Back-to-school discounts are a parent’s dream
Millions of parents flock to local stores to buy school supplies. This annual ritual is very different from what it has been in the past. The rising cost of gasoline, food, and school supplies is taking a deeper toll on the family budget. What should a parent do to make ends meet? It looks like parents will have to dig more hours to find the same discounts on clothing and school supplies that they were able to find last year.
To take advantage of the discounts, parents are learning to work together. Some parents send friends to one store while visiting another store. Parents go where prices are cheapest. Although back-to-school shopping is an annual activity, parents don’t inventory everything they already have either. This is especially true when a parent waits until the last minute to do back-to-school shopping. A parent can save hundreds of dollars simply by checking the places in their home where school supplies were stored last year.
Parents can get sucked in by the discount sign in the store window. The sale sign is nice and great to attract customers to the store. A store might offer three packs of pens for $3.00. Another store might offer five packs of pens for $3.00. If you go to the same store every year, it can still help to compare prices to get the best buy.
The beginning of school is not the best time to get electronic gifts like computers. It may be best to wait a few weeks after your student has started school. Things like IPODs and CD players will be priced lower after the big race is over. Don’t let the pressure of going back to school force you to make a purchase that puts you further in debt. When you finally decide to make an electronics purchase, look for sales and discounts on products. Some discounts are immediate, while others must be mailed to corporate headquarters.
Some parents get caught up in the back-to-school race. The whole idea of having the kids away from home is the reward for a crazy summer. Don’t let your rush to buy school supplies get you further into debt. Taking out the credit card can add 24 percent to your purchase. Do your best to pay for everything in cash. In fact, it might be a good idea to create a bank account to save money for the back-to-school purchases you’ll be making next year.
Just because there are crowds of people in a particular store doesn’t mean it’s offering the best discount. It may be an indication that they are big advertisers. When shopping, it is best to go slowly. Talk to your friends who are shopping, they can help you identify the best places to shop. Parents, you can get your students back to school and avoid breaking your bank account by shopping smart. Parents can make every discount count by remembering to start back-to-school shopping early.