Stretch Your Dollars For Back-To-School Items

Back-to-school shouldn’t result in back-to-broke for parents with school-age children.

Michael Hayes, spokeswoman for Consumer Credit Counseling, recently shared a few ideas for stretching dollars and ensuring that shoppers don’t go broke before kids head back to the classroom.

Sit down and make a list of supplies: Find out exactly what expenses must be covered. Elementary school students are usually required to have a number of items from scissors to crayons and notebooks.

High school students may have textbooks or supplemental reading requirements. Once you have a complete list for each of your children, budget an amount you are willing to spend for each item.

Discuss truly necessary clothing: Have a discussion with your child about want vs. need. Allow them to make a list of all the clothing and items they believe they need and then go through the list with them to determine how many can be placed into the want category.

“Items that fall into the want category could become the responsibility of the students, also prompting them to schedule a few more baby-sitting or lawn-mowing sessions before the end of the summer break,” Hayes said.

Set a budget and stick to it: Start shopping once you’ve determined exactly how much you are able and willing to pay.

Keep your list handy in case you find an item on sale while at the grocery store or while running other errands.

“Don’t go shopping when you’re hungry or tired or while caring for young children,” she said. “The stresses of those events may cause you to forgo the budget in order to maintain sanity.”

Place some of the responsibility on the children: If shopping for clothes is going to lead to a family feud, decide how much is allotted for clothes and leave your teen to his or her own shopping skills.

Set ground rules for any inappropriate clothing and agree that you have the final say on anything questionable, but let them find out for themselves exactly how expensive, and how challenging, shopping can be on a budget.

Pay in cash: The best way to avoid making unplanned or over budgeted purchases is to carry only cash when you shop.

“It is too easy to go a little over here, there and everywhere when the plastic is in hand,” Hayes said.

Look for community support when you need extra help: Many community services provide free school supplies and clothing to families in need in the Inland Northwest.

INFORMATION Credit help For back-to-school or other financial information from Consumer Credit Counseling Services, call 327-3777, ext. 122, or (800) 892-6854, ext. 122.