get that item at the competitor's price after you purchased it.
• Buying bulk for the sake of bulk isn’t always the best way to save, but it may help if you have several kids or if there are items you know they'll need again next year. Trends come and go but pencils, erasers, rulers and notebook paper have been pretty standard for decades. Buy bulk items you know will be needed again and pack them away in a safe, out-of-sight place to avoid over consumption. These supplies will come in handy if the kids run out halfway through the school year. You’ll thank yourself then or next August when half of your shopping is already done. 
• Don’t assume a sale is a good deal. Just because something is on sale does not mean it is a great deal. Understand the price and make time to comparison shop. The same thinking applies to bulk items. If you see a pack of 50 CDs next to a pack of 100 CDs do not assume the larger pack is the better deal. This is often the case, but not always. You may think you are saving when you are actually paying more per CD for more CDs than you need.
• Check out these additional resources:

• Shopping for electronics? Check out MySimon.com or BuyDig.com.
• Need back-to-school clothes? See OnceWornNotForLong.com, KidsConsignmentSales.com or WornButNotForgotten.com.
• And for just about everything else, look at eBay.com, Swapthing.com, Craigslist.org or Overstock.com.

Tax-Free Shopping Days

Many states have annual tax-free shopping days around this time of year. Check out this website to see if you can save even more by shopping on specific days. A handful of states offer their tax-free days the first weekend in August, so if you don't see your state below, check the website and mark your calendar for next year.

Click here or here for details on tax-free items and other information.

You can access more back to school information and resources for parents on health issues, child care, crime and safety and many other topics here and here.