Living Frugally: Back-to- School Supplies
Frugal living, like yoga, jogging, or other healthful practices, requires dedication, and the back-to- school season is an excellent time to flex your saving muscles. To avoid your family’s overspending, here are five tips to keep your family frugal and fruitful:
- Look Around the House: You may already have the supplies your children need. Check drawers and cabinets for pens, notebooks, and highlighters, and closets for school-worthy clothes. Found a worn-out garment? Donate it to a charity or thrift store.
- Stick to the List: Many schools release supply lists during the summer. Even if a store’s deal sounds too good to pass up, stick to the list.
- Compare: This can take some time, but it will be a huge benefit to you to take advantage of apps, ads, and websites to give you a sense of which store is offering the best deals on what.
- Bulk it Up: Buying stationary items in bulk can save you time and money for the upcoming year.
- Most Importantly: Budget. It may help to look at last year’s financials to get a sense of what you spent, then set aside a specific amount of cash so you won’t be tempted to hide the grand total away on a credit card.
Bonus Tip: While it may make sense to pitch in for a good-quality backpack and lunch box, try to buy generic on your child’s other supplies!
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