Back-to-school shopping can be a budget breaker if you don’t plan ahead.
Deidre Davis, MSUFCU Chief Marketing Officer, discusses some strategic ways to keep back-to-school purchasing under control.
Back-to-school shopping should start at home. Take a look at the list of supplies needed for each child for the school year, then see what you may already have from previous years. You may have enough crayons, pens, pencils, folders, and other supplies on hand so you can cross these items off your shopping list.
Next, visit local thrift shops and garage sales. You may find quality items that fit your needs for less than you would pay if they were new, saving you money. Thrift shops and garage sales are also great places to look for clothing.
If thrift stores aren't an option, office supply, dollar, and warehouse stores are good next stops because they tend to have more variety and possibly better deals. If you have several children, buying facial tissue and paper towels in bulk may be a better choice.
Also, shop for generic merchandise. Purchasing generic school supplies instead of name-brand items can potentially save you a lot of money.
Finally, look for paper and digital coupons, the latter of which are available on websites and apps. Many retailers also conduct special sales during the back-to-school season. Some even partner with local school districts to post supply lists for specific classrooms. Don’t forget to look for sales and coupons for school clothes, as well.
MSUFCU can help prepare for the annual back-to-school shopping season by making it easier to save faster with our Savings Builder℠ account. Savings Builder pays more on initial deposits, so your funds build quickly. You can automatically transfer a set amount to your back-to-school savings account each payday, then use those funds when it’s time to shop again next year.
MSUFCU also offers Visa Signature℠ Credit Card that features 3 percent cashback on groceries, 2 percent cashback on gas, travel, and university costs, and 1 percent cashback on all other purchases.
Learn more by visiting msufcu.org.
This segment is sponsored by MSU Federal Credit Union.
