5 Ways to Save Money on Back to School Supplies

With the approaching end of summer comes the back to school shopping season and you may be thinking of ways to save money on back to school supplies. I have already seen the signs popping up at local retail shops announcing the upcoming sales, and I've begun some of my own bargain shopping. To get the most out of your shopping dollars here are some ways to save money on back to school supplies.

Save money on back to school supplies #1: Shop at different stores.

You can save money on back to school supplies by shopping at different stores, as they will feature different items at bargain prices. One store may have crayons on special while another may have the pocket file folders on discount. Many stores use an advertising strategy where they heavily discount one item in the hopes that you will purchase all your school supplies from them. This is similar to the "loss leader" strategies that grocery stores regularly use. Purchase each store's best sale and then move on to the next store. The exception to this would be if a store offered to "price match" a competitor's price.

Save money on back to school supplies #2: Re-use what you can from last year.

Another simple way to save money on back to school supplies is simply assessing what you can use from last year. There is no reason to purchase a new backpack or lunch box if the one from last year is still in good condition. This same concept applies to rulers, pencil boxes, compasses, calculators and other supplies. Before heading out to shop take an inventory of what you have so you can eliminate those items from the "needs" list.

Save money on back to school supplies #3: Check your local dollar store.

A great place to visit to help you save money on back to school supplies is your local dollar store. I've seen rulers, pencils, folders, and school paper with the same name brands found at regular retail stores but on sale for only $1. You might not find everything you need but it is worth a visit to see what inventory your store has.

Save money on back to school supplies #4: Look for coupons to combine with sales and discounts.