10 Back to School Saving Money Tips

We all love saving money, but yet still want value for our dollar. Here are a few, okay 10 Tips to Saving Money during Back-to-School shopping!
1. Have your back to school supplies list handy, and with you at all times. Usually Sundays, and now Wednesday or Thursday's daily newspapers have lots of flyers and ads for stores offering everything from folders and backpacks to calculators and laptops. Go through all of the flyers and make notes as to who is offering the best deals. You don't want to be driving all over town either, this isn't going to save you gas or money.
2. Set a budget. You may not need to have everything for the first few days of school. If you can purchase the necessary items first, then purchase the rest as you are able to more comfortably. This often helps the family budget.
3. When driving around to pick up supplies, it's best if you can consolidate your trips. Don't just run out for a few items here and then run out again. Plan your driving around so you're not making extra trips.
4. Print coupons from online! There are numerous websites and blogs that offer specials and coupons and you can type in what you are looking for and usually find a coupon or special.
5. Don't forget the Dollar Stores and Dollar General, they often have good buys on paper and other elementary supplies. Probably not the expensive calculators older kids will need.
6. Buy in bulk. Shopping at Sam's Club and other membership stores offers some benefits if you have the money and space to purchase food and staples in bulk. You can also go in with a friend and buy your supplies together, that way two of you come out ahead.
7. Shop at stores where you get rewards and points. By doing this throughout the year you can receive store credit or Rewards bucks that come in handy for ink and other supplies.
8. Shop over the period of several weeks, different deals will come about over time.
9. Look for alternatives in supplies, maybe different brands or generics.
10. Anticipating needs in the future will help too. Go to parent/teacher night or open house and get a copy of the syllabus. This will give you a heads up for projects and events so plan ahead and break them down into doable projects without being overwhelming.
wrote this blog post while participating in the TwitterMoms and Staples blogging program, making me eligible to get a $50 gift card. For more information on how you can participate, click here.” (make sure you link to: http://staples.twittermoms.com/about)