To 8 Back to School Saving Tips

August 11, 2022

The new school year is right around the corner and it’s time to start your back-to-school shopping. Follow these 8 budget-friendly tips to help you save on all the essential school supplies this season.

 

 

1.     Get a Teacher-Approved List

A great way to start shopping for the school year, is to ask for a teacher-approved supplies list. This list will not only ensure your child is prepared with all their essential school supplies, but it will also help make sure you aren’t buying anything you don’t need.

 

2.     Shop at Home

Before you hit the stores, try shopping in your own home first. This could include taking inventory of all the school supplies left over from prior years or making a list of clothes your child may have grown out of. You might be surprised by how many back-to-school essentials you already have at home.

 

3.     Go to the Right Places

When back-to-school shopping, there are many options of where to go. Looking for places that will potentially save you money is a smart place to start. For example, try to start your shopping at thrift stores, garage sales, or outlet stores before heading to larger retailers. These stores usually have the items you need at a cheaper price.

 

4.     Compare Prices

If you’re unsure about the pricing of school supplies, make sure you’re saving as much money as possible by comparing prices. Different stores may have different prices on the same items. To avoid these unnecessary expenses, there are many apps and tools that can check real-time prices across multiple retailers.

 

5.     Buy Generic

A tip for when you’re shopping is to consider buying generic merchandise over name-brand products. Buying generic can potentially save you money, while name-brand items can often be unnecessarily expensive. This is because the quality of generic merchandise is similar, if not the same, as products that are priced higher due to their popular branding.

 

6.     Use Coupons

Save more by using deals and discounts. Back-to-school season has some of the largest sales of the year on supplies and you’ll want to take advantage of them. Find coupons and deals that match your child’s school supply list to make the most of your money.

 

7.     Split Bulk Deals

One creative way to save on back-to-school shopping is by splitting bulk deals. If you have multiple children at home who all need similar school supplies, buying in bulk can save you more than buying each item separately. You can even get other friends or family members on board and split bulk deals between your families.

 

8.     Use Your Rewards

The final tip for saving during back-to-school season is to use your credit card rewards to your advantage. For school essentials, one of the best benefits you can use is cash back. Cash back allows you to receive a portion of the amount you spend back — saving you money as you spend.

 

MSUFCU offers two cash back credit card options including the MSUFCU Platinum Plus Visa Credit Card, where members receive 1% cash back on all purchases and the MSUFCU Visa Signature® Credit Card, where members receive 3% cash back on groceries, 2% cash back on gas, travel, and university purchases, and 1% cash back on everything else. This means that no matter what school supplies you’re purchasing, you’ll receive some money back in return. For more information on our Visa Credit Cards, visit msufcu.org/visa.

 

Tags: Savings, Tips and Tricks, Budgeting

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