Arrow-right Camera
The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Back To School Doesn’t Have To Break The Bank

Jackie Inglehart Special To Choi

Aside from Christmas, back to school season can put the biggest dent in a family’s budget. In addition to books, supplies and lunches, buying new wardrobes for perpetually growing and finicky children can drain even the most resourceful parent’s savings. There are ways, however, to stem the constant outflow of cash.

We save a bundle on shoes by purchasing from the Shoe Testers Association and testing them. For information, write to the Shoe Testers Association, 2155 Chesnee Hwy., Spartanburg, SC 29303 or call (803) 583-1002.

Here are other tips from some of our readers:

Chris Parli, from Ohio, collects free promotional pencils and pens from politicians, health fairs and organizations. She then passes them on to her child for school. She also purchases book bags at yard sales. She said, “I bought an excellent brand for 50 cents. One zipper was broken, but I knew they offered a lifetime warranty, so I sent it to the manufacturer. They replaced the zipper for 50 cents plus shipping.”

Libby Rymer, from North Carolina, says her daughter goes to a Catholic school where the students wear uniforms. At the end of the school year, the parents have a “uniform swap” where they can buy/ sell clothes from this year and buy larger used clothes for next year.

Stephanie Goepfert, from New York, recommends finding out from which catalogs schoolteachers order. Teachers get oodles of catalogs for a huge variety of supplies at low prices. This is a money saver if you have more than one child, because items usually have to be ordered in groups: a gross of pencils, a dozen folders, etc. You also can split an order with a friend.

Maureen Czerny, from Pennsylvania, stocks up for back to school while traveling on summer vacation. She takes advantage of outlet shopping. Last year she got her son $65 Bass shoes for $25.

Maureen buys school supplies when they are the cheapest - after school starts in September. She buys lots and saves them for the next year. She adds, “I find buying quality book bag/backpack from L.L. Bean or Eddie Bauer saves in the long run, because they offer free repairs. My son has had his for four years. In the past I bought book bags that broke after six months.”

Susan Carlson, from Mississippi, saves by NOT buying Jell-O Cups or Fruit Cups. She uses plastic containers with lids and fills them with mixed fruit from a larger can or makes her own Jell-O when it is on sale. She also buys and freezes bread and lunch-box snacks from the bakery thrift shop. She saves more by shopping bargain day.

Wendy Wilson, who lives in New York, has a boy, almost 7, and a girl, almost 5. She says, “While these shopping tips might seem rather obvious and simple, they weren’t to me as a relatively new mother of toddlers, preschoolers, then schoolage children to dress. I learned through aggravation, frustration and unnecessary waste of time and money on unused clothes.” Here are her tips:

Resist the urge to buy unusual, hard-to-match colors, especially in girls’ clothes. It’s difficult to coordinate interesting but odd colors. Choose neutrals, primary and pastel colors. Stick with basic navy, blue and black for boys’ pants. Avoid beige or tan pants unless you plan to wash them after each use. With light colors, most ugly stains never completely come out.

Whenever possible buy during big, advertised sales, holiday sales and back to school sales. When purchasing, don’t forget to buy extra coordinating tops, tights and other accessories while on sale. Buy enough so that you don’t have to do laundry three times a week.

Resist the urge to buy clothes that are too big. After normal wear, tear, stains and laundering, you shouldn’t expect a child of 4 to wear something that will “fit perfectly” at 5-1/2 or 6 years. It is smart, however, to allow for normal growth and weight gain for one season. Don’t buy cheap items that won’t hold their shape and color for long.

I still have brand-new things my daughter never wore. So when children reach the age when they become picky, take them with you when shopping. If they like an item that’s not on sale, you can make a mental note and try to purchase it later when the price has been marked down.

xxxx

The following fields overflowed: CREDIT = Jackie Inglehart Special to Choices