Save Money on School Supplies in 2008 by Thinking Ahead Now!

The stores are now packed full of school supplies galore! From backpacks ranging from Hello Kitty to Batman, from Pirates of the Caribbean to even snazzy ones produced by GAP and SWISS ARMY, the possibilities are endless. And that's just in one aisle. The rest of the store is jammed full of products that merchandisers are CONVINCED we cannot live without and who are trying with all their might to make us believe we will be sorry if we don't purchase their products now. And you know what? They are right.

The truth of the matter is at no other time in the school year will prices be at this level. In approximately one month, all vestiges of school supplies will be stripped from shelves to make way for the holiday's ahead!

For you see, a mere three months after the holidays you will, if you are anything like most parents, find yourself looking in vain for a pencil box, a backpack or even a package of #2 pencils to replace the ones the locker ate, the bully ruined or your kid simply lost. And when you DO locate these items the cost for one package of filler paper will approximate what it cost you today for paper, binder, pencils, erasers, sharpeners, and even some of those cool colored paper clips your child HAD to have.

But what to do to beat the overpriced items you need in January? Simple. Purchase a Rubbermaid container approximately knee high. Fill said container with all the items on your school list especially crayons, markers, filler paper, and extra pencil sharpeners. Look on your child's back to school list for ideas.

Purchase this container AND the supplies separate from your other school supplies to keep purchases straight. Keep this receipt and tape it to the underside of the container lid (I'll explain why a bit later). AND when school supplies begin to be marked down in clearance, you will find hat is the time to grab any extras you spy add them to your stash as well.

That done, look at your container and smile smugly. You see, you will now have at your disposal for about or less than $25, enough supplies to get your child through an entire year of school with supplies to spare. And the receipt? Well, towards the end of the school year when you know that you are covered supplies wise and if you don't want to keep the supplies left over for the next school year, you can donate them to your school, container and all. Most accountants will tell you that these supplies are deductible as well, thus the receipt for your taxes.

So, with a little bit of planning ahead and some organization, you can beat the high priced school supply game before it comes out of the box! And to be honest, you can gloat a little too, because while other mothers are trekking through the snow looking for glue sticks, you can reach into your container and hand your kid a bundle you got for a quarter and say, "here honey, share them with the class...there's more where they came from" and feel good doing it as well!

You should....you spent less on the whole boxful than most mothers spend on a binder, paper and pens in February and you won't even have to get your feet wet to do it! Have a good school year and remember, check those sales!