From backpacks to binders, there are a lot of supplies your children need for the school year.
But all that shopping doesn't have to be stressful.
Here are some ways you can save time and money:
- Shop on Sunday or Monday. Stores tend to run out of supplies quickly as we gets closer to the start of the school year.
- Take advantage of "loss leaders". One pricing strategy stores use is to sell an item for such a low price that they either lose money or break even on the sale. The tactic is designed to get you in the store to buy other things, but don’t pass up a chance to save a lot of money.
- Backpacks can you $40 or more for some of the more popular styles. If that’s too steep for you, check out the app Hollar, where you can snag them for $5 to $10.
- Take advantage of price matching. You don’t have to go to 10 different stores to get the best deal. Staples, Target, Kohl’s and Office Max all offer some form of price matching. You should also keep the Amazon app handy because some stores will match the online retailer's price on the spot.
- Don’t bother scouring the internet for coupon codes. Visit joinhoney.com and download the extension. Honey automatically finds and applies discount codes at checkout when you're shopping online. Honey will try all of the known coupon codes for each store's site, getting you the best deal possible.
