How to Save Big on Back-to-School Shopping

It is that time again; September is fast approaching. It is time to review your child’s back-to-school checklist and find all of the necessary items for the upcoming school year. Shopping for school supplies can be time-consuming and quite spendy. We have compiled a few tips on saving big while school shopping:

Search Around the House

Before going school shopping always search your home for items. You may be surprised on how many leftover items your child has from the previous school year. This will help you save money and will prevent you from purchasing unnecessary items.

Stick to the List

When shopping for school supplies it is very important to stick to what is on the list. Often times, especially when shopping with kids, parents will buy extra and unnecessary items. Ask yourself, does my child need the magnetic locker pencil organizer or will a pencil pouch do the job? When it comes to items you buy every year, simpler is always better.

Buy the Most Important Items First

Make sure to always buy the most important supplies first. This will ensure that you are getting the items your child needs while preventing unnecessary spending.

Shop Online

Check sites such as Amazon, Craigslist, and Etsy. They have lots of great deals this time of year on supplies. Often times, these items will come in bulk as well, which means you will be getting more while saving.

Be Thrifty

When buying items such as backpacks and clothing, check out you local thrift stores. Thrift shopping is the best way to find bargains and still get quality items; you never know what treasures await!

Buy Standard, Then Personalize

When school shopping kids always want the coolest folders and notebooks with pictures and sayings on them. But in reality, these are the most expensive folders and notebooks you can buy. A cute and fun idea would be to buy plain colored folders and notebooks and have your child spice them up using different crafts. This also lets your child be creative and is a great opportunity for bonding time for the two of you. Check out this great tutorial for some inspiration!

So when school shopping this year, make sure you follow the tips above. You will save more money and still get the items you need. In the meantime, check out our website to learn about the various fundraising campaign choices we offer. We wish you the best of luck this school year!

Ways to Get Your Child Involved WithThanksgiving

Flickr Creative Commons:Photo by woodleywonderworks

Thanksgiving is a time to spend with friends and family and be thankful for all the blessings in our lives.

This Thanksgiving, get the entire family together, and not just at the dinner table. Take away some of your stress Thanksgiving Day and have your child get involved in the kitchen! Almost all ages can help with kitchen prep, decorations, table setting and entertainment on Thanksgiving Day.

These eleven different ideas can add more meaning and eliminate chaos from your Thanksgiving dinner.

Age five and Under	Six through nine	Ten through twelve	Thirteen and older
Tear, Shred and Shuck: Instead of having your child work with knives, let them use their hands! Give your child tasks like washing potatoes, tearing bread for stuffing or shucking corn on the cob! Table Etiquette: Teaching dining etiquette at a young age is never a bad idea. Here is a great video that shows how to set a table and other dinning etiquette skills! Create Décor for the Home: Prior to Thanksgiving give your child Thanksgiving crafts that add a little extra flare to your home! Find thankful turkey crafts on our Pinterest page.	Go Shopping Together: Once you’ve made your shopping list, show your child different ingredients and differences between some foods in the store (yams and potatoes can be confusing). If you’re able, purchase local vegetables at the farmers market and encourage your child to ask the vendor questions!  Put them in Charge: Give your child more responsibility by putting them in charge of a dish that needs constant attention like basting the turkey! Just dough it: If your family is making homemade pies, let your child roll the pie dough out early Thanksgiving morning. Later on in the day, let your child organize the dinner roll dough on a cookie sheet.	Stage a Dinner Theater: Thanksgiving is not just about food and football. Have your pre-teens act out the first Thanksgiving dinner in a play for entertainment while eating. Measure their Math Skills: Challenge your child to show their math skills with a measuring cup set. During this, let them know the importance of proper measuring and the consequences that you could have! Teach Kitchen Safety: With age comes responsibility. Show your child the correct way to hold a kitchen knife, and how to handle raw foods. Remember to teach the importance of handwashing in the kitchen, as well!	Create a Catering Company: Have your child come up with a plan before Thanksgiving dinner. Let them plan the dishes and plan out the prep time as if they were their own catering company. Try Something New: Include your teenager on meal planning by having them find a new recipe that appeals to them. These 13 recipes are kid friendly and put a twist on original Thanksgiving dishes. Encourage your teens to create their own alterations to dishes like adding cheese to potatoes!