For those of us who are starting school in August we are in the thick of Back to School shopping mania. The list that my Kindergartener received is insanely long and will probably add up to close to $100 with a couple of uniform shirts. Add on 2 other kids and the amount of money that you have to lay out is INSANE.

So, here’s my top 5 tips to keep yourself from going off the deep end this time of year.

1. Shop Early. Yeah. A little late for some of us but as the specials roll out, just like at Christmas time, each store has their loss leaders to get you through the door. Take advantage of the obvious. Pencils, notebooks, crayons are usually the most common.
2. Pick and Choose Your Battles.  Clorox wipes, hand sanitizers, tissues….these items will all be collected and put in a supply closet for future use. If you are strapped for cash, send them in on your next paycheck…it even next month.
3. They Ask For Brand Names.  Again, pick and choose what MUST be brand names and what can be generic. I refuse to be a slave to a certain brand!
4. Swap and Shop sites. On Facebook, you can often find items like backpacks, expensive calculators or even gently used school uniforms. Do a little digging. You may be surprised!
5. Your Child Will Not Need Everything the First Day. I mean really? I get it. We don’t want our kids to have anxiety over not having what they need but do they REALLY need those headphones the first week? If it really stresses you out, go to the Dollar Store and get the stuff that will fall apart after a couple of uses. It’s a buck. You can always replace it.