- Check backpacks for holes and zipper malfunctions. If they are in good shape, wash them in the washing machine on cold and hang them to dry. They will be good to go for another year. Same for zipper lunch bags.
- Repair shoes with Gorilla Glue. My son has a bad habit of dragging his shoes on the sidewalk, which causes the soles to tear off. Gorilla Glue works great and you can find it at Wal-mart or any craft store.
- Check thrift stores for bulk school supplies. I've found huge containers of mixed supplies, many brand new, at thrift stores for less than 10.00. Keep a running inventory of what you have/need. Store all your supplies in a plastic container with a checklist at the top, every time you add in an item you can check it off. Watch for sales on hand sanitizer, tissues and other items you will need when you go shopping.
- Host a clothing swap with other moms who have different-sized kids. Everyone brings clothing their kids have outgrown that is in good condition with no stains/tears. This is great for movies and toys as well. If you don't have time to do it at your house, create an event on Facebook and invite other moms to join.
- Instead of buying expensive character notebooks, print out pictures of the character(s) or cut them out of magazines. Let your child create character collages on the front of inexpensive notebooks. You can find a great tutorial here.
- Splurge on one thing. If you feel guilty not sending your child with brand-new everything, budget for one nice thing they pick out. Maybe a shirt they really want, or a new backpack, or pair of shoes.
I hope these ideas will help you save some money on back to school supplies! I would love to hear any other ideas in the comments below!
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