School will be back in session soon and that means that many parents are thinking (cringing) that it is time to head out and shell out the big bucks to get their children ready for the classroom. The school supplies, the new clothes, virtually everything, can mean big bills come month’s end, but all of this stuff is required, so what can you do? Well, take these back to school money saving tips to beat the blues – not break the bank!
Back to school money saving tips:
- Do an inventory of stuff you already have at home. Sure, fresh new pencils may look nice in that new pencil case, but chances are you already have a whole stash of them tucked away in a drawer somewhere – the same goes for the pencil case. Anything that can be reused saves money.
- Start your shopping early and do some research. Check out flyers for weekly deals and get the kids involved by having them cut out coupons for things that are actually needed.
- On the topic of things that are actually needed, make sure to head out shopping with a list – and stick to that list. Sure, you may get out there and be tempted by the myriad offerings, but that doesn’t mean these offerings are necessary – and this isn’t going to save you any money!
- Set a budget. Once you’ve done an inventory, clipped your coupons, and made your list, set a realistic budget and stay as close to it as possible.
For parents of post-secondary students, this can be an even more costly time of year. Here are a few back to school money saving tips for the older kids:
- Brown-bag that breakfast/lunch/dinner instead of eating at the cafeteria (this also helps to ensure that meals are healthier).
- Check out sales on used text books – often former students will put up ads, or you can check one of the many sites online to save a ton on previously used books.
- Make use of student status and cash in with student discounts on things like public transit passes, electronics or cell phone plans.
Our most important piece of advice for the back to school shopping season: avoid racking up even more credit card debt. It is easy to whip out that credit card and think you’ll worry about the bill later, but once later rolls around you’ll be kicking yourself. Payday loans are worse – so stay away from them as well. If you need some financial help, consider a personal loan with low, pre-set repayment terms that make it easy to fund back to school without breaking the bank.
Prudent Financial offers secured loans for even the most bruised credit. Call us today for more information: 1 -888-852-7647.