Back-to-school shopping can be CRAZY and expensive, but I like to try to make it as painless and even as fun as possible!! I take each of my kids out alone for back-to-school shopping. It makes it a lot easier to not lose focus (or lose your mind) and just start throwing supplies into the cart in an effort to get out of the store as soon as possible. It also makes the day a fun tradition that includes shopping for school supplies, new school clothes, and even having lunch out with Mom.
The first step in our back to school shopping is to head out early. Sales start in late July here in Texas and if you wait until the week before school starts you are going to miss out on all of the sale-priced items. Ten cent glue sticks and boxes of crayons for a quarter don't last very long. So plan to do your shopping early, even if you aren't ready to face the fact that your summer vacation will be ending.
Next, shop around the house before you start spending money. At the end of the school year we make sure to tuck away any of the left over supplies that can be used the next year. These include any unused items like pencils and lined paper, but also items that hold up well and are easy to reuse like rulers and pencil sharpeners. These items can be quickly crossed off our list before we even head out to start shopping.
Check all of the ads for your area and find out if your state offers a tax free shopping day. We won't be able to take advantage of it here in Texas this year because it is a little too close to the start of the school year, but you want to know all of your options before you start shopping.
And last but not least, don't go crazy and overstock. It is okay to buy a couple extra packs of paper and crayons, but unless you plan on donating it to the school or to a program that collects school supplies for underprivileged kids, the 40 wide-ruled spiral notebooks you bought are probably going to sit in your house for a couple of years just taking up space. They will be on sale again next year. This is coming from experience. I have a hard time resisting cheap school supplies.
My son is now in middle school and his shopping list no longer just lists crayons and markers. And although the shopping list doesn't include computer programs, there is one necessity that isn't on the list: Microsoft Office 2010. I can't even imagine trying to do a report without using Word. Even in elementary school my son used PowerPoint for a project on more than one occasion. He may not need OneNote or Excel just yet, but the more familiar he is with them now the easier they will be for him to use as he gets older. I can use them to keep track of the family budget, including how much money I spent on school supplies.
Next, shop around the house before you start spending money. At the end of the school year we make sure to tuck away any of the left over supplies that can be used the next year. These include any unused items like pencils and lined paper, but also items that hold up well and are easy to reuse like rulers and pencil sharpeners. These items can be quickly crossed off our list before we even head out to start shopping.
Check all of the ads for your area and find out if your state offers a tax free shopping day. We won't be able to take advantage of it here in Texas this year because it is a little too close to the start of the school year, but you want to know all of your options before you start shopping.
And last but not least, don't go crazy and overstock. It is okay to buy a couple extra packs of paper and crayons, but unless you plan on donating it to the school or to a program that collects school supplies for underprivileged kids, the 40 wide-ruled spiral notebooks you bought are probably going to sit in your house for a couple of years just taking up space. They will be on sale again next year. This is coming from experience. I have a hard time resisting cheap school supplies.
My son is now in middle school and his shopping list no longer just lists crayons and markers. And although the shopping list doesn't include computer programs, there is one necessity that isn't on the list: Microsoft Office 2010. I can't even imagine trying to do a report without using Word. Even in elementary school my son used PowerPoint for a project on more than one occasion. He may not need OneNote or Excel just yet, but the more familiar he is with them now the easier they will be for him to use as he gets older. I can use them to keep track of the family budget, including how much money I spent on school supplies.
I have been using Microsoft Office since I was about the age my son is now, and being familiar with the programs has always been helpful in school and work, not to mention that more and more, being fluent in these programs is almost a necessity. And this isn't the Office of my youth. Microsoft Office 2010 has all that you have come to know and love about Office, but also has easy-to-use photo-editing tools and new photo effects. It will automatically create a bibliography from your in-paper citations, has equation editing tools, and so much more! It is a must have for back-to-school time and all the time!
Right now you can save 15% on your purchase of Office. This promotion is only good through 9/14, so take advantage of it while it lasts!!
Also, be sure to visit Microsoft Office 2010's brand page on BlogHer.com where you can read other bloggers’ tips for back to school shopping.
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