Back-to-School Savings
Find bargains on supplies and clothing
By JENNISE VENTURA
It feels like summer has just started and I am already seeing store signage for back to school. I’m not ready mentally.
But here are some ideas to help save money:
Buy clearance now. Lots of summer clothes are going on clearance to make room for the fall collection of clothes. It starts to get cold around mid-October, so students will still be wearing shorts and short sleeve tops. Old Navy, Target, The Children’s Place and Walmart always have great clearance and sales.
It doesn’t hurt to take a little road trip to the Round Rock outlets, which has more variety and selection of clothes. We do well down there because we are part of the reward programs at our favorite stores so we can use digital coupons and rewards certificates, plus most offer military and teacher discounts. Old Navy and American Eagle have a great rewards program where you spend a certain amount and you get dollars off certificates for your next purchases plus it is combinable with the military discount. Don’t wait too long to shop because popular sizes and current fashions sell out quickly. Stock up on hoodies and other layering pieces to keep the kids warm during the cool mornings and evenings. This is ideal for kids who prefer to wear light clothes in the fall and winter. You don’t have to spend too much on pants, jeans and long-sleeved tops. Save those for the few months that it’s super cold.
Shop online for variety and selection. Amazon, Walmart, Old Navy, The Children’s Place and Target have a huge selection of clothes and school supplies. If you are part of the rewards program for any of these store and other stores, you will benefit more from their sales. A trick I use a lot is I save the item on the site or add it to my cart and leave it there. I check it every couple of days to see if it got marked down. This simplifies the shopping of the items I really want and it’s an easy way to track the markdowns.
Look at the stores’ policies on price adjustments. If you buy an item and it gets marked down within the next couple of days, you may be eligible for the price difference. At some stores, you have a week and others two weeks to get the price difference. Most online stores offer free shipping. About 75% of my online purchase decision is based on whether items ship for free. If you do a lot of online retail shopping, those shipping fees add up.
As you shop, use Rakuten and other rebate programs to get paid for your shopping. You go through those websites, find a store and it will track your purchase so after you receive it, you’ll get a rebate based on how much you spend. You can still use promo codes, coupons and free shipping and get the purchase rebate.
Take advantage of Facebook marketplace, the Next Door site and other personal sale platforms for garage sales and individual item sales. Most have amazing deals. Don’t be afraid to ask for a lower price. The worst a seller can say is no.
Make sure you get the emails from your school and the school district. Only parents and legal guardians listed on the student’s enrollment form will receive the emails. If they have a Facebook or Instagram page, make sure you like their page. Most pages will keep you updated with the school supply list and updated dress code.
Low on funds? There is help! If you are in a bind and need assistance with clothes and school supplies, reach out to your child’s school and speak with the counselors as soon as possible. Most will have the resources, maybe even small supplies to help your child(ren).
If you have Facebook, go to the search bar and type in “Back to School Supplies” and you’ll see lots of churches and organizations that are offering free school supplies. Take advantage of these because most of what your child needs is offered for free. These giveaways are popular, so don’t hesitate to visit more than one.
If you have an Amazon account, make a wish list and share it on social media. Friends and family may be able to help. Include clothes, school supplies and snacks.
You can also shop during the state’s back-to-school tax-free weekend. Most school supplies and clothes less than $100 are tax free Aug. 8-10.
