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The yearly ritual of purchasing school supplies and new school clothes has begun again, and children throughout the country are trying to convince their parents that they need entirely new wardrobes before school starts as well. Seasoned parents usually realize at some point that all this brouhaha isn’t really necessary, and there are cheaper ways to prepare for school.
o Never pay full price. Watch for sales on school supplies and clothing. Walmart, Kmart and Target are some of the more reasonably-priced stores for school supplies. Kohl’s and JCPenney are two clothing stores that have frequent sales and coupons available. Thrift stores are also good options – arc and Goodwill are two of the largest and most reasonably-priced thrift stores in Fort Collins. Once Upon a Child is a little pricier, but their clothing is usually in excellent condition and they do distribute coupons in the monthly Valpak mailer.
o Not all supplies have to be purchased before the first day of school. Except for the bare essentials, children do not have to bring everything on the supply list to the first day of school. Teachers often add more items to the list during the first week of school, and may even change some of the items or suggest alternatives, so there is no need to stress out if you haven’t been able to find everything on the supply list by the time school is in session. The idea that children must have new school wardrobes is an odd one as well; buying clothes as needed throughout the year may be a more practical alternative, especially since children do tend to outgrow their clothing.
o Reuse last year’s supplies. Nowhere is it written that everything on the supply list has to be brand new. Anything that is usable can be used again; oftentimes additional supplies need to be purchased during the school year, anyway. Most children would prefer that they receive brand new crayons, markers, etc. every year, but in the interest of saving money, it is a good idea to use what you have first. Items such as rulers, compasses, and scissors, for example, can be used year after year, until they are lost or destroyed. Every little bit helps.
There is a lot of pressure at this time of year to go on an expensive shopping spree and buy huge amounts of school supplies and clothing. Just remember that this idea has been perpetuated by a massive yearly marketing campaign and is not a necessity, although the children looking forward to buying lots of new stuff may beg to differ.
For more info:
http://www.valpak.com/coupons/
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