Planning for back to school shopping

There’s a certain magic about the end of summer with its long, hot days filled with outdoor activities and late-night bedtimes for kids. This also happens to be the time that parents and caregivers everywhere start to scour the school websites for teacher supply lists, or even for college supply lists for the older kids. It’s a weird season of soaking in the last of the sweltering, sunscreen filled days mixed with planning for the return of school routines. With it comes the anxiety of school supplies and the pending cost, especially for families with multiple children. Here are a few ideas to take the worry out of back-to-school shopping for busy families. 

1. Know what’s needed. Check out the supply lists, and ask around about what’s needed. Does your college freshman really need a custom duvet that matches her wall poster, or is that adding more stress than you need? Does the Kindergartener really need the 96-count crayon, or will the request 24 pack suffice? (For the record, the old school 96-count with the sharpener on the back was how to make friends in the 90s…)
2. Look for ways to cut cost. Once you know what’s on the list, scope out what you already have at home, or what’s being given away for free. Do you have a local organization that does backpack give aways or perhaps and extra set of colored pencils from the Prime Day sales? Then, you can also check if your state has a tax-free weekend or even what stores are having back to school sales with items you can add to your next grocery pickup to avoid the store all together. 
3. Spend wisely. Once you know what you need to stock up on, and the best price in town, make your money work for you. Check out double gas points at loyalty programs, or even earning miles on a credit card for the shopping you’re doing. Start seeing your spending as a tool that you can leverage to your advantage. 
4. Prepare for the future. No matter what age you’re shopping for, you can start to think of what the future looks like for your family, and for your student. If you have older children, consider opening a Student Checking account or Student Savings, like the ones offered through our partner Armed Forces Bank. These are great ways to teach your student about financial literacy, while also stewarding their learning process. You can also look into the Saving Cents program offered at Armed Forces Bank. It lets you round up every purchase to the nearest $1, and send that money into a savings account. Meaning that every transaction is an opportunity to invest in a savings account for yourself, your student, or even future expenses like vacations or retirement. With Armed Forces Bank, it’s easy to find a way to make your finances work for your benefit as you prepare for back to school. 

What is your favorite hack for back-to-school shopping? Do you like to bulk buy? Do you scour lists way early and prepare in advance? Does your school offer supplies that you can order & pick up as a PTA fundraiser? Share with Milhousing Network the tips and tricks you have to prepare for back to school in the midst of the busy military lifestyle, which usually includes a PCS in the weeks before school starts.

Did you enjoy reading this article? Visit our blog page to read other similar articles.