Back-to-School Shopping on a Budget

Join our #CreditChat on Periscope, YouTube Live, Twitter, and Snapchat. In this chat we discussed smart ways to save money on Back-to-School Shopping.

The panel included: Brittany Cooper: Founder of Pennies Into Pearls; Shannon McNay: Writer for Student Loan Hero; Rod Griffin: Director of Public Education at Experian; and Christina Roman: Social Media Specialist at Experian.

We’re also featuring financial tips all week on Snapchat.

Questions We Discussed:

Q1: Have you started your back to school shopping?
Q2: What items should parents factor into their back to school budget?
Q3: How can parents ensure they are getting the best savings before they hit the stores?
Q4: How can parents help manage their kids’ expectations and stick to a budget when shopping for school?
Q5: How can parents save money on uniforms/clothing and shoes for the new school year?
Q6: What are simple ways to save on text books?
Q7: How can parents save on equipment for extracurricular activities during the school year?
Q8: What items are worth splurging on vs. buying generic or low cost options?
Q9: What back to school shopping advice do you have for parents who are struggling financially?
Q10: Any final tips for parents getting ready to start their back to school shopping?

View the Tweets from this week’s #CreditChat via Storify

Budgeting tips for this week’s chat:

Print out the school shopping list before heading out to the stores.

You can save money on typically costly items like backpacks and clothing when you shop at a discount store.

Once the school year gets rolling, stores will start to put items on clearance. This is a good time to grab the items you still need to purchase.

Nothing will throw off your budget faster than your child begging for themed school supplies. You can involve them in some aspects of the shopping, but try to get the bulk of it done without them.