Back to S----l!

Back to s----l!

At the risk of angering my 15 year old daughter, who forbids the use of the word "school" all summer, I'm afraid it is that time again.  Even as an adult, I feel the irresistible need to buy a notebook every fall! Back-to-school bargains can be had and finding them is a lot easier than you think.

My strategy for paying the lowest possible prices begins mid-summer with a list of everything I think I'll need.  My son just graduated college and my daughter is entering her Junior year of high school and I teach a weekly class at my church.  Over the years our back-to-school needs have evolved.

When my children were younger, I stocked up on crayons, markers and paper.  For clothes, it was jeans, sneakers & cool T-shirts.  Now the focus for my teenage daughter is fashionable clothes & shoes, a hip backpack with far less emphasis on pencils & books!  I still shop for little prizes to reward my 2nd graders. 

Once you know what you need, start collecting flyers or visiting websites of the usual subjects, depending on their proximity to you.  I usually look at Staples, Target, and CVS for school supplies, Macy's, Old Navy, Athleta  TJMaxx & H & M for clothes. & shoes. This year, my daughter and I agreed on a budget for clothes before we went shopping.  This gave her the power to make decisions based on the prices and I stayed out of it, expressing an opinion only when asked.  $ was saved, my daughter learned to make choices and at school she'll look great!  Could I actually have discovered the key to a pleasant teenage shopping trip?  

One of my favorite expressions is,"Fail to plan, plan to fail."  Spontaneity is fun and even has it's place in budgeting, like when you come upon a 90% sale on something you need (as opposed to want).  Most of the time, however, planning is the key to saving money.

For example, if you have children, you know you are going to need school supplies every year for the next 12 years. So when Staples has its famous 1cent sale several weeks before the start of school, buy pencils or erasers or index cards and put them in a clearly marked box!   If you end up w/ surplus, distribute to your child's teacher on parent-teacher day or donate supplies to a school in a less affluent neighborhood.  I clean out my extra school supplies before parent-teacher night and let my kid's teachers have their pick.  It makes me a very popular parent!

I discovered in college that the key to doing laundry less often was a healthy supply of socks & underwear. I recommend you purchase twice the amount you think you or your kids will need from Hanes.  I buy all my hosiery & bras there as well.  Excellent quality, reasonable price, free shipping on bulk orders.

Timely Thrift

If you've been reading this blog for a bit, you know that I never buy my Clinique cosmetics unless the store is offering a bonus of free trial size cosmetics.  bloomingdale's time has come!  A free 8 piece gift w/ any $30 purchase from 8/28/13 to 9/14/13.

One more thing...

Last week, I received an overwhelming response to my post about MS.  I am grateful and humbled by reader's sharing their heartfelt stories.  I even heard from a high school friend I hadn't spoken to in more than 40 years!  Thank you all so much.  I will revisit the subject from time to time to share my coping mechanisms or just to vent.  In the meantime, please sign up to follow my blog and tell me what you're thinking. Remember, I'm a big girl but I have to know what I'm dealing with!

Next time...almost free tech!

Keep calm & carry on...Lori A. Bores