Dr Stephen Jones  

Every year thousands of parents grab a cart and engage in the age old tradition of back to school shopping.  There is a level of excitement in the air as students consider new school supplies and what clothes they will wear back to school.  All parents can do is look at their pockets and try to find a way to stretch a dollar.  Many parents start their shopping without a plan and that’s where money is lost.  Have you ever noticed how things are strategically placed around the store so that you will make random purchases?  There are all kinds of pencils, notebooks and paper right within your grasp.

There are some things that you can do to resist the temptation to spend too much.  First make a list of the most expensive items that you need to purchase.  Check the internet and advertisements in your local newspaper.  This is important especially when you are purchasing electronic products like lap tops, Ipods and digital recorders.  The money that you save from these purchases can add up to hundreds of dollars.  Recognize that every product that has a sales tag can be bought cheaper if you are willing to do your research. 

The second tip is to watch for the best day of the week to purchase clothes and other items.  Some stores have sales on certain days of the week.  This is done to increase the number of parent’s and students who are coming into their store.  As you shop for sales it may be worth returning on another day.  Talk with your relative who works in a retail store.  They may have a discount that they can use on your purchases.  There could be an additional discount in addition to the sale that is going on in the store.

Third there are numerous websites where you can purchase books at a discount.  Search Google for discount book websites.  Purchasing books online is real convenient today.  Books that you order usually arrive in 3 to 5 days.  Still it is better to purchase books well before they are needed.  If your son/daughter needs the book to write a report the book will be available to get started early. Also consider purchasing reference books so that your son/daughter will have books to look at when they do not understand a particular definition or subject.

A forth back to school saving tip involves purchasing shoes and sneakers at a reduced price.  There are stores that sell hundreds of shoes.  You need to keep an eye on the prices several times a week.  Sometimes local stores want to move inventory so that they will lower their prices.  Ask your child how often he/she talks with their peers about where they get the best sneaker discounts. 

A fifth tip is to form a group of parents who can each purchase some items in bulk.  Pencils and paper can be shared by parents.  Create a supplies storage container where you will keep all of the items. This is one way that you can avoid purchasing too many items that you already have.  Before you go shopping go to your storage draws and take an inventory of all of things you need.  You will be amazed at how much you have in storage from last year,

Now that you’ve saved hundreds of dollar focus on your child’s education. Decide on something that you will do to make education fun this year.  Load up your students book bags with good snacks. Even high school students need snacks because they can loose their energy during the day.  Remember a healthy body will boost a student’s performance on tests.  Make your back to school journey one that is full of good expectations.  You can control your back to school spending and have a great new school year too. Dr Stephen Jones is an education expert, consultant and author of three books the Seven Secrets of how to Study, the Parent’s Ultimate education Guide and the Ultimate Scholarship Guide available at www.studyskills2u.com.