Back to School Shopping Tips

Back to School shopping tips to make your life less stressful. We’ve included little ways to save money and simple ways to reduce morning time stress. 

How to Pick a Backpack

When it comes to picking out a backpack, it’s important to keep a few things in mind. First make sure it is large enough for everything your child needs, including books, school supplies, and a sweatshirt. It can get quite chilling in the fall and keeping a sweatshirt in the backpack ensures your child is always prepared.  

You will also want to stay away from colors that show dirt easily like white. Backpacks often end up on the floor of a bus or classroom, so it’s just a matter of time before they get dirty. Instead, pick out a backpack with a darker color like gray that will easily hide the dirt. Plus a nice neutral color will look good with any outfit. 

And before they head out the door that first day, don’t forget to clip on some hand sanitizer with a carabiner. 

Mix and Match Outfits

Reduce a bit of your school morning angst with mix and match outfits. Often times picking out the perfect outfit can cause stress for the child and the parent. You can remove some of the stress by only purchasing clothes that can be mixed and match. 

Start with a base of solid-colored classic t-shirts. These will make it effortless to change up your kid’s look. They are easy to layer with long sleeve undershirts or a button-up flannel. 

Try layering a long sleeve tee under a short sleeve shirt or pair a short sleeve shirt with a long-sleeve button-up shirt, leaving it unbuttoned. Very quickly you will have an assortment of outfits. 

Jeans are always a good choice because they’re affordable and go with practically everything. They can be dressed up if needed or dressed down for a laid back casual look. 

The same things go for pants. Pick out a great looking pair of pants in a neutral color that will go with lots of different tops. 

By the time you’re done, your child will look like they’ve got on a new outfit every day, while you save money.  

Essentials

This year when you are going back to school shopping there are some new basics things you need to buy like face masks and hand sanitizer. I suggest buying at least five reusable facemasks so your child has a clean one for each school day. Then on the weekends toss them into the wash so they are fresh and ready to go the next week. 

You will also want to make sure your child has plenty of hand sanitizer. Keep in mind that many children have allergies, so non-scented is always best. 

While your shopping, consider picking up a few items for the teacher, like extra pens and pencils, a box of disposable face masks, and of course extra hand sanitizer. 

And don’t forget to grab an extra package of socks, because the dryer is sure to eat a few.  

Save Money Shopping Online

When you’ve got a growing family, it might feel like you are constantly spending money. Whether you are buying food, gear, or other necessities, the cost of raising a family seems always to increase. Fortunately, there are some easy ways to save money shopping online. 

Install a browser extension like Honey, that searches for coupons you can use at the store you are shopping. A few discounts here and there will really add up over the course of a year. 

You will also want to install a browser extension like Rakuten that will give you cash-back after your purchase is complete. You can earn anywhere from 1% to 10% back on all of your purchases.