Can you believe it? Summer break is over and school will begin again. For some parents, that means a break from having to entertain your kids all day, but for others, it means one thing: back to school shopping.
While getting your kids ready to go back to school can be fun (after all, it’s kind of exciting to see them in their new clothes), it can also be a very expensive undertaking, especially if you have more than one child. In order to keep your shopping experience from emptying your bank account, we’ve come up with two simple rules to follow.
Create a List
Before you even think about leaving the house to go shopping, make a list of what you actually need to buy. Think through which articles of clothing each of your children will need to have a complete wardrobe and what school supplies they need. Write each item down as if you were creating a grocery list. This way, once you are shopping, you will have a plan and a purpose. You won’t be sidetracked by all the fancy displays and you will be able to shop in a more timesaving and cost-effective manner. If you treat it like a game, where it’s your day’s goal to find each article of clothing or school supply you are looking for, you can make it a fun day for everyone.
Set a Budget
Once you have created your list, set a budget. Think about how much you can or want to spend on shopping before you leave the house. If you want to take it a step further, only use cash for your purchases and only bring as much cash as you budgeted for. This way, you have a definite limit to the amount of money you can spend. Whether you use cash or not, be sure to keep track of how much you are spending throughout the day. This is another great opportunity to teach your children about money and making smart financial decisions. You could even make them responsible for the budget and only give them a certain amount of money and if they stay under that, you will put the balance in their savings account for them.
Following these two rules will help you avoid overspending and have a more enjoyable time while you are getting your kids ready for school.
Do you have advice for back to school shopping? We would love to hear it! Comment below to share with our community.