ThriftyFun News
Volume Eight, Number 26, August 18, 2006
http://www.ThriftyFun.com
Hello,
This week we have tips and articles about Back to School shopping. Next week we are doing an issue with general Back to School tips. The following week we will have an issue about Back to School breafkast and lunch tips and recipes. If you have an Back to School tips to share, feel free to submit them on one of the contest pages.
Have a great weekend!
Susan
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Tips
Back to School Clothes on a Budget
Back to School Clothes on a Budget
It's almost here again: time for the kids to head back to school. But before they set foot on that school bus, you'll most likely be heading to the local mall to outfit them for that first day. For moms on a budget, the back to school wardrobe can be a frightening prospect. Your kids are begging for Tommy, Ralph, and Doc Marten, but your wallet wants to head to Wal-Mart. Here are some tips for getting the most out of your back-to-school buck while still giving kids what they want:
- Use this as an opportunity to teach budgeting skills. Tell your kids know how much money you have to spend, and let them participate in the decision-making process. Even young children understand the concept of money. Older kids can be given a clothing allowance for them to spend as they wish. Anything they want over and above their allowance should be paid for by babysitting, mowing lawns, etc.
- Buy only one outfit to start with, saving most of your money for later on. Chances are your kids will come home from school having seen all the new trends they missed out on and wished they had. With money left over, they can get what they really want. Plus, retailers will start marking down their fall clothes after all the back-to-school shopping has died down a little.
- Shop thrift stores. Jeans, jackets, shoes, and shirts can be found for $1-$5 per item at your local Goodwill or Salvation Army. Many times shops like these even have half-price or bag days where you can save even more. If you shop frequently, you most likely will be able to find the brand names your kids are looking for. No one will ever know that their ÒnewÓ Gap sweatshirt was second-hand!
- Check out e-Bay. The online auction service often has great deals on new or slightly worn clothing. You can name your price, with nothing to lose. Most sellers offer a photo of the items being sold, and have a seller's feedback rating indicating the number of positive comments they've received, which can increase the first-time bidder's comfort level. Search by size, brand name, or description. A recent search on 'Tommy Hilfiger' came up with 4,394 matches!
- Have your church or mom's group sponsor a clothing swap. Advertise in your local paper for moms to bring their outgrown children's clothing in good condition to your specified location. You can use a 'point' system; whereby you receive tokens in exchange for the items you donate. Leftover items can be donated to charity.
- Realize that brand names DO matter. Kids can be cruel, and wearing the 'wrong; labels can make your child the target of unwanted teasing and bullying. Teach your kids that their clothes do not define them, but do allow them to wear the brand names that are in demand.
Happy shopping!
Kim Danger is a wife and mother of a 10-month old daughter, Sydney. She has a degree in Marketing and works from the home. Visit her website, Mommysavers, at http://www.mommysavers.com and subscribe to the free weekly newsletter!
Have A Child's Clothes Swap
Get a few friends and/or church members to swap children's clothes. Children grow out of clothes so fast. You can also do clothes swaps if you are losing weight So you don't have to spend a fortune on in between fashions.
By Valerie
Goodwill
My daughter has three children in school and that can be so damaging to the wallet. She visited our local Goodwill Store, got 6 pair of boys jeans, 2 skirts, and 12 blouses for $100. That is some smart shopping!
By elpasolady
Buy Clothing After School Starts
Sometimes older kids get their new clothes, then they go to school and the next week they say to mom or dad "I don't like these clothes". To avoid this, don't go shopping yet, go shopping in a week or two and let them see what's out there or what the fashion is. Then take them with you and let them pick out their own things (unless its hanging off of them). You also save money because the prices on clothes go up the first week in September while they always go on a sale a week or two later.
By Tashface
Buy Clothing Your Kids Will Like
Before I went to boarding school, my mother was in a shopping mood and at the last minute, she decided not to buy most of the items as they might not have been in the style that the kids wore. She was absolute right.
Unfortunately, she never did get around to buying me much after school started. Although we went shopping, she didn't approve of the items I'd selected (back in the 1960's). End of story.
By cookwie
Craig's List, Ebay and Consignment Shops
Put ads in the free section of Craig's List. Or put wanted ads in the for sale section. Check out eBay, which costs some more.
