The average parent with children in kindergarten through high school is on track to spend more than $600 on back-to-school clothes and supplies this year.
Consumer Reports and Shop Smart Magazine recommend a little planning before hitting the mall to get more bang for the buck.
The first thing you should do is take inventory of what you are already have and then build your list around that.You most likely have notepaper, pens and pencils around the house.
Another tip is to buy basic supplies in bulk to use year-round. Retailers will deeply discount certain loss-leaders during the back-to-school season, things like notebooks, folders, and pens.
Also, use the web to hunt for sales instead of going store-to-store. Website, Spoofee puts deals from weekly circulars in one place. Other websites, such as Pricegrabber and Nexttag allow you to compare prices and set up price alerts.
And for the biggest share of back-to-school spending -- clothing. Experts say to start small.You don't have to start your child off with a full wardrobe. After all, before you know it, summer will give way to fall, meaning clothes for colder temperatures and Columbus day sales.
Consumer Reports and Shop Smart Magazine recommend a little planning before hitting the mall to get more bang for the buck.
The first thing you should do is take inventory of what you are already have and then build your list around that.You most likely have notepaper, pens and pencils around the house.
Another tip is to buy basic supplies in bulk to use year-round. Retailers will deeply discount certain loss-leaders during the back-to-school season, things like notebooks, folders, and pens.
Also, use the web to hunt for sales instead of going store-to-store. Website, Spoofee puts deals from weekly circulars in one place. Other websites, such as Pricegrabber and Nexttag allow you to compare prices and set up price alerts.
And for the biggest share of back-to-school spending -- clothing. Experts say to start small.You don't have to start your child off with a full wardrobe. After all, before you know it, summer will give way to fall, meaning clothes for colder temperatures and Columbus day sales.
