School Supply Shopping Tips
Surveys in USA show that a family that has children studying in K-12 are entitled
to spend up to $600 for school supplies like clothes, books, stationary, etc. If you put this in the Indian context, the amount an Indian family would end up spending is approximately Rs 9000 or $200. This may not seem true at first, but if you look at the things that the family needs to buy their children at the beginning of an academic year, this amount is just a small estimate of what the actual price is. The list includes school uniforms for summer and winter, notebooks, textbooks, stationary, pencil cases and raw materials for extracurricular activities like paints, art and crafts, sports gear among other things. Besides this, children also have their demands like fancy pencil boxes, electronic gadgets and stylish schoolbags. Even before the parents realise it, the school supply shopping list becomes endless.
Shopping for school supplies is difficult for parents because most of it cannot be avoided and it affects their pockets. Parents end up going to different stores to shop for different things and also spend a lot of time and money travelling from store to store. As a result, many families squeeze their budgets to accommodate shopping for school supplies for their children. Hence, keeping the shopping list under control, finding a good bargain and saving time are very important tasks.
Saving time and money while shopping for school supplies is not impossible. It requires a little planning and preparation though. Given below are some ways to save money and time while shopping for school supplies for kids.
Making a List
Lists are a great approach to organizing work. It is a very simple and effective technique that is many times overlooked by people. Making a list is simple. First take stock of what your children already have. It can include shoes, books, stationary and even uniforms in some cases. Once you have this list ready, it takes off some things from your shopping list. After this, you need to make a list of things that you need to buy. If your child needs a new pair of shoes or a new uniform add it to the list. If you need to buy new textbooks for the academic year, then add that to the list too. Once you have your lists ready, most of your problems get solved. You just need to refer to the list and shop.
Decide on a Budget and Stick to It
Budget your shopping and stick to the budget. It may be a little difficult at first, but if you try being a little strict with yourself and stick to the budget you have made, it can solve most of your shopping woes. Plan the budget in such a way that it is tight but at the same time a little generous in some cases. This will make both you and your kids happy. Don"t buy everything that your kids demand, but leave some provision for buying a few things that they might ask for. Involve all your family members while planning the school shopping budget. This will make sure everyone knows how much money will be spent on the shopping and you will get more ideas on how you can save time and money while shopping for the school supplies.
Use the Internet for Online Shopping
You can find almost everything today on the internet. Right from books to clothes to things to eat, almost anything and everything can be bought on the internet. Hence you can look for school supplies on the internet as well. There are many online stores where you can buy textbooks, stationary,
study aids and CDs, VCDs and DVDs. The internet also gives you the freedom to search for your preferred book titles and publishers all in one place. You can talk to the customer support of the site if you cannot find a particular book and place an order for the same.
The internet and online bookstores help you save a lot of money that you would otherwise spend going from shop to shop looking for books. You can now sit in the comfort of your homes and order school supplies online without wasting any time or money.
Shop Smartly
Many stores offer early bird sales and discounts during the beginning of the academic year. You need to be alert and look out for such sales and offers. Stores give out gift coupons and bulk discounts as well. If you are alert and come across such a sale, it will help you save a lot of money while shopping for school supplies.
by: Kavita Kumar
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