Summer has flew by and now it’s time to start thinking about the Fall. Every season brings some changes to our lifestyles and at the same time changes to our finances.
Fall increases the cost for school supplies, back to school clothes, and the stocking up of lunch items. For the adults it may mean topping up the fall office attire and getting the car serviced so it will be ready for winter. It also changes our entertainment venues which can generate some extra costs, however summer can be pretty expensive in this department.
It used to be that the best way to save money on the back to school items was to shop early. However, nowadays businesses start advertising these items as soon as school ends in the previous year so it’s hard to get early bargains. However, by starting early you can pick and choose where you want to shop for these items. It may mean driving a further distance to find some outlets but if you have extra time then it’s no big deal. Usually we end up spending more on school supplies because we leave it to labour day which is really the last minute for shopping before school starts. It’s almost like last minute Christmas shopping whether its hectic, frustrating and you are in no mood to look for bargains.
If money is tight you may want to look at some of the ways you can refurbish some of last year’s school items that managed to make it through the school year in half decent shape. The backpacks just may need to laundered, and perhaps some new decal added to it to put in back in fashion. The same with the lunch containers as they can be refurbished.
Clothing can be costly as almost every youngster wants an entirely new outfit for the first day back to school. If you start looking at some ideas online way before you are ready to buy you may be able to do some smart clothes planning and make sure the items purchased can be mixed and matched with other attire throughout the school year. Even if you just need to focus on the colors of the new outfit, make sure the pieces will work well with the rest of the school clothing.
You may also find that it’s time to register for some of the fall winter activities that the kids will be participating in. Do this early so you can also shop for any of the equipment or attire that is going to be needed for that. If you can sneak in some gently used equipment now is the time to start looking for it.
When it comes to your needs for your fall attire or getting the car serviced don’t try and schedule everything for around the same week the kids are going back to school. You want to make this first week flow smoothly as it’s going to set the pattern for the rest of the school year.