Survival Guide To Back-To-School Shopping

It seems like summer break only just arrived, but now that August is here it’s time to start planning for another year of school! The stores have stocked their shelves with back-to-school supplies and supply lists for all ages will be out soon. Now that the stores are stocked – have you thought about your back to school shopping yet?

Getting ready for the school year can often times be overwhelming, especially if you have several children. The flurry of summer activities doesn’t slow down until the first day of school begins, and you may still be busy organizing child care and pool parties while holding down a job yourself.

As with any daunting task, the best way to get started is to prepare beforehand by making a list. You can start with one large list of everything your child will need for the year. Don’t forget – back to school shopping includes more than just school supplies. Your children may need new clothes for the year, a haircut for first day photos and a grocery store trip for lunchtime snacks. With this in mind, it may be helpful to create smaller lists based on what types of item and what type of store you need to go to in order to get these purchased. With your lists in hand, you’ll be able to get in and out of stores quickly without forgetting items or overspending.

Next, plan your course of action. You can get your children involved and make a big day of it, getting all of your shopping done in one go, or choose to visit one store every few weeks leading up to the first day of school to make it feel less stressful. As August comes to a close, stores will become busier, so plan accordingly if you prefer to avoid crowds.

Lastly, once you have your back-to-school shopping completed, make sure to sort, label and have everything ready and packed for the big day!