I stopped in a local discount store yesterday and the sales signs were everywhere. Remember in an earlier column I told you to wait if you could, on certain items until a week or so until after school? Well, that time is here and so are the deals waiting for you.

When I walked in the store backpacks were 50% off and school clothes were beginning to hit the sales and clearance racks. And with the Labor Day Weekend coming up, the sales are only going to get better.

So how can you buy so far in advance? It's easy. For the most part, the kinds of book bags on sale now will be the same basic styles next year, just not at half the price. Ask your kids to pick out a book bag that they would like for next year. And if your child attends a school where uniforms are required, buy the next size or two up from what the child wears now. I do it every year and it works perfectly. When a child wears uniforms, you don't have to worry about keeping up with fashion trends, so buy on sale!

If you weren't able to get those notebooks and spirals for cheap before school began, don't fear, office supply and discount stores are anxious to see all of the extra notebook paper, pencils, crayons and notebooks they have left over. Buy as much of that as you can and save it.

Stock up on shorts and tank tops for next summer too. Summer clothes are on clearance as stores prepare for fall and winter. This is a perfect time to get great deals on clothes your kids can wear next year (or later this year if you live in Florida like I do). The same rule applies, buy the clothing one or two sizes larger than what your child wears now.