August 21, 2006
Topic: Back to school
Reporter:
Brace yourselves, parents. The figures are in. Families with school-aged children will spend an average of $500 on back-to-school items. And, that's not including the extras -- book sales, bake sales, soccer equipment and piano lessons. But there are ways to save when gearing up for another school year and David Clark is here to tell us how.
David Clark:
With a little planning, you can save money on all the back-to-school items your kids will need. Parents should have a clear idea of what they want to get and what they want to spend. Back-to-school shopping should be just an exaggerated extension of your normal shopping process. The most important thing you should do is follow a budget and set spending goals. …show more content…
Don't budget for every specific item. For example, don't say you will spend $19.95 on pants, and $2.95 on notebooks. Instead budget for the big picture and pick a dollar amount to cap on your spending.
Reporter:
What is the best way to save money with all these items that need to be bought?
David Clark:
To save money, you should take inventory of what's in the house and recycling last year's school supplies before shopping.
While kids might cringe at the idea of hand-me-downs, they may be far more receptive to the concept of recycling school supplies and clothing as a way to contribute to the family's financial environment and save money toward other wants and needs.
For items you don’t already have, start out by checking the paper for sales and looking for consignment stores and outlets. By doing so you will certainly save money. But the one place you should avoid is the mall. You will definitely spend too much if you go there.
Reporter:
What about layaway plans or any other ways to make sure you don’t go into debt at back-to-school time each year?
David