My 4 Secrets to Saving on School Costs All Year Round
School is almost here, and getting your kids (or yourself) all the supplies they need is expensive. According to our recent research, shoppers plan to spend an average of $662 on school supplies this year. But the costs don’t stop after the first day of school. For me, planning for school supplies is the easy part, but planning for pop-up spending throughout the year is a bigger challenge.
Whether it’s new school uniforms because your son grew a few inches overnight, field trips, or replacement school supplies, there are always extra expenses throughout the year that hit my wallet. And if I’m not careful, it can throw my budget out of whack.
That’s why I prepare for the unexpected expenses I know are coming. And so does Alaina Fingal, a certified financial coach, accountant, and mother of two school-age children. That’s how we plan ahead.
Don’t wait any longer, start saving now
Chances are your kids will need more supplies throughout the school year to cover unexpected expenses. Fingal is a big advocate of setting aside a small amount with each paycheck so they’re prepared.
“$20 to $25 can go a long way if your child comes home and needs extra money for a field trip or if it’s Valentine’s Day and they want to get cards for their friends.”
Typically, Fingal’s kids will have the money they need, when they need it, already saved $100 to $150 to cover expenses. And you can put your money in a high-yield savings account to earn interest in the meantime. Putting money aside regularly can help you avoid going over budget and keep money on hand for whatever college deals you can find for your kids.
Pre-sale clearance
I loved Spirit Week and special theme days at school when I was little, but I never really thought about the costs my parents paid until my son started school. Pajama Day, Disney Character Day, and Superhero Day are all events he loves, but I’ll never forget paying almost $20 for a Spider-Man shirt at Target the night before my son needed it.
I vowed never to do that again. Now I look at the school calendar ahead of time to plan what clothes or supplies he needs during the year. I look at the sale racks for discounted items to save money.
After the holidays, look for discounted items so you can restock on Valentine’s Day cards, Halloween costumes, pajamas, and outfits. It can be a bit of a guess what size your child will fit into next year, so my advice is to size up. They can always grow into bigger clothes.
You can use the same approach for regular back-to-school purchases. If you don’t need to buy everything before the first day of school, wait until the back-to-school sale is over. You can get a few items, like glue, drawing paper, and markers, on sale after the back-to-school sale at major retailers is over. You can put all the items you get in a bin that you can also put away for next school year.
Buy your house
When there are special events or projects my first thought is to go to the store, but I try to save money by looking at home first.
For example, Read Across America Day is in March. My son’s school always asks him to bring his favorite book and dress up as the character. Buying a new outfit or costume can add up, so I usually use his Halloween costume and pair it with a book he already has. For example, last year he was a dinosaur and paired it with one of his many dinosaur books. Plus, he got to wear his costume from months before again.
Crazy Sock Day is another popular day at my son’s school. Instead of buying a new pair of socks that he will probably only use once, I make a pair with him at home. You can turn this into a fun activity with your child by adding pompoms, crazy eyes, and drawing with fabric markers on a pair of socks they already have.
Buy the basics from wholesale clubs
Throughout the year, you may be asked to bring along extra supplies such as tissues, disinfectant wipes, pencils, post-its, whiteboard markers, etc. Rather than pay full price at Target or a drugstore, I try to restock during one of my regular wholesale visits.
Buying supplies from a wholesale club like Costco or Sam’s Club can save you money. For example, I can get a five-pack of Clorox Disinfecting Bleach-Free Wipes (85 wipes per package) for $15.18 right now (through August 18). Target has a three-pack of the same wipes (75 wipes per package) for $13. For $2 more, you can get 200 more wipes.
Since you often have to buy in bulk at wholesale clubs, you can either stock up for the next year or two, or split the cost with other parents to save even more. That’s what Fingal does. She’s part of a parent group that buys school supplies in bulk for all of her kids so they can save a little extra. Instead of spending her usual $100 per child, she was able to cut her cost in half this year to $50 per child.
