Does Your Student Have All of Their Back to School Supplies: Tips to Prepare

Buying student back to school school supplies can be costly as well as confusing. Many parents wonder if some of the supplies are really necessary. Some parents aren't even sure what supplies the child needs for the class. Here are some ways that you can make sure you have the student back to school supplies your child needs without buying more than is needed.

• Go to the school website and get the list. If it is not posted there, you can usually get the list directly from the school. Some Walmart and Target stores also carry lists of supplies for specific schools in the area.
• Read through the list carefully. Some schools add on extra supplies in case a child is unable to purchase school supplies. The extra supplies go to the school and they disperse them to children who need them. If you don't want to buy these extra supplies, then contact the teacher to find out what your child needs specifically.
• If there are multiple supplies needed, such as 3 boxes of crayons, then buy them but send only what is needed on the first day. Nothing says you have to send every supply in your house to the school on the first day. Holding some back so that you can "replenish" when supplies are low or lost is a great cost-saving idea.

One of the main concerns that we as parents have is how we are going to pay for the child's first day of school supplies. While many of the items are very inexpensive, those inexpensive things do tend to add up. Use the tips below to help you to save some money as you prepare your child for going back to school.

• Use last year's supplies. I'm sure that many parents do this already, but it does need mentioning. If the binder from last year is different from what the child is interested in this year, then try removing the decorative paper from inside the plastic cover and replacing it with another item more relevant to the child's interests. If the cover is one solid piece you can always encourage your child to decorate it with beads, buttons, glitter and photographs.
• Try shopping at resale shops. You can often find new items here that are inexpensive.
• Trade with friends. If you have friends who have children in school, why not get together and bring all your supplies. You can swap with each other and eliminate buying things that were already available to you.
• Sign up with neighborhood programs such as "Shop With a Cop". There is no shame in meeting the needs of your child. Sometimes we all need a bit of help.
• Shop with friends and buy in bulk. If you buy in bulk, you will likely get a discount on the items. So, shop with a friend and divide up the items when you get home!
• Take advantage of the prepackaged school supplies. Web suppliers will now create a package based on your back to school supplies list!