Have I ever told you about my love affair with school supplies? Have I explained just how much joy I feel when I smell new notebooks, gaze on stacks of lined paper, and sharpen the points of number two pencils? Oh, it's an obsession, I admit, but one I can feed without breaking the bank so long as I follow my own rules. You'll find they come in pretty darn handy this time of year. Peace, B.
How to buy school supplies like a boss
1. Only purchase school supplies during back to school sales. This is like Black Friday for school. Seriously.
2. Don't just buy for the beginning of the school year. Buy for the entire school year. That pack of college ruled paper may be 25 cents now, but it'll be back up to $1.89 by November. Those pencils you picked up for 50 cents will be closer to two bucks as well. Plan ahead.
3. Recycle from last year. Last May, when the school year ended, we went through bookbags and striped every binder and notebook we could clean. We put old pencils, pens, crayons, scissors,etc in our supply stockpile. Just because the items are used, doesn't mean they aren't reusable.
4. Research who has what for the lowest cost. You can do this easily by perusing frugal blogs like Southern Savers.
5. Don't listen to your children when they say they have to have that ten dollar notebook or that thirty dollar lunchbox. Children are insane and, generally, have no concept of your money. Be the boss and say no to the $5 mechanical pencil she or he will lose on the second day of school.
6. Shop from the list you received at your children's Open House. Stick to that list, but think about what the school year will bring. You'll have projects and reports that will most likely require index cards and poster board. You'll need markers in ten different colors and graph paper at some point, too.
7. Take into account use and loss when buying extra supplies for the year. My Littles lose folders and notebooks. They go through pencils like their using them for firewood. The Teenager goes through index cards like she's got an addiction to them. (And she does because I taught her how to make note cards for studying.)
8. Keep a stash of supplies in one location. You'll know what you have and what you need at any given time.
9. Don't rush to the store with your list. Shop a week after school starts. The sales are still going, the prices have dropped even more, and the crowds are less insane. No teacher in his or her right mind expects you to have all of your supplies on the first day of school.
10. Label everything like it's made from solid gold. I write our last name on every single thing that goes to school with my Littles. You'll avoid mix ups and replacing items.
2. Don't just buy for the beginning of the school year. Buy for the entire school year. That pack of college ruled paper may be 25 cents now, but it'll be back up to $1.89 by November. Those pencils you picked up for 50 cents will be closer to two bucks as well. Plan ahead.
3. Recycle from last year. Last May, when the school year ended, we went through bookbags and striped every binder and notebook we could clean. We put old pencils, pens, crayons, scissors,etc in our supply stockpile. Just because the items are used, doesn't mean they aren't reusable.
4. Research who has what for the lowest cost. You can do this easily by perusing frugal blogs like Southern Savers.
5. Don't listen to your children when they say they have to have that ten dollar notebook or that thirty dollar lunchbox. Children are insane and, generally, have no concept of your money. Be the boss and say no to the $5 mechanical pencil she or he will lose on the second day of school.
6. Shop from the list you received at your children's Open House. Stick to that list, but think about what the school year will bring. You'll have projects and reports that will most likely require index cards and poster board. You'll need markers in ten different colors and graph paper at some point, too.
7. Take into account use and loss when buying extra supplies for the year. My Littles lose folders and notebooks. They go through pencils like their using them for firewood. The Teenager goes through index cards like she's got an addiction to them. (And she does because I taught her how to make note cards for studying.)
8. Keep a stash of supplies in one location. You'll know what you have and what you need at any given time.
9. Don't rush to the store with your list. Shop a week after school starts. The sales are still going, the prices have dropped even more, and the crowds are less insane. No teacher in his or her right mind expects you to have all of your supplies on the first day of school.
10. Label everything like it's made from solid gold. I write our last name on every single thing that goes to school with my Littles. You'll avoid mix ups and replacing items.
Want more Back to School Basics? Go here!
