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Expert Advice: Cut the Chaos with Back-to-School Basics
Parenting contributor Lian Dolan on saying “no” to new purchases
The new pencil boxes are here! The new pencil boxes are here! It’s time for the annual back-to-school shopping blitz for everything from cute jeans to solar-powered backpacks that can re-charge an MP3 player on the go! But this year we’re all looking to save a few dollars. I polled some real moms and dug deep into my own playbook to Cut the Chaos (and the price tag) for the back-to-school season.
Before you hit the stores
Don’t make it about money; make it about responsibility. “Even if you had all the money in the world, would you buy your daughter $250 jeans?” asks Colleen, mother of two teens. Teach your children that the goal is to purchase what they really need, not what they simply want. Spending wisely and eliminating wasteful purchases is an earth-friendly, family-friendly policy. Use this shopping experience to establish good, lifelong financial habits. And don’t forget. Be a role model!
“Shop” at home first. Dig through desk drawers and closets, and you’ll probably discover half the items on your list: colored pencils, crayons, forgotten shorts, and books from older siblings. Throw last year’s backpack in the washer, add some cool patches from your summer travels, and voilá, new backpack! Money saved is money earned. The more you find at home, the more money you’ll get to spend on new items.
Delay, delay, delay. Wait a month to buy those gotta-have-it purchases, and the desire might just disappear. Ask your kids: Can you get one more season out of those cleats? Do you need the new sweater today when you won’t be able to wear it for months? How about that new phone for your birthday? Buy the minimum now and supplement later, if needed.
Checkout Lane Tactics
Stick with your budget. Obvious, but not always easy! Set a reasonable budget for the must-have purchases. For teens and older tweens, this may mean handing over a set amount of money for clothes or new electronics and letting them choose how to spend it. One designer item or several sale items? Resale shop or department store? Give them the purchasing power, and let them live with their choices, says Sue from New Jersey, who uses this method with her daughter. You’ll be surprised at the thrift when it’s their money!
No negotiations. Once the budget is firm, no wheeling and dealing, advocates Meg, mother of one teen. If you tend to cave, try a cash-only policy when shopping. And if the kids whine that they’ll pay half for more expensive items, don’t agree unless they have the money on hand. No IOUs!
About the author: Lian Dolan is a writer, mother, Satellite Sister and creator of The Chaos Chronicles, a podcast, blog and Website about modern motherhood.
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I loved this article. I am a mother of three teenagers: 17, 16 & 13. When it comes time for back to school purchases I dread it. The 17 and 16 year olds have summer jobs and are responsible for their own purchases. I purchase the undergarments and school supplies for all and clothing for the 13 year old. The girls: 13 & 16 have started thrift shopping for what they can get without paying full price but the boy: 17 year old tends to shop for the latest trends and ends up spending all of his summer money and some of mine as well. With today's ecomony, I agree to shop at home, stay within a budget, saying no to the I will pay you back and suggest shopping at Thrift Stores (you would be suprised at many items that still have tags on them!!).
Great article. I "shopped at home" first and already had quite a few items on my daughter's supply list. I also got items on sale from Walgreens and the local grocery store--not typical spots for back-to-school supplies, but they were great sales that even beat Walmart's prices.