Image from workathomemoms
June is here and when the month comes that spells school. I bet many are already heading to their nearest malls in order to buy important supplies for their kids. This ranges from uniforms to pens, notebooks to paper and the list goes on.
I consider my mother an expert with regards to saving money for school supplies. When I was in my elementary years, we really cannot afford to buy new items because we really don’t have much. And I know for a fact that this serious concerns her every single time.
There is no denying that school supplies cost a lot. Even if you are studying in a public school like me before, there are still requirements needed by some of the teachers. Good thing my mother is perhaps the most frugal person I know. Hence, I would be sharing the things she usually did before the start of the school year.
Recycle items
Before heading to the store, she would always shop at home first. She sees to it that last year items that were not maximized would be put to good use this time. She usually buys spring notebooks so that she can sew loose and unwritten pages together again to recreate another notebook. That is why the notebook cover would only contain my name so it can be reused the next year and the year after. She also collect other basic school supply like rulers, calculators, protractors, pencil case, lunch box and other items that need not be replaced each year. That is why she often gets angry if I lost an item. Now I know.
Do not shop for bags today
When you purchase school bags this time of the year, expect that there will be no discounts and these are not on sale. That is why it is often preferred to buy this off season as these are discounted. Of course if the bags can still be reused, it would be ideal not to buy a new one. If there are holes, she would often stitch and put some cute characters. You can also pass down bags from the older siblings to the young ones. Remember, be practical. This is a good way to teach them the value of reusing.
Shop somewhere cheap
Where you shop is always crucial in order to spend less. As much as possible do not buy in malls and department stores. There are budget friendly places you can always go like Divisoria and local warehouse stores. There are even stores that give discount should you buy in bulk. This is ideal especially if you are shopping for more than one child.
Buy only what you need
My mom doesn’t usually buy the school supplies unless required by the teacher. We don’t shop days before classes begin. It would usually be a week after classes. Some teachers are very strict with regards to their school supplies requirement. Some requires a separate notebook with a specific number of leaves. That is why, it would be appropriate to buy it should it be required. When you are in the store, buy only the items that you need. It might be tempting to buy those colored pens and so on however this can lead to overspending. Only buy the things that are required and you currently don’t have.
Back to school is not at all expensive. You only have to be resourceful and creative to know what and where to look. Do not let the school season scare your wallet and you.
P.S To those doing the 52 Week Money Challenge, it is Week 22 already! Did you deposit the next amount yet?
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