Look through the phone book for all the consignment stores. The American Cancer Society is a good one. Look for ones in more expensive neighborhoods, and especially in resorts.
By the Oracle
Shopping Early
My daughter is becoming "Label conscience" and is only 10. We happened to visit one of her favorite stores (Limited Too) and came upon a huge clearance blowout (it was in April)- I spent about $30 and got her many outfits (I did not get anything that is too trendy) for school for this coming year, the only things we need to get now are shoes, socks and school supplies!
Also, her school bookbag is a namebrand that has a lifetime gaurantee (remember to save the receipt). I requested one for her Birthday (close to when school starts) because I was tired of buying an $8 bookbag that only lasted a few months. My family member was able to pick it up on clearance and with coupons (Sometimes department stores are worth shopping in!).
By stevesgal
Feel free to post your ideas in the forum below.
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Recycling School Supplies
I redecorate my son's discarded binders and barely used notebooks. Then, I use them for journals, collecting recipes, etc. It's fun to decorate the books by gluing on flower photos from gardening catalogs, ribbon, paint, and stickers.
By Kay from Tamarac, FL
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Let Older Children Handle Their Clothing Budget
Give older children and teenagers their own reasonable clothing budget. They quickly learn that the money only goes so far. If they want designer jeans, fine, but they'll have to cut back somewhere else or earn the extra money themselves.
By Lisa Trudeau
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Stocking Up on School Supplies
Stock up now during back-to-school sales on school supplies. During the year you will need more glue, markers, paper, notebooks, etc. and they will never be cheaper than they are right now! Store them all in one place, like a crate so you and your kids will know where to look before buying anything more.
By Linda
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Simplify Back to School Shopping -- Save Money, Too!
By Nancy Peterson Simplify Back to School Shopping -- Save Money, Too!
The beginning of a new school year can be an exciting time, but back-to-school costs can stress parents, said Katey Walker, Kansas State University Research and Extension family resource specialist.
View Full Article: Click Here
Overspending in September - Supplies for the Secondary Schools
By Kelly Ann Butterbaugh As a middle and high school teacher I see gross overspending in September. Yes, the students cause most of it with desires for new wardrobes and expensive backpacks; however, most of it comes from well-intentioned parents who go overboard with supplies. Ads promote overstocking, and it's difficult for teachers to tell parents that their children have no need for scientific calculators in the seventh grade. How then do you take advantage of the back to school sales without purchasing too much?
The Real Essentials
While needs vary, there are certain supplies with which you can't go wrong.
Book socks, those stretchy covers for books are the greatest invention since pre-punched notebook paper. They protect the books while keeping adhesive damage (tape or sticky covers) to a minimum. Barring student graffiti and other boredom busters. they last all year and can be recycled into the next year.
Paper is a must, of course. The amount depends upon the school, but a few reams of notebook paper is essential for any desk. Spiral bound notebooks also are more than useful in the upper grades and can often be purchased for as little as $0.10 a piece.
Blue or black pens are important but stray away from the unfamiliar. Don't give in to the teenage demands and spring for the colored gel pens; most teachers don't accept them on school work. Instead, opt for several blue or black pens. With most assignments being typed, however, purchasing a gross of pens is a bit overdone.
The Waiting Game
It pains parents to hear this, but wait until school starts to buy your supplies. Yes, you miss the sales, but you'll avoid purchasing the wrong things. Teachers tell students how things need to be organized. If a student has purchased pocket portfolios and then hears that he must keep his history work in a three ring binder, money has been wasted. Often students come with one notebook for all subjects, a concept that won't work in our school where different binders are required for each subject.
If you're organized enough, try purchasing during the sales but keeping everything wrapped with the receipts. Than, return what's unneeded and take advantage of what was purchased at a bargain. Warning: It's hard to keep the children's hands from those shiny new supplies. Be schooled in patience to try this.
Plan Ahead
Very few students maintain a well manicured notebook from September through June. Face it, teenagers are brutal on school supplies. Binders work as lunch trays, bus stop sleds, and notepads. Plan ahead and purchase a replacement binder for mid-year now. While they're on sale for under $1 in August, they can cost as much as $2.50 in January.
