It’s the 2nd most expensive retail season on the calendar after the winter holidays. Are you ready to take the savings test? Here’s how to make the grade in back-to-school shopping:

Planning• Make a list: Get together over popcorn and sodas—bring all the

wants and needs (including the lists from teachers) in one place.

• Catalog leftover supplies from last year.

• Think longevity: Think of items that can be used several years or passed on to the next student.

• Find out if your company arranges employee discounts at any local retailers.

• Check tax-free weekend dates: Visit http://www.offers.com/blog/post/tax-free-weekend/ to see if your state participates.

• Wait. If you can delay shopping until late August, or even September, the discounts on school supplies will be steeper.

Shopping online• Follow favorite brands on social media for special offers.

• Do comparative shopping, and check sites like eBay and Craigslist for gently used items

• Search for coupons and promo codes, price matching, and savings offers.

Shopping at the store • Plan your trips to retail stores. Using your list, try to do all

shopping in one or two trips.

• Shop secondhand and consignment stores for brand-name clothing at a great price.

• Bring your smartphone—you can check prices in-store against prices online and pull up promotional emails.

iStock

Try these helpful apps• School Supply List – Create and share school supply lists. Teachers can share their lists with students. • RedLaser – Barcode scanning app that allows users to find best deals on product. • Retail Me Not and The Coupons App – Robust apps for finding coupons and promo codes. • Flipp – Delivers your favorite weekly circulars and ads to your phone.

Back-to-School Shopping Tips