Back-to-school time is always such a huge flurry of activity, and, usually quite an expensive time of year! With all of the clothes, shoes, school supplies, and backpacks you need to buy, you can easily drop a ton of money in just a very short period of time. I’ve found that the shoes are usually one of the areas that I’m willing to splurge on. But, of course, sometimes life just throws us a curve ball or two, and the purse strings only allow for some cheap back to school shoes.

Although cheap back to school shoes don’t typically hold up as well as the more expensive brands, you can get quite a bit of wear out of them during the school year before they need replaced. With proper care, you might even be able to make cheap school shoes last all year!

Here are a few tested tips to help you get away with some cheap school shoes…

#1. Do you research before you buy.

Like pretty much everything else, different brands of cheap shoes are…well, different. Some hold up well, and others fall apart in no time at all. Before you buy a pair of cheap sneakers for the kiddos for school, take a little time to compare different brands and look into reviews. You’ll probably find that some cheap shoes have excellent reviews, despite being inexpensive.

#2. Keep old shoes for play shoes.

Play shoes! Play shoes! Play shoes! I can’t stress the importance of play shoes, especially if you’re trying to get away with some cheap back to school shoes. Keep old shoes that still fit and are in generally good condition. Make sure the kids change out of their new school shoes and into their play shoes as soon as they get home! If all of your kids’ old shoes are too small or completely shredded, you can always hit up the thrift store for some super cheap play shoes! In fact, you may even luck out and find some gently used high quality shoes there as well!

#3. Rotate cheap shoes from time to time.

The fastest way to wear out cheap back to school shoes is have the kids wear them every single day. If possible, purchase a couple of pairs of cheap shoes and rotate them. Have them wear one pair one day and another pair the next day. This gives the shoes a little rest from time to time and prevents them from wearing out too quickly.

#4. Keep them clean.

Dirt and gunk accumulating on the outside of shoes is just going to make them wear out so much faster. Of course, it can be hard to keep kids out of dirt piles and mud puddles, so you’ll most likely need to clean their school shoes from time to time. Avoid tossing them in the washer, though, since this can be super hard on shoes, especially cheaper shoes! Instead, use a soft cloth or brush to wipe the outside of the shoes when they get dirty. It will keep them looking new and prolong their life.

#5. Save up for high quality shoes.

I completely understand the need for cheap school shoes sometimes, especially if you have several children. But, I also can’t stress the importance of high quality shoes for school. They typically last much longer, making them a better investment. If you have to, purchase cheap shoes for the first few weeks or months of school, but also try to save up enough money for some higher quality shoes. Keep your eye on sales too, since you can sometimes score some awesome deals on quality shoes once the back to school frenzy has come and gone!