Back to school shopping…
School Supplies Save Money Anytime
Ways to save money and help our environment when you shop for ‘back to school’ and buy those expensive school supplies.
Although school has been in session for over 2 months now, get out there and shop for next year. Don’t wait for the back to school shopping madness when prices are raised due to consumerism or go crazy shopping during after school sales. Shop now when it’s quiet and take your time as you check out secondhand shops and garage sales. You might even have friends whose children are a couple of years older than yours and they can supply you with an assortment of gently used school items and apparel.
I have a very good friend that has pretty much supplied my son’s clothes for back to school since he started Kindergarten. I am so appreciative to her. She’d much rather hand them down to me than give it away to a store or church. You won’t believe how much money it’s saved. My Son always looks great and in style! Remember, shop a year before on back to school items, swim suits and summer gear. Other than food, shop out of season for the rest. If you’re planning a vacation, travel off- season.
Check out thrift shops and consignment shops, especially those in upper class neighborhoods. You’ll be surprised what cool stuff you can find and usually in excellent condition. Last year, my daughter found a really cool high-end designer pair of jeans for about 2.00. She really loved them and ended up being one of her favorite jeans last year. They were still in style and none of her friends had the same jeans.
We also went to a discount store where everything was new and the already discounted merchandise was half off. She realized how silly it was to spend a lot of money and just get a few items years before. She now is able to get clothing she loves, and lots of it. I remember one year I purchased a pair of 100.00 shoes for her and just last year we got everything for back to school including tons of clothes for less than what those pair of shoes cost.
Purchase mechanical pencils and refillable pens. Mechanical pencils last forever and the refills are inexpensive. You don’t have to keep sharpening them and you’re saving trees along the way as well. Mechanical pens last a very long time and the refill cartridges are not that expensive, plus the cartridges themselves can be recycled. Check schools for items that can be recycled. Our schools take paper, ink cartridges and cell phones.
Before you buy new school supplies, check to see what you already have. You might even find that you still have packages of pencils, pens and even paper that have not been used up. I know we run into that every year. I make sure to double check, as one year, I bought a bunch of paper and pencils and later on, during our twice a year clean-out, found tons of school supplies that were unopened. If your backpack or binders are still in good shape, re-use them.
Use shoes and clothes that are still in good condition. Accessories for girls last year after year, and there are many more items that can be used again, recycled. Get creative and take an item and decorate it so it doesn’t look like the exact same thing. I know teenagers worry what other kids think about them, but if you instill in your children that school is for learning, they’ll better be able to handle the pressures of designer stuff!
If you really want to help our environment, and really think ahead regarding your back to school shopping, find a reliable wholesaler and purchase recycled paper or Hemp paper products, for example, and buy several years’ supply. I’ve even found gently used school supplies at second hand stores and garage sales. If you don’t have money at all for back to school shopping, remember to investigate and get in touch with your local help agency that may offer different programs to get you some free supplies, clothing and shoes. Also, check with your child’s public school. They definitely know where to send you for help with your children’s back to school stuff – free or at very low cost. It helps if your child is under the free lunch program. You’ll be guaranteed lots of help then!
Shop for eco-friendly apparel and shoes now, or wait for a sale. Zappos.com has some really great selection of eco-friendly shoes like Simple and Vans, and sometimes has great sales. The teenagers won’t even know they’re eco-friendly, cause the styles are really cool. You can also find eco-friendly gear at some secondhand stores or major discount retailers.
If you drink water throughout your school day, make sure you use a refillable water container. Shop for one that is eco-friendly. This will ensure that the bottle itself is free of materials that can cause chemical sensitivities or health problems down the road. Avoid aluminum bottles and make sure you know what’s involved in plastic ones. There are lots of web sites that specialize in eco-friendly reusable water bottles and thermoses. They also have some really cool hiking containers and thermoses as well.
Invest in solar electronics or ones with a rechargeable battery. You initially pay a little more, but… the investment is quite worth it. They recharge quickly and won’t pollute our environment and landfills with the nasty stuff found in batteries. You’ll never have to buy batteries again and stop filling our dumps with the nasty chemicals found in batteries.
Good Luck,g