On August 15, school will official open in Lakeland. But before that, parents (moms, especially) are relegated to doing the dreaded school supplies Lakeland shopping. There are a number of ways, of course, you can save on your money and not have to buy new supplies.
Here are some back-to-school money-saving tips for your Lakeland shopping:
Check out your closet
There’s a good chance you already have what you need right inside your closet and drawers. Check and clean them out before deciding you need to buy brand-new pencils, sharpeners, erasers, etc. Next, clean out your children’s closets and put in two piles things or clothes they have outgrown and those they can still use. Once you completed these tasks, you’ll have a clearer idea of the things you already have and those you need to purchase.
Make a list
Right after clearing out closets, drawers and even the attic, you can then do a list. Put in paper (or your smartphone’s notes) those you need to buy, so that when you go to the store, you won’t miss anything else. It can be quite unnerving to have to return to the store just because you forgot to pick up a pen or a pad of paper.
Go to garage sales and thrift stores
Who said that you need to buy notebooks and pens in a big mall chain? You can easily find these in thrift stores, and they even sell them in the dozen, so you have all the supplies you need for the whole school year. In garage sales, you can check out slightly used backpacks and even shoes. There are total gems that you can find in thrift and garage stores, if you only know where to look.
Set limits
Your kids will always insist to have the latest in fashion and name-brand clothing or even school supplies. Reward them with a few of their likes–may it be a Justin Bieber binders or a One Direction backpack–but don’t overindulge them to the point that you cannot say no anymore. Explain to them that you still have a lot of things you need to buy and settle, so you will have to choose wisely.
Use coupons
Now that school is about to officially open, there are several coupons out there up for grabs. Check out our own iCitySpy website for some cool coupons you can print right in the comfort of your own home. There are also stores that offer price matching, so make sure you check out the great promos and discounts this time of the year.