Back-to-School Bargains

This is the time when I work very hard to find the best bargains for my money. With a child in college and five other children in school, purchasing what they need for school can be very expensive. From purchasing new clothes, shoes, getting hair done, and buying school supplies, I really spend a lot of money. Being on a fixed budget, figuring out who has the best deals is a plus. Finding unique ways to cut cost in half not only saves me money but a lot of time. Below are eight unique ways that I save cash during the back-to-school season.

Ebay

This is a great place to find just about anything. There are people there that are letting go items for some really good prices. Just the other day, I sort of browsed through their online auctions just to see what people are selling for kids. They have a large variety of just about everything children need for school. They sell book bags, clothes, shoes, accessories, socks, coats, jackets, school uniforms and even school supplies. There are some sellers that have their own ebay store but some that will allow people to bid on items. If bidders are really lucky, they can get some pretty cool deals.

Walmart

I enjoy doing my shopping for school supplies at Walmart because there are times when they actually sell certain items for pennies. When I say pennies I mean I've bought paper for about twenty five cents and pocket folders for even less. This is a great opportunity to stock up for the entire year. Walmart is a one-stop-shop for me. I can purchase my kids food for the lunches that they take to school. I can take care of a lot of their school clothes and if children wear school uniforms, they can be purchased there. Looking their best head to toe is a great way to start out their new year. I get all of the supplies I need to do their hair and other personal care items as well.

Coupons

This is a great time to pull out those store or manufacturer's coupons. Walmart accepts coupons from competitors and manufacturer's coupons. From time-to-time, there are coupons in the Sunday paper for school supplies. If the kids need to take lunches to school, this is another time and way to take advantage of great savings.

Yard Sales

One of my favorite places to shop is at yard sales. Yard sales often have a variety of things. The news paper advertises where the latest yard sales will be. Some of these ads go so far as to let people know exactly what will be sold. This is a great way to purchase gently used clothes, shoes, book bags, and notebooks. Getting a head start by being there early is a plus.

Thrift Shops

Thrift shops are another place where people can find used or even new items for children. Coats for the winter, lunch boxes, clothes, shoes, book bags and even more can be found for low, low prices. I'll be honest, I enjoy shopping at yard sales a lot better that thrift shops because the prices at yard sales are much lower.

Dollar Stores

One thing I always believe in doing is to keep myself a good dollar store. Dollar Tree is one of my favorite because you may already know or guessed that everything is a dollar. Dollar tree is not a great place to find clothes but most of the school supplies that kids need can be found there. They have a lot of personal care items, socks, hair accessories, and hair supplies. The other dollar stores like Family Dollar and Dollar General have a limited amount of clothes for children. They even have shoes but honestly I am not so sure that I trust the quality of the shoes they sell.

Clearance Racks

Now the larger department stores and even a lot of smaller fashion boutiques will almost always have clearance sales or items. I enjoy hitting the clearance racks to see what I can find. A couple of years ago, my daughter actually purchased shirts for a dollar a piece. Some of the larger department stores even allow people to become a part of rewards programs and have their own store coupons.

Consignment Shops

This is another one of my favorite places to shop. I would like to say that consignment shops are like upscale thrift shops. People bring in their gently used items so that the shop can sell them. This is also a great opportunity to sell your kids clothes, shoes, and accessories, that they can no longer use. It's a win, win situation. Earn a little extra cash and shop for new items for children. I love consignment shops because they are very particular about the items that they receive. Shoppers can find a lot of the latest trends and name brand items.

Shopping for back-to-school items can be very expensive and time consuming. By using all of the options that available, a person can save big. Bargain shopping may take a little extra planning but can be a very fun and rewarding way to save.