1. Resist trends when it comes to staples
§ Stick with basic looks when buying the fashion staples (jeans, pants, T-shirts and sweaters), you may get a longer wear out of them — presuming your child doesn’t shoot up three inches a semester.
§ Even if they do grow quickly, non-trendy staples that can more easily be worn by a younger sibling three years later.
2. Indulge smartly in a couple trends (if your kids care)
§ Hair accessories or inexpensive jewelry for girls, socks and backpack patches for boys can be enough to make your child feel hip.
§ Identify the trends your kids think are cool by going through magazines together, then think creatively as a team and figure out how to add that trend (whether it’s a color, pattern or material) for under $20.
§ Make it a game, explaining why spending $50 on a gone-next-month trend is silly. And why it makes you all smarter as a family to accomplish the same goal (rocking that hot look for September) for less.
3. Meet as a family to make lists, which just like grocery shopping lists, keep you focused and on task.
§ Work together to make a shopping list for each family member heading back to school. What will they need every day?
§ Agree as a family which pieces need to be a particular brand (if any) and which ones should be simply found at the lowest price. We call these lists our “we-promise-not-to-deviate-from-this list.” Get buy-in from the whole family that if it’s not on the list, it doesn’t come home.
4. Match the list with coupons and codes
§ Match each list item with sales you find online and in circulars.
§ RedPlum coupon books, which come in your newspaper or mail, contain great coupons that can be clipped and matched to your list.
§ On redplum.com, families will find other printable coupons, plus percent- and dollar-off coupon codes for use at online retailers like Target and Amazon.com. Find the online retailers where the items you want are offered at the best price, and then use a redplum.com coupon code to save even more.
5. Plan breakfasts, lunches and dinners around what coupons you have. Let the coupons guide your meal ideas for the week.
§ Spending just 20 minutes a week taking advantage of coupons and special offers can save you up to $1,000 a year or more.
§ Use your coupons to help you make more than what you need of a meal and utilize your leftovers for lunches.
§ Team up print coupons with online coupons and in-store deals for even greater deals.
§ Breakfast is especially important for children and adolescents. According to the American Diabetic Association, children who eat breakfast are more likely to have better concentration, problem-solving skills and eye-hand coordination. They may also be more alert and creative, and less likely to miss school. Send your child off to school after eating breakfast. We have a great deal on redplum.com through the year for Kellogg’s Cereal ($1.50 off two boxes of select cereals). Cereal is one of those morning staples. Pairing with retail sales will save you even more.