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.
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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