Thrifty Thinking: Stretching Your Dollar with Back-to-School Shopping

Back-to-school time can be bittersweet for parents and kids alike. For kids it means an end to the care-free days of summer. And for parents it means an expensive annual tradition. But back-to-school shopping doesn’t have to break the bank. By planning ahead, there are plenty of ways to be a smart shopper and save.

The NFCC suggests the following tips for parents as they kick-off back-to-school shopping:

• Begin with a plan. 
• Clip coupons and be on the lookout for sales. 
• Stay on budget! 
• Develop a budget and stick to it. 
• Buy in bulk. 
• Avoid the parking lot and shop online. 
• Hang on to your receipts. 

NFCC Member Agencies provide financial reviews and education to millions of consumers each year in person, over the phone, or online. Every NFCC Member Agency client receives comprehensive money management services based on their individual needs. NFCC Member Agencies provide a variety of free and affordable services including credit and budget counseling, housing and foreclosure mitigation counseling, bankruptcy counseling, and financial education courses. The National Foundation for Credit Counseling (NFCC), founded in 1951, is the nation's largest and longest-serving national nonprofit credit counseling organization. NFCC Member Agencies provide financial reviews and education to millions of consumers each year in person, over the phone, or online. NFCC Members are located in all 50 states and Puerto Rico, and provide free and affordable services including budget counseling and education, financial literacy courses, housing counseling, bankruptcy counseling and education, counseling referral services, and debt management plans. To schedule an appointment with an NFCC Certified Financial Professional visit www.DebtAdvice.org. To learn more, like NFCC Debt Advice, follow @NFCCDebtAdvice, visit the NFCC Youtube channel, and read the NFCC blog.