Look inside any store or in any leaflet and you’ll notice that people are already talking “back to school.” It’s hard to believe, but alas, that’s how it is.
As a child, I remember the thrill I felt when it came time to choose my school supplies; that brand new box of crayons with their perfectly sharpened tips, a traditional wooden ruler with the metal edge, brand new folders and notebooks just waiting to be used.
For me, the gathering of school supplies stirred up feelings of anticipation for the new school year. For my mom, it was a dreadful day filled with crowds which culminated in the writing of a giant check.
Flash forward thirty some years and here I am with 3 different lists of school supplies that I need to purchase for my 3 children. Today, these lists are much more involved than they were when we were kids.
The school supplies my children take on the first day no longer fit inside their backpacks. With the school’s need for Kleenex, Clorox Wipes, and Ziploc Bags, my children head off to school each year with a paper grocery bag filled to the brim.
How can you make this necessary task less stressful?
Online Purchases: In short, utilizing a site such as MyGofer allows you to shop conveniently at home, thereby bypassing the crowds and lines. The prices of items online are comparable to those found in the store.
With MyGofer, you can shop at your convenience and avoid shipping charges by picking up your order at your nearest store. How’s that for stress free?
Organize: Make sure you have a comprehensive list of everything that you need. If you have multiple children there’s bound to be quite a bit of overlap. Make a master list that accounts for everyone’s needs. If both children need to bring two boxes of tissues, simply put “4 boxes of tissues” on your list. This eliminates the stress of working off of multiple lists.
Spread It Out and Start Early: One way to tackle the job is to keep the list in your purse. The next time you are at the grocery or in Kmart, buy a few of the items on your list. This spreads out the expenses and allows you to look for what’s on sale.
Since sales vary, you’ll find some of the items on sale this week and a completely different set of items on sale next week. Keep your eyes open for these sales.
Don’t be a Slave to Brand Names: Honestly, there isn’t any difference between a Crayola marker and a Rose Art marker other than the price. Neither your child nor your child’s teacher cares about the brand name as long as the marker works.
You can save yourself a considerable amount of money (and stress) by choosing based on price and not brand.
Finally, if you do venture into a store, try to go first thing in the morning or later in the evening – after the kids are in bed. Avoiding peak shopping times and leaving the kids at home with a spouse or sitter may actually make shopping for school supplies a pleasant experience.
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