Without a plan, back-to-school shopping can become an expensive hassle. Here is a checklist that will help keep your family on time, on task, and on budget:

Supplies

1. Stick to the teacher’s list of supplies
2. Shop at home first; you may already own most items
3. Wait until tax-free holidays
4. Buy plain lunch-boxes and let kids decorate
5. Put names on everything
6. Clip coupons from Sunday circulars
7. Shop discount stores first
8. Don’t forget about grocery store sales
9. Follow stores’ social media accounts for sale alerts
10. Buy in bulk and split among multiple families [Read more…]