Back-to-School shopping is in full effect with students returning to classes next week and here in Florida, parents have until the end of the month to take advantage of the tax free holiday and stock up without breaking the bank.
While consumers may be concerned about higher prices this year, shopping expert and mom Trae Bodge says having a good strategy can help you save.
“First of all, take inventory and it seems so obvious, but so many parents that I talked to don’t do this. Go through the backpack, see if there are supplies that can be reused, maybe give the backpack a good wash, have the kids try on all their clothes. You just have to make it fun for them, have them give you a fashion show, and then really get a sense of what they need,” said Bodge.
Back-to-school sales are already underway with deals at retailers like Target, Walmart, and Amazon.
“Instacart has something called ‘Deal Week,’ which is August 11th through the 17th. Where you can get a free lunch essential item every single day. Plus, from the 11th through September 2, you can get an exclusive 20% off at certain retailers, including Staples and Container Store,” said Bodge.
Shopping secondhand is another way you can save some money on new-to-you clothes.
“If you’ve got teens and tweens, they may resist this, but what I would suggest is show them what your budget is, take them to, say, a Goodwill or a Salvation Army, and show them how far that budget can go. It can go a long way. If you’re buying secondhand, and then maybe you buy a few new things as well,” said Bodge.
And if your kids are given some power over their back-to-school shopping, you may be surprised by how smart of shoppers they could become.
“So what I like to do is give them a gift card and let them shop for themselves. When they are shopping with their money versus your money, they will be so much more careful,” said Bodge.
Dolphin Mall says anyone who purchases $200 or more of items at any of their stores can bring their receipts to the information desk and receive a $25 gift card toward select athletic stores. The deal ends on August 10.
The tax free holiday in Florida runs all month long.
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