INDUSTRY INSIGHT
SAVING MONEY
SPONSORED CONTENT
Money- Saving Tips for Back-to- School
It ’ s hard to believe we are even talking about Back-to-School , but summer has done what it normally does : takes too long to get here , and then before you know it , it ’ s on its way out the door ! The best way to save yourself some money on back-to-school shopping is to plan ahead – as far ahead as you can . You don ’ t have to spend a fortune and you can certainly maximize your dollars , while still getting all the supplies that you need . Here are some great ideas to get you started :
1 . Track the Sales – During the weeks leading up to the first day of school , start checking all the Sunday inserts from Staples , Office Max , Office Depot , Wal-Mart , and Target . The stores have specials at different times , so write down on a piece of paper what you need , which store has the deal , and when . Also clip and collect coupons in an envelope . It may seem like a lot of work , but it can save you tons of money .
2 . Go Beyond the Big-Box Stores – Once you are done shopping the sales at the big-box stores , consider checking out the secondhand and consignment stores in our area . Stores like Plato ’ s Closet and Clothes Mentor often have items new with tags at deeply discounted prices . It ’ s worth checking out .
3 . Try to Spread out Your Purchases – Like I said before , planning ahead is your best money-saving tip . You know back-to-school time is coming , so in the spring , start buying one thing every paycheck or so . It helps make the financial burden easier to swallow .
4 . This Fall , Start Buying Things for Next School Year – These things drop in price after the back to school rush , so in October and November start stockpiling items you know you are going to need next September . It ’ s never too early to save money .
5 . Buy in Bulk – When pens , crayons , and glue go on sale , buy enough to get you through the rest of the year and even into the next year . You might also want to check prices at wholesale stores like Costco and Sam ’ s Club . If you don ’ t think you can use an entire 100-pack of pens , talk to your friends and neighbors ; you can pool your money to buy supplies , and then divide them equally .
6 . Raid the Home Office – This is one of my favorite tricks . We all accumulate tons of pens , pencils and other office supplies from trade shows and vendor meetings . Take those items home and start an area for back to school .
7 . Try to Pay Cash for Everything – You ’ ll save money in the end by not paying interest on your purchases on credit cards .
8 . Open a Back-to-School Savings Account – Putting a little bit of money away every month is a lot easier than coming up with a large amount all at one time . If you start saving for Back-to- School shopping in January by putting away $ 50 each month , you ’ ll have $ 350 saved by the time August rolls around . Your local community Credit Union is a great place to save those dollars !
Going back to school is an exciting time for both us and our children . Hopefully by following some of these simple tips , you will end up with a little extra money in your pockets and maybe even a little more time on your hands to enjoy family time before life gets crazy busy again .
This Industry Insight was written by Wendy Kingsland .
Wendy Kingsland is the CEO of Visionary FCU in Bridgeville . Prior to joining Visionary in 2011 , she was employed by Clearview FCU from 1991-2011 . Kingsland currently serves as Vice President of South West Communities Chamber of Commerce . She is active in the Pittsburgh Chapter of Credit Unions , serving as a board member since 1991 and currently serving as Treasurer . She also serves as a Director for the Pennsylvania Credit Union Association .
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