8 Ways to Save Money and Frustration in Getting the Kids Back to School

The last part of August is a hectic time for most families with children; new school outfits to buy, sports physicals to schedule, shots to get, and dental appointments to make and keep, not counting the dozens of little things like pens, pencils, notebooks, etc. It's enough to make you wonder why you ever thought becoming a parent was a good idea.

Here are a few ideas to help you make it on time, and without completely flattening your pocketbook.

1. Enlist some free help.

Ideally, taking your kids one at a time to get them outfitted for school is the easiest way to avoid stress. That way you don't have one child demanding that you look at this or that perfect pair of shoes clear across the store, while you are waiting for another one to come out of the dressing room to show you the skirt she is trying on.

Grandpas and grandmas can really help take a load off during this busy time of year. Ask them to watch a younger child while you take the school-agers shopping at the mall, or hand then a couple of twenty-dollar-bills and ask them to take one of the older children to buy a pair of shoes and some underwear. You'll find that grandparents, who are usually on a fixed income, often know far more than you do about finding the best bargains for your money, and might even bring back some change.

2. Look for coupons in the local newspaper.

Stores are eager for your business during these slow economic times and will often offer half-off coupons for most of the month before school starts. If you have several children, this can mean at least one will be dressed for free. Even more valuable coupons are those that offer, "buy one, and get one free."

3. Be sure your purchases allow for growth.

Of course you don't want your kids wandering around in clothes so big that they trip over the hems, but do consider how quickly children grow out of one size into another. In this age where "sloppy fit" seems to be a fashion statement, you can probably get away with just a little bit of room to grow, even if the "sloppy fit" idea looks as yucky to you as it does to me.

4. Cut costs on food while shopping.

If you are doing your school shopping at a mall, they often have food courts where you can purchase food and sit to rest at one of their many tables. Fix some sandwiches or other snack items before you leave home and only purchase a small drink for each child.

If you are really tight for money, you aren't required, in most malls, to buy anything in order to sit at their tables and eat, so you may want to carry your own drinks from home, too.

5. Check out office supply stores for super bargains.

If you often purchase printer ink and computer supplies, you can often get school supplies at ridiculously low prices when you make a regular purchase of $10 or more. It's hard to pass up bottles of white glue for ten cents a bottle, spiral notebooks for a quarter, and pencils for 5 cents each, especially if you were already planning to make a larger purchase of office supplies for yourself anyway.

6. Don't overlook thrift shops.

Most of us think of back-to-school time as new clothes, new shoes, and new everything time, but it doesn't have to be that way. Thrift shops these days offer clothes in almost new condition that have been outgrown by their former owners and that cost only a fraction of the price of the same item new.

Thrift shops are the perfect choice of places to find college logo items, too. I have seen whole racks of tee-shirts with our local college logo selling for two and three dollars each. When new, they would have brought a price of $20 at least.

If you haven't taken advantage of thrift shops before, make a visit by yourself before taking the family along just to see whether or not they have anything that might fill the bill for any of your kids.

7. Avoid impulse purchases.

You've probably learned over the years that shopping with a list at the grocery store saves you a considerable amount of money. The same is true with school supplies. Sit down ahead of time with your children, (preferably one at a time) and make a list of what they will actually need before the big "first day of school" arrives. Then, stick to the lists.

8. Combine school shopping day with a bit of inexpensive fun.

Kids usually understand the need to watch expenses, but we don't need to be grim about it. Make the shopping for what you are able to afford as much fun as possible. When you notice the kids are dragging and getting crabby, take a break from the shopping and seek out a pet shop where the kids can enjoy watching the exotic fish swimming around, or petting the kittens and dogs that make their home there. If you have a boy (or girl) who likes spiders and snakes, take time to peek at the tarantulas, lizards, and snakes.

Twenty minutes enjoying the free show provided by the animals in the pet shop will rejuvenate even the grouchiest of your bunch (including you), and they should all be ready to head back out to finish your shopping.