6 Tips To Save Money on Back-to-School Supplies for 2024

Comedians love to riff on the idea of “Christmas creep," or how holiday merch spills over aisles as Halloween approaches. And yet, who doesn't love a little early holiday spirit? On the flip side, what's no joke to kids is seeing back-to-school (BTS) supplies crowding out pool noodles and water blasters. Is this early merchandising part of retailers' goals to get you to buy more? Probably—and their ploy works well, with 22% of consumers reportedly starting BTS shopping in early June.¹

In fact, the annual Amazon Prime Day (scheduled for July 16 and 17, 2024) is often considered the unofficial kickoff to the BTS shopping season.²

These early opportunities can actually be a powerful aid to your BTS budget, and with consumer sentiment sagging, your budget might feel tighter than ever.³ This 2024 BTS shopping guide can help you nab the best prices with the least possible effort.

1. Create a Comprehensive BTS Budget

Your budget likely fluctuates depending on your child's age and stage. Are you outfitting an entire dorm room or just filling an existing backpack with fresh notebooks and writing utensils? The first step should be to make a wish list, prioritize it and break it down by cost.

To build a budget, start by assembling supply lists according to grade. You can usually find a supply list on the school's website, or it might come home in the school's communication. That will give you a good idea of the supplies you're expected to provide, and you can add other items depending on your child's needs and your budget.

For older students, you may need to invest in pricier electronics or equipment for extracurriculars, so don't forget to add those to your list.

Once you know what to buy, you can start organizing your finances and determining how to allocate your budget. This is an ideal time for students of any age to start practicing how to manage their own money by creating a budget and tracking it to see where their money goes. Help them open a savings account to put money away for higher-ticket items to which they can contribute.

2. Shop at Alternative Locations

Before heading to the nearest mall or big-box site, think about where you can get the best prices for everything on your wish list. Here are some nontraditional places to consider:

• • Dollar stores: Find basics like journals, simple calculators, poster board and even food containers for the lunch box.
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• • Office supply stores: These can be great places to stock up on notebooks, pens and desk accessories.
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• • Neighborhood swap: The best price is free. Organize a clothing and equipment swap with neighbors to pass on still-usable items to families with younger kids. Or check out online equivalents like Facebook Marketplace or your local Buy Nothing group.
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• • Secondhand stores/sites: Check out sites like SidelineSwap and Play It Again Sports® for gently used sporting goods, Poshmark or The RealReal for clothing and Gazelle® for electronics. This is also a great opportunity to unload your old items and help someone else's shopping—and bring in a little income to cover your needs.
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• • Textbook exchanges: At most K-12 public schools, textbooks are free—just remind kids not to lose their assigned copies, as replacements can be pricey. That can make the high cost of course materials in college even more surprising. But college students have lots of options beyond the college bookstore, such as sites like Chegg and Amazon, which allow you to rent or buy secondhand. Note that the secondhand edition might differ from the latest textbook the professor uses, so if they specify a certain edition, ask them if there's a marked difference. In some cases, the editions are largely similar. Students can search their college's student site to see if someone is selling the book; they can also use that feature to sell their books. For more ideas, search “buying college textbooks for cheap" on TikTok.

3. Sleuth Out the Best Price for Everything

Shopping online can often yield the best prices and can take little effort. Take steps now to:

• • Set up item price alerts on Google and Amazon via their apps (or with the extension CamelCamelCamel). Individual sites might have a similar feature.
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• • Follow your favorite brands and sites on social media and subscribe to their email and text alerts. Often, they give notice of flash sales and share special discount codes.
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• • Follow TikTok and other social media accounts designed to help students save on school essentials.
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• • Use shopping extensions and sign up at sites that can help you find the best prices and/or give you cash back. Some to try include:

• • Honey for the best discounts/coupons
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• • Rakuten and Ibotta® to earn cash back on purchases
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• • Student Beans and UNiDAYS, which serve as clearinghouses for discount programs and codes for student deals on products and services
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• • Raise and CardBear to buy discounted gift cards to use on your purchases

The best advice? Never click “buy" without first searching for “[Name of store/brand] + discount code" to uncover hidden codes for free shipping, gifts with purchase, etc.

Note that stores typically limit the number of hot school supplies on sale each week to entice you into their store in hopes that you'll spend more. If you have the patience, you can buy the loss leaders each week to reap all the savings—but remember that if you're driving from store to store, the amount you're spending in gas and time might not be worth the savings.

4. Shop on State Sales Tax Holidays

We've all been there—we put a sale item in our cart (actual or virtual) and then feel dismayed when the price jumps from a bargain $10 or $100 to, well, more than that. Thanks, sales tax!

Fortunately, many states feel your pain and offer special tax-free days when you can buy items that range from apparel and footwear to school supplies, electronics and even food so you can plan ahead for those lunch box needs. Check out the full list here, and note any limits and other factors unique to your state.

5. Use Cash Back Credit Cards

If you don't yet have a cash back rewards credit card, now is the time to apply for one. For instance, the Synchrony Premier World Mastercard® offers unlimited cash back and no annual fee. Use the card responsibly for all your day-to-day shopping (just be sure to pay the balance in full each month), and you can accrue rewards to help offset future expenses.

6. Plan Ahead for Next Year

If the bite of BTS shopping caught you off guard, take action to be more prepared next year:

• • Track your current expenses and use that as a template to create next year's budget, noting where to make adjustments as your children's needs change.
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• • See where you could have saved by planning ahead and setting a reminder to look for those opportunities—for example, shopping on Amazon Prime Day. The exact dates are usually announced just a couple of weeks in advance, so keep an eye out to prepare for the sales!
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• • Use your cash back credit card all year to accrue additional savings. Just make sure you pay it off in full each month to avoid interest charges.
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• • Open a high yield savings account, money market account or certificate of deposit (CD), where you can earn interest and help your money grow even faster.
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• • Automate your savings by directing a certain amount of each paycheck to a BTS account so you'll be ready when next year's shopping season rolls around.

The Bottom Line on 2024 Back-to-School Shopping

Despite inflation, rising costs and the lure of shiny new supplies and clothing, BTS shopping doesn't have to break the bank. By planning ahead, you can take advantage of discounts, promotions and alternative strategies to save money while providing your family with the essentials they need for a successful school year.

And when you do strike a savings gold mine, why not redirect those funds to a high yield savings account, money market account or CD? These savings options allow your money to work as hard as your young scholars do.

 

Cathie Ericson is an Oregon-based freelance writer who covers personal finance, real estate and education, among other topics. Her work has appeared in a wide range of publications and websites, including U.S. News & World Report, MSN, Business Insider, Yahoo Finance, MarketWatch, Fast Company, Realtor.com and more.

 

READ MORE: 6 Tips for Shopping Online Safely

 

Sources/references

1. Early back-to-class shopping in 2024. National Retail Federation.

2. Prime Day is Amazon's biggest deal event of the year. Explore how you can prepare for Prime Day 2024. Amazon. June 24, 2024.

3. Buchwald, E. Consumers haven't felt this bad about the economy since November. CNN. May 10, 2024.