How can you save on back to school shopping? We will show you the easiest ways to save money!
By: Andrea Eldridge
When I was a little girl, back to school was my second favorite time of year (after Christmas, of course). I loved picking out new fall outfits and shoes, and my mom would let me get a special treat at the start of every year: a pen from the Hello Kitty store. I was in heaven. Now that I’m a mom, it’s hard not to cringe at the dollar signs plastered over the back-to-school goodies. If you also have to find room in the budget for a new computer or gadgets, this time of year can be daunting for many parents. Luckily, there are some great resources to save on all your school supplies, so you’ll be able to give little Jane the joy of that new Tinker Bell pencil case. Even if you don’t have kids to shop for, it’s a great time of year to find hot deals on computers and electronics, if you know where to look.
5 sites that will save you money on all your School Shopping Expenses.
Shopping For A School Computer: Squeezing a computer, printer, or gadget into an already tight budget can be pretty stressful. With all the choices, how do you know you’re getting the best deal? A website that scours the internet and compiles all the best deals in one easily searchable place can make the process a lot easier. Check Cheap Stingy Bargains out for the best deals on computers, clothes, office supplies, toys, and more from sites such as amazon, newegg, and office max, all in one place. You’ll quickly see everyone’s best price on that back up hard drive you’ve had your eye on. Their homepage maintains a list of current hot deals (and the codes you’ll need to get them) at Dell and HP so you can save hundreds on your biggest budget busters.
Shopping For School Textbooks: If your baby is not so little anymore, textbooks can be a huge expense. I clearly remember the heart palpitations resulting from my first trip to the UC Davis bookstore. How can one book possibly cost $130? From online rental to downloading eBooks, there are some great ways to save money on that required reading. One of my favorite sites is Chegg , a textbook rental website that offers free shipping and great deals while letting you pat yourself on the back for saving a tree or two. You can even sell back the books that you acquired before you knew about the option to rent. Wondering how much you can really save? The UC Davis bookstore is selling “Critical Care Nursing, Edition 6” for $108, but you can rent it through December for $55.
Shopping For School Clothes. Clothes, shoes and supplies, can make a huge dent in your budget. To help diffuse the budget, check out coupon code sites. Coupon sites can help you save 20-50% at your favorite stores, like Kohls, Macys, and many more. My favorites are Retail Me Not and Coupons Sherpa for their extensive collection and easy to search database. They even have printable coupons you can take with you if you prefer to shop in person, or check out the grocery coupons section to save on school lunch supplies.
Keep Track Of The Deals: Even diligent shoppers sometimes discover that the best price available at the time drops further in the weeks after they’ve spent their hard earned cash. As frustrating as it is, I don’t have time to check prices on the stuff I’ve already bought. Now Price Protector will track prices so you don’t have to keep returning to the retailer yourself. Simply enter the URL (weblink) of the item you want to track and if the item drops in price or if a new rebate is added you’ll get an email with detailed directions for how to be refunded the difference through the retailer’s price matching policy. Major retailers like Amazon, Best Buy, Costco, and Staples are supported. You can also set an alert on an item you have your eye on so that you get notified if the item drops below a certain price. Goodbye buyer’s remorse!
If you’re still worried you’ll have to make your child pick shoes or pens this year, drop us a note on Facebook or leave a comment below. We can help you find even more back to school shopping secrets!
