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BACK TO SCHOOL SHOPPING:TAKE STOCK OF WHAT YOU HAVE
You may read the above headline and think, “back to school shopping?” “Now is not the appropriate time to consider this, after all, September is so far away!” Further more, some of you, both parents and students, have already abandoned any thoughts concerning school, as most academic school terms have been recently terminated. Yes, it may be time to relax, but it’s also a good time to be wise. Casually, during this “vacation period” you can cleverly monitor the present stock of back to school supplies at home.
Taking your stock and being the early bird does not infer that you rush to the books and supplies stores for what you do not have, instead, you are more or less keeping and inventory to make your shopping “frenzy free” and your purchasing decisions easier and wiser.
THere are some tips that can assist you with early stocktaking:
- Keep book and supplies list handy- On the last day of school, a list is distributed outlining the supplies children need when they return to school. This will serve as your checklist to determine the supplies you already have.
- Prepare your inventory- start by taking a thorough inventory of what you already have. List all the items that you need in order of priority. By prioritizing your shopping list, you easily can trim unnecessary items by cutting from the bottom.
- Teachers unique requirements- Keep in mind that each teacher will have his or her own requirements, so ensure that you have your supply list in hand before making any purchases in order to eliminate nonessential expenses.
- Avoid fad items. Avoid keeping in stock fad items, such as "Garfield" or "Spider-Man 2" backpacks that will not be cool a few months from now.
- Accessory and clothing stock- Even though there does not seem to be enough accessories and clothing in stock (book bags, sneakers etc) limit your buying until after school starts, allowing you to spread out the expense over the year. Above all, inevitably, your son or daughter will return to school and discover some new fashion they simply must have.
While shopping early is a good idea, do not ignore bargains at back-to-school sales, and find out whether your state holds a sales tax-free shopping event in August.
Remember consumers you have the RIGHT to consumer education, whereby it is in your right to acquire the knowledge and skills to be an informed and assertive consumer. Also the RESPONSIBILITY is yours to demand the best value for your money.
Remember, the power is yours!
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