Back-to-school supplies can be expensive, especially if you’re buying for more than one child. Don’t let that school supply list scare you. If you follow a few tips, you can get most of your back-to-school shopping done without spending too much.
- Take advantage of back-to-school events. Healthy Blue hosts and sponsors multiple Back-to-School Bash events. At these events, you can get backpacks, school supplies and haircuts for your children — all for free. There are also games and healthy snacks. Follow us on Facebook and visit our website to learn when a Back-to-School Bash will be held near you.
- Use what you’ve got. Before going to the store, look around your house to see if you already have any items on your child’s school supply list. If your child’s school does not require new supplies, then some things don’t need to be replaced every year. It is ok to reuse some of last year’s supplies if they are still in good shape.
- Make a dollar store your first stop. A dollar store will have all the basics you need for a great price. Dollar stores have notebooks, paper, pens, pencils, crayons, markers, glue — and the list goes on. Shopping at a dollar store is a great way to save on school supplies.
- Shop on tax-free days. This year, the tax-free holiday in South Carolina is Friday, Aug. 3– Sunday, Aug. 5. On these days, you can pick up clothing, computers and school supplies tax-free. Taking advantage of these days can save you big-time, especially on more expensive purchases like calculators and computers. For more info, you can visit the SC Department of Revenue’s Sales Tax Free Weekend webpage.
- Follow stores on social media. Many companies send their followers coupon links and advance notice of sales. Monitor your favorite stores on Twitter and Facebook to find deals. Here are just a few stores you may want to follow on Twitter.
- Amazon Deals: @amazondeals
- Coupons.com: @Coupons
- Staples: @Staples
- Office Max: @OfficeMax
- TJ Maxx: @tjmaxx
- Marshalls: @marshalls
- Best Buy: @BestBuy
- Target: @Target
- Kohl’s: @Kohls
- RetailMeNot: @RetailMeNot
In the midst of summer, parents may not want to think about shopping for the coming school year. However, back-to-school shopping can creep up on you quickly, so be prepared. The best way to save money is to start planning ahead so you can take advantage of all the deals.
Do you have any back-to-school shopping tricks that save you money each year? Share this post on Facebook and let us know.
Tiffany Carree-Clark is a social media strategist for Healthy Blue. She graduated from the University of South Carolina in 2015 with a degree in public relations and Spanish. She spent two years working with the South Carolina Youth Suicide Prevention Initiative to help youths and young adults find resources and care before joining the Healthy Blue team. Her passion is to help people have meaningful conversations. She hopes this will help bridge the gaps between communities and health care. When she’s not working, Tiffany enjoys travel and painting. She also loves to spend time with her dog, Prince.