Do you earn an 'F' when it comes to shopping for school supplies? This year, get more for your money and send them to school with everything they need. First, take an inventory of the items that you have lying around in playrooms, bedrooms or offices. You may have enough pencils and pens to supply them for the year, or a good part of it, by raiding these areas. Stow them in a plastic Ziploc storage bag to prevent having to buy more. Many parents find themselves buying supplies that go unused year after year - the guilty items include those seldom-needed, or provided by the school, things like rulers, protractors and calculators. Other good-as-new items kids might have lying around the house include art supplies like markers and colored pencils. For the items that do need to be purchased, plan ahead. Start checking store circulars and Web sites for sales and specials on the particular items you need, and keep a copy of the school supply list in your purse at all times. That way, if you're out shopping and see a great sale, then you can take advantage of discounted items on the list.
Have your kids mark up the list with their preferences - no pink notebooks, only black pens, etc. - and do what you can to honor those preferences. If you buy something that was just too good a deal to pass up and your child hates it, then try redesigning it yourself with scrapbooking materials or magazine scraps to make it look the way he likes. Take advantage of buy one, get one free deals, and buy in bulk if you have more than one child. If you only need to buy for one child and see great deals, also buy in bulk to replenish supplies later in the year. Research whether or not your state has a tax-free holiday, in which you won't be charged tax on certain school-related items, like supplies, clothing and technology. You can save a bundle, especially if you live in a high-tax state. And when you shop, go alone to prevent the kids from talking you into all those extras. You'll earn that 'A' in economizing in no time!