back to school hacks

8 Back-To-School Hacks That Will Save You Money

It’s hard to believe that the 2022-2023 school year is less than a week away. With a brand-new school year just around the corner, do you already have a plan for your back-to-school expenses?

At iMoney we are dedicated in helping our readers save money and budget smarter. That’s why we have created a list of 8 tips that will help you prepare financially for your back-to-school shopping. Get the most out of your hard earned money with these tips! They take little effort on your part, but it has potential to save you thousands.

1. Reduce, reuse, recycle!

Before you head to the store to buy brand new supplies, go through your home and take inventory on what you already have.

Just reuse items in good condition. Check your drawers and closets for any office supplies you were unaware you had. Go through these items and determine what can be reused for the upcoming school year before you make your back-to-school list. Old school uniform from the previous school year that are still in good shape will give you no reason to buy a new one.

Swap with other parents. Back-to-school is a great time to talk to your friends, extended family and other parents to find out what items they have but no longer need. They are also looking to save this school year too, and they may have some of the things you need, and vice versa. Suggest having an exchange day, where everyone brings unused or outgrown items to swap for items they need. Not only will you save money, but you will also help another local family save money on their back-to-school expenses.

Quick tips
Reusing supplies from home could save you a ton of money, not to mention eliminate waste.

2. Buy second hand books

There’s really no need to buy a brand new school reference materials such as books. Whether they’re new or not-so-new, they’ll basically have the same contents. The best way to cut down your back-to-school expenses is to buy the books from students of higher grades than your kid.

How to find them? simple! Try to socialize with parents during enrollment season and ask around. You can also join parents-teachers gathering during the start of the school year and befriend other parents. Or, you can simply buy the books from someone you know, it can also be much cheaper that way.

3. Focus savings on pricey items

There will be numerous sales on small back-to-school items such as crayons and pencils at numerous merchants. Thus, finding the best price on small items could take a considerable amount of work, and result on not saving a lot of money. You’ll spend the same amount of time saving thousands on a new laptop as you will saving 10 pesos on a pack of pencils.

That’s why we recommend focusing your energy on researching where to get the best deal on big-ticket items such as computers, clothes, backpacks, and other electronics. You can get many of these items for much cheaper a few weeks before schools starts.

4. Look for discount,  coupons, and vouchers online!

Do you follow your favorite brands on social media networks like Facebook and Twitter? If you don’t, you may want to start. Many companies send their followers and fans coupons via social media, and notify them before big sales.

If you want to get the best deals on back-to-school shopping this year, make sure to check out your favorite stores’ social media sites for exclusive discounts. Otherwise, you can check out coupon sites for discount vouchers.

Don’t forget to take advantage of student discounts. Student discounts aren’t just for the jeepney — you’d be surprised how much you can save just by using a student discount at certain establishments.

5. Shop and compare products online!

Shopping online will help you save money in many ways, not just with discounts vouchers and coupons, but also by providing you the means to find and compare products and their prices in different online shopping sites.

Same goes for online stores such as Lazada. They’re known for having huge discounts during certain seasons. Additionally, you can subscribe to their newsletter to be always in the know of the latest deals! As annoying as spam mails may seem, they’re actually pretty helpful once in awhile.

Price comparison sites such as iprice.ph and pricepanda can help you find the best deals online by allowing you to sort the list of products of your choice according to their prices: from cheapest to the most expensive.

6. Buy in bulk

It’s no secret that buying in bulk is much cheaper than buying individual items from a retail store. Often school supplies will go on sale late in the summer, which provides you with an opportunity to buy much more for less. When these sales occur, consider buying enough to last your children throughout the entire school year. Having a full year’s supply of essential items like crayons, pens, pencils will help you avoid buying items throughout the year at regular price.

In addition, if you or one of your friends has a warehouse membership, consider buying essential items in bulk and splitting the cost amongst your friends

7. Make a list and plan your expenses

Before hitting the stores to shop for back to school items, make a list and stick to it. Go through the things you already have and assess which ones can be used for another school year, and which ones need replacing.

Pieces you can consider include tank tops, colorful T-shirts, and items like belts and bracelets. “Kids usually don’t outgrow the accessories,” she says, so accessories you buy this summer could last your kids for a longer time than other clothing items.

Also take into consideration the needs they will have for the grade level they’re attending, and budget accordingly. Armed with a list of what you truly need, you can head to the shops knowing that you won’t overspend.

8. Take advantage of credit card deals

If you have a credit card, chances are there is a credit card promo that can save you money on back-to-school purchases. Some providers offer 0% installment plans while others offer discounts on back to school items at partner merchant stores.

Before you go shopping, check your credit card provider’s website for the latest back-to-school promotions. You can also view credit card requirements using our site and compare the different privileges and benefits that will best fit your lifestyle. If you’re looking to get a credit card, we can certainly help pick out the right one for you. All it takes is just a few clicks.

The start of a new school year doesn’t have to be financially stressful. Putting these 8 back-to-school savings tips into practice will help you stress less so you can focus on preparing your children for a successful school year ahead.

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