Back-to-school shopping can be a daunting time for many parents. Parents are often left asking the questions: “How am I going to afford this?” “Where is the best place to shop?” “Is this in my budget?”
Every parent wants to give their child the best for school, but the real question is how are you going to make it happen?
Some parents wonder why school supply lists contain items needed for the whole classroom and not just their student. The extra expense could be a burden to some parents, Byron Brown, 45, said. Brown is the father of a seventh grader and a senior in high school.
Shopping can be a difficult task for most, especially for parents with children entering school for the first time. So, how can those parents save money?
“Plan. Plan. Plan. Communicate plan to start early so you can get those things done,” Brown said. “Also communicate with the teacher the things you may not be able to purchase. The sooner the better.”
To keep back-to-school shopping affordable, Brown suggests buying a little at a time. This way parents aren’t spending hundreds of dollars at once, and for veteran shoppers, Brown offers some extra measures so you don’t break the bank.
“Recycle,” he added. “If things can be used again they definitely need to be used for more than one year.”
Even with these tips, parents are left wondering where to shop — especially if you want to get it all done in one store.
“I like Walmart,” Brown said. “I like how during the school season they have all of the school lists for townships, and they have all the supplies right up in front usually at very discounted prices.”
Walmart, like many retail stores, has special deals during the back-to-school season, as well as a selection of merchandise to choose from.
“We know it can be an expensive time of year for families, and we make every effort to ensure customers can find a wide variety of items at our everyday low prices both in stores and online.” Walmart corporate spokesperson Leigh Stidham said.
Buying affordable but quality products for children is an important factor for many parents.
“Having the low prices is important to our customers, so it’s important to us,” Stidham said.
Contact newsroom intern Adriana Brown at 317-924-5143.
