Summer is beginning to wind down, and with that comes some people\u2019s favorite (and in some cases, least favorite) time of year: back to school season. Parents and students alike often rush to the stores to buy new supplies for the upcoming academic year, and the expenses can add up and create financial stress. Although, back to school sales can be great to save, they also use these sales tactics to get you to buy things that are not necessary. Here are some tips to help you shop for school smarter.
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Take Inventory<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n First thing\u2019s first: you should always be taking an inventory of what you already have vs. what you need to purchase. Get organized and set a budget. You may not recall as you are rushing to get to the stores, but some supplies, like notebooks, pens, etc., might still be in your current inventory from last year\u2019s sales. If that\u2019s case, there may not be a need to go out and buy all of those items you initially thought you needed. If you check your inventory, you\u2019ll find excess supplies you\u2019ve stored away. Don\u2019t buy more than you need. <\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n Be Wary of BOGO Sales<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n In the same token as above, BOGO (buy one, get one) are always enticing. If you need multiple of a specific item, sales like these will absolutely save you money. However, there may be some of these sales that are for supplies that you might only need one of. You may figure to get the second one at half off, but you\u2019ll eventually never use it. This is up to your judgement, as you might need that item years down the road, but you may want to reconsider if you really need it or not.
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