back to school spending

I have three kids two of which are in school. I don't even want to think about how much we have spent on school this year. I have one that I home school and ir cost us about five hundred dollars on her and she was cheaper than the rest..

Over the years we have spent very little on getting ready for school. We watch for the sales and buy school supplies for the year when they were on sale. Now it seems like you have to buy the right coordinating school supplies. I watched as a family went shopping and let the kids fill up the cart with every cute thing they couyld find. They had to have a note book with a cat on it and one that matched their backpack. I even saw cell phones with matching school accessories so you pen and pencil set was the same color as you cell phone. If the teachers have a lot of required items on the list don't be afraid to question why they need those specific supplies and when will they be used.

I am not finished yet with school shopping for my son but I have done well this year. I start my back-to-school shopping in June right after school gets out. Each week I pick up one or two things and save them. I try to find the sales, of course, to save even more. Walmart is a lifesaver for me for the supply end of it...I just watched for their super sale to start and stocked up on 10 cent notebooks and 30 cent filler paper, etc. I usually keep buying something each week through about October. So far, I'd estimate that I've spend less than $150 and he has everything he needs to start school except sneakers.