The Lists Have It
If you're fortunate enough to live in an area which has realized the back to school dilemma, you'll notice school supply lists at your local office supply stores. Broken into age categories they tell the basics that each student will need for the upcoming school year. If one is not displayed at the store, check your school's webpage for such a listing. Some schools mail these lists with their bus cards. They're valuable; it's here that you'll see a scientific calculator isn't needed until grade ten.
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Kids Jacket Swap
Kids grow out of their jackets really quickly but the jackets don't seem to wear out quickly. Get together some of your friends and host a jacket or coat swap. You can also do this with adult clothes too. Everyone needs to bring a jacket that is in good shape. And now you can swap for a good jacket that will fit your ever growing kids.
By Debra in Colorado
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Brand Names Vs. Your Budget
HOW CAN WE AVOID THE BACK-TO-SCHOOL SHOPPING "BRAND-NAME BLUES?"
Clothing items with certain brands or labels seem to promise a more exciting, fun life. Children can easily feel deprived if they don't have things they see in the media or things they think their friends will have. Consider these tips when back-to-school shopping.
>Approach children with choices appropriate to their age and understanding. For example, brand name awareness is especially prevalent when buying shoes. With preschool children you can say, "Here are two great pairs of shoes. Which pair do you want?" With elementary school children you can set an amount of money and say, "Let's go to the store and choose a pair in this range." For teens you might say, "I'm willing to spend "x" amount for shoes. If you want something more than that, you will need to pay the difference." Help children distinguish between wants and needs. If there is something they want that you don't approve of, be truthful. Instead of saying "I can't afford that," say "I'm not willing to spend my money that way." Talk about quality versus price. To help teach this, have children do comparison shopping for something they don't care about, such as canned vegetables. Show them that a store brand, with equal nutrition and value, costs less than a name brand. Compare this to other things they care about, where the brand name increases the price without necessarily increasing the quality.
Give older children a clothing allowance. Talk with them about planning and projecting their needs and then let them make their choices. Resist your urge to rescue them from poor choices. Talk about what happened and what might work better next time. Require that they have the money saved or have done the required work before they can get the desired item, and stick with your decision. Children need to learn that hassling you will not get them what they want. This will help them learn patience in working for things they want. As parents, be aware of the messages you may be sending about materialism through your own behavior. Children learn values by watching what parents do more than what they say. Point out examples of people around you and in the news who value service and people over materialism.
By Tom Lee, Utah State University Extension Family and Human Development Specialist. (http://extension.usu.edu/)
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Back to school, or back to the poor house?
By Tawra Kellam Back to school is a time when many moms witness their money sprout wings and take flight, finding their homes at retail stores across America. I know that consumer spending is good for the economy, but I don't take it upon myself to keep the entire US economy propped up, so when my first-grade son announced that he wanted a backpack with rollers, I saw this as a wonderful financial teaching moment. His school is small, and he doesn't walk to or from school. He didn't need rollers.
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Back to School Clothes Shopping
By Nikki Willhite It's that time of year again when many of us put out money to buy clothing for our children. No matter where or when you buy them, there are some basic rules to follow to get the most for your money.
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Green Tips for Back to School
By Ellen Brown Parents expect to spend an average of $574 on back-to-school shopping this year. Other than the holiday season, back-to-school shopping offers consumers the largest opportunity to collectively vote with their dollars in support of environmentally and socially responsible products. It also offers an excellent opportunity for parents to teach their children about conserving our natural resources.
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Organizing Your Teen Daughter for School
By Rachel Paxton
It's almost time for school to start again, and time for one of
my most unfavorite activities...school shopping with my teenage
daughter.
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Shoe Shopping Strategy - Trace Your Child's Feet
So that I don't miss out on kids' shoe sales when I am out shopping without my daughter I periodically trace her feet on a piece of paper, cut it out and tuck it in my purse. Then if I see shoes on sale I just measure up the soles.
By Wanda Ann
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Reducing the Cost of Office and School Supplies
By Naomi Knudsen Ben Franklin once said, "A penny saved is a dollar earned." Here are some tips for saving some pennies and maybe a few dollars by reducing the costs of those supplies for school or the office.
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