Thrifty Thinking: Back to School Savings Tips

For most, retail therapy -- whether consciously or unconsciously -- is usually guaranteed  to relieve stress; unless it’s for the Back-to-school (BTS) season. A recent survey found that 29% of parents reportedly feel stressed about BTS shopping and more than a quarter feel anxious. To make matters worse, BTS shopping is becoming a literal source of grief: More than 1 in 5 parents would describe it as “a pain in the neck.”

 A few  highlights from the study include: 

• Cram Session: More than half (57%) of parents reportedly spend 3 hours or more shopping for BTS items. 
• Think on Your Feet: More than 1 in 5 (22%) say shoes were the single most expensive item purchased during BTS shopping season last year. The top three items parents said they were most likely to purchase second hand/used or pass down from an older sibling were calculator (39%), jacket/coat (35%) and laptop (24%).
• Something Borrowed: More than 1 in 3 parents (34%) have reportedly purchased a smartphone for their child(ren) as part of BTS shopping. Of those, 30% purchase a new smartphone every year and 28% every other year.

According to the survey conducted by Flipp, a free shopping app with coupons and circulars from top retailers, many parents still go over budget even if they have a plan of action for back-to-school shopping. And this year, parents plan to spend an average of $440 during their haul, so every bit of savings helps. With Flipp, you can easily find deals on everything from clothes to electronics at places like Macy’s, Walmart, Staples, and more.

The full survey results are linked here.

Looking for ways to save? Check these out.

Back-To-School Savings Tips from Lauren Greutman, Flipp Saving Expert

• Student Discount: Take advantage of student discounts to get a certain percentage off your purchase of clothing, electronics and more.
• Price Matching: Some retailers will match competitor prices if you are able to find a new, currently available lower price elsewhere. Plus, some retailers will discount the item by an additional 10%! 
• Apps to Help You Save: Use Flipp to find the best prices in your area. Create your shopping list, share it with your spouse, and you are on your way to saving a lot of money. Flipp is a free shopping app and website that brings circulars, coupons and deals right to your phone so you can plan your weekly shopping trip and save time and money each week.
• Buy Now, Use Later: During back to school season, you can typically find great deals on crayons, paint sets and markers. I often stock up on these during back to school season and save them until my kids birthday parties and put them in the kids goody bags that come.
• Solo Shopping: Keep the kids at home when school shopping and skip the trendy character patterned notebooks. You will save more money making a list and going without the kids.
• Where to Shop: Don’t forget about the drug stores like CVS, Walgreens, and Rite Aid. These stores offer very competitive sales as long as you are signed up for their loyalty programs.
• Splurge-worthy Items: Parents should splurge on more expensive backpacks and lunch pails.  The same lunch pail and backpack can last your child their entire schooling.