Can you believe we’re already in July? We’ve already seen all those awesome sales for back to school supplies and clothing start to pop up and if you’re not ready it might just catch you off guard. Here are a few ways you can save while back to school shopping!

1. Check Your Own Closet – First thing you’ll want to do is see what you already have. Open your drawers, check in your closet and on your desk for all the office supplies you have. Then make a note of what each kid will need for their class and if you’re running low in your closet. You’ll also want to go through your kids’ closets and see what you’ve already bought for this coming year. This is a great time to sort out what doesn’t fit and donate it too!
2. Set Limits/Make Your List – Once you know what you already have, mark off anything you won’t need to buy this year. If you’ve stocked up on enough pencils, make sure you cross that off your list. If you’re going to need a couple of new pencil boxes, make sure you mark that down on your list.
3. Make a Budget – This could be different for everyone but you’ll want to sit down and make a budget. Set aside some money for clothing your kids might need and supplies you’re going to need to purchase. Don’t forget to look at their backpacks and see if they need new ones this year.
4. Use Coupons & Shop The Ads – We’re going to start to see printable coupons as well as school supply coupons in your local newspaper. Make sure you’re watching for those and set them aside to use when you see a sale. Pairing these coupons with sale prices will score you some killer deals on your back to school basics.
5. Buy in Bulk – Once you know something you need is going to be on sale, stock up on enough to get you through the year and even a few extras to donate if you can. This is where you need to know your own budget and how much you can spend on each item you need.

If you don’t know what a good price is and when to stock up on your basic back to school supplies you can checkout this previous post! These are your stock up prices you’ll want to watch for when scanning the ads!