How to save on school supplies in the USA: advice from teachers and more - ForumDaily
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How to Save on School Supplies in the USA: Teachers' Tips and More

Many parents may be shocked by the rise in the price of school supplies when they start preparing their children for school. Edition ABC7Chicago explained the reason, and suggested several solutions for families looking to save money.

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Spending on school supplies will hit a record $ 37,1 billion this year, according to the National Retail Federation. For many families, the increase in the cost of school supplies is adding new levels of stress.

“I had to say many times, ‘I think we have everything we need,’” Christina Kotis said. She watches the prices as she fills her cart with school supplies and clothes.

“A whole bunch of shirts,” she said.

This is all for her three children.

“I was sad because of COVID-19, I didn’t see my friends. I’m going back to school this year,” said one of Kotis’ children.

But everything has a price.

“Overall, I think prices have gone up,” Kotis said. And she's right.

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Consumer goods experts said prices for backpacks, clothing and school supplies are rising. In fact, prices for nearly all consumer goods are up more than 5% from last year, according to the latest inflation data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

The customer, Michelle Miralda, goes straight to the sales department to shop for her children.

“I won’t go to the regular section, the prices aren’t what they used to be,” she said.

Bankrate.com's Ted Rossman explains the rise in prices.

“Prices are rising for a variety of reasons, due to supply chain disruptions and higher costs. So higher transportation costs, higher production costs are costs that businesses pass on to their employees. This is all evidence of increased price pressure on school and other products,” Rossman said.

Despite some reports of a shortage of school supplies, a team of journalists went to several stores and found that there were many different items on most of the shelves. However, some of them were starting to look a little empty, so you might not want to wait until the last minute to buy what you really need.

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The National Retail Federation said families are expected to spend an average of $ 848 per primary or high school student this year, nearly $ 60 more than last year. College students spend an average of $ 1, an increase of $ 200.

“It's a good reminder to parents that you may not need to buy everything new. Think about what you already have at home, or try to find items that are low or free, Rossman said. —Your friends or neighbors might be happy to share unused items if you use them carefully. Pack your bags for college students, maybe you know someone who has an old couch, microwave, or desk.”

You can also check out second-hand stores and online classifieds, for example on the Facebook Marketplace. On the electronics and tech front, you can save money by buying refurbished items at places like Apple Store and WalMart. You also don't have to buy everything at once.

“You don't really need all this on the first day. Many of these items will be even more discounted after Labor Day and after the first day of school,” Rossman added. “Find out what you need right now, and then buy everything else at discounts.”

In addition, it is worth noting that scammers become active at this time of the year. The Better Business Bureau said fake websites could target buyers. You can pay and never receive items. You should only shop from retailers you know and trust and be skeptical about prices that seem too low to you. Use a credit card if you might need to dispute a charge.

How to save

The increase in costs may be due to the need to purchase additional materials due to the pandemic. For example, face masks, hand sanitizers, personal packets of wipes, and sanitizing wipes can be considered a must for students choosing full-time education this school year. Yahoo!.

Since teachers shop for all of their students and classes every year, here are some tips to help you save money, straight from the experts.

Kyle Bose, a personal finance instructor at Kettering Fairmont in Kettering, Ohio, has many tips for those looking to save on school supplies.

First, Bose suggests looking beyond your normal shopping cycle to find deals on school supplies. “Even non-traditional places like Walgreens, CVS, etc. offer incredible deals and sometimes they don't take advantage of them because most people follow the big box retailers instead,” he said.

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Bose also recommends giving preference to generic or private label brands over name brands to save money.

“Don’t fall prey to name brands, especially for basic school supplies,” he said. “Most private label consumables are manufactured in the same factory and to the same or better quality or standards as name brand products.”

For college students, Bose had another piece of advice: “Take advantage of student discounts,” he said. “Once you get your student ID from college, you can use it at hundreds of stores to get 10%-20% discounts.”

Bose also recommends looking at what you can get from college first before spending money on things like furniture.

“Most dorms don’t need a ton of furniture to make the space livable,” he said. “You’d be surprised what people will give up when they help others.” Find parents whose kids may be graduating from college or friends moving out of dorms and see if they have furniture they don't need. This will save you from buying new furniture."

Matt Matheson, teacher, director and owner of Family Money School, echoes Bose's belief that unknown brands are the best choice.

“When it comes to back-to-school shopping, it's easy to spend a ton of money buying name brands,” Matheson said. — Whether it's the newest $300 jeans or $50 crayons, don't get caught up in the brand madness. This will leave a huge hole in your wallet."

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“Instead, choose generic items or store brands, especially when it comes to new clothes. And no one will see the difference. If your child insists on name brands, after you've explained everything, head to the thrift store and look for great deals. There are certain stores that specialize in high-end brands, and you're sure to find great deals,” he says.

Amanda Ramkissoon, a high school math teacher and author of The Frugal Mom Guide, recommends doing something different to save on school supplies—buying at home.

“I’m a big proponent of reusing what you already have,” she said. - There is no need to spend hundreds of dollars on something you already have at home. If you look around your home, I'm pretty sure you'll find pens, pencils, markers, notebooks with a used page or two, sticky notes, and more. Why not use them instead of buying new ones? You’ll be surprised how much you can save when shopping for a home.”

Natalie Grant, a mother, veteran teacher and co-founder of We the Parents, said she knew all too well about the unexpected burden of buying school supplies.

“You can save big on school supplies while keeping your kids busy during the holidays,” Grant said. - How? One word: upcycling. There are tons of incredible upcycling tutorials online that you and your kids can follow at home. Get creative by upcycling old or used backpacks, pencil cases, lunch boxes, and many other “must-haves.” And before you roll your eyes, search Pinterest first. Soon your college kid will be ready to rock today's fashion looks in just about any style."

“This year we bought a used version of an iconic, cool and usually very expensive backpack for my daughter. Due to the small hole, the price for it was crazy. We bought a few pieces and then spent a great day creating something gorgeous that she now loves. And all this for a fraction of the regular price. Double win,” she notes.

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