Back to School Savings & Last Minute Travel Tips
It happens every year. It cannot be stopped. Its time to go back to school! Could it be the kids or the parents who are more excited? Its not long now until we all start thinking again about going to bed early, making those school lunches and back-to-school shopping. Its right around the corner and buying those school supplies can get pricey with all the lists and required items needed for class these days.
There are ways to lighten the load on your back-to-school wallet with these simple tips:
- See what you have. Check out what your child might have left over from last year before rushing out to buy a new one. Even reusing things like pencil boxes or binders can help to save a little money.
- Start early. This is probably one of the best and less hectic tactic for buying school supplies. The closer that you get to the school year beginning, the more likely you will be to knocking elbows with the last minute procrastinator who can't decided between a blue and a green calculator.
- Come prepared with a list preferably. Most schools will provide you with a list of supplies needed, but if they don't make your own. Walking in knowing what you need will cut down on distractions and temptations and in the end will save you money.
- Watch sale ads and circulars. Do your homework! Stores like Walmart and Target will lower their prices starting early in the summer and they will get even lower by the beginning of the school year. Yet, with so many office supply stores nowadays, they all compete for back-to-school sales and lower their prices drastically to get you in their doors. The downfall to office supply stores is they tend to run out of stock for items that are very low-priced and sell quickly. Your best bet is to watch all their sale ads and get there early.
- Shop during a Tax Free Weekend. A lot of states are now offering an annual Tax Free Weekend. This is a great time to rack up extra savings on your school supplies. You'll not only save on the tax of your purchases, but many stores will have major sales to get you to buy from them. You can find out if your state offers a Tax Free Weekend here.
Before they start brushing up on homework-help skills or setting those bedtimes, many families will hit the road for a last summer road trip or getaway before its back to school. We all know that vacations can be costly, but once again there are small things you can do to save your family some money by planning.
- Budget, budget, budget. This is my #1 tip for saving money on and during a vacation. Know how much you are going to spend before you spend it. This will keep your money in check while you are off in paradise. Allocate amounts for different activities like dining, entertainment, souveniers, etc.
- Once again, research and do your homework on the area that you are visiting. If its a big city, find out if there are hotels on the outskirts and stay there. Hotels inside the city are always higher in price while a hotel even just a few miles down the road might save you up to $50 a night. Cabins, condos or houses can be cheaper to rent by the week, so see if these might be available in the area. Check online for free activities in the area like state parks or museums. Places like these will not only save you money, but will provide entertainment while being educational at the same time.
- Cook your own meals if at all possible. If where you stay has a kitchen, you can save loads of money by cooking your own meals, even if just one meal a day. Eating out can become very expensive, especially with larger families and a short trip to the local grocery store can help you save on food throughout the whole vacation. If you do go out to eat, order water with your meals. Sodas cost a lot these days and only add to your restaurant bill.
- Say no to touristy traps. Many big cities or vacation spots know that travelers come their way and can try to lure you in with big advertisements. Be sure to think again before jumping into a tourist trap which are sometimes not what they are cracked up to be and can be a waste of money as well.
About the Author:
Amy Edmiston writes on her blog Saving with Amy, where she shares her passion of saving money with other moms (and dads) through coupons, fabulous deals and steals, freebies and more.
Posted by Sok on October 20, 2010 Tags: Back to School , Travel Savings
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