Five Tips To Shopping For School Supplies (Stress-Free)

Long lines at the bookstores, uniforms and bags on the racks, packs of discounted snacks on the grocery shelves, these are just some of the signs that summer is almost over and that the school season is beginning to take its place.

How To Have A Stress-Free Back-To-School Shopping

Just like how it is during Christmastime on December, shopping can be a tiring and tough experience as soon as June sets in. Everybody seems to be everywhere – going to and fro one bookshop to another and picking endless back-to-school supplies for the kids.

Avoid the rush the season seems to bring each time. Here are some tricks so you can shop with your children, stress-free!

1.       Create a checklist. Identify all items needed by your child – notebooks, pencils, eraser and sharpener, glue, scotch tape, ruler and scissors, folders, brown envelopes, pad papers and coloring materials. Not to mention uniform, socks and shoes, bag, hankies, lunch box and tumbler. Print this checklist and start making an inventory of what you already have so you’ll know what you still need to buy. Encourage your kid to participate. During the listing session, build his curiosity by asking what else you could have forgotten.

2.       Buy early. The neatest trick is not to wait until the last minute but instead, begin the buying process ahead of time. Talk to your child regarding when and where each item will be bought. In this way, he’ll feel he is part of the planning stage which can make the entire experience something he’ll look forward to.

3.       Do it in batches. Another secret is not doing everything in one trip. To cite an example, it is a month away before the opening of the class and you’re out with the family bonding in one of the shopping malls in the Philippines. Spend a few minutes to visit the department store and check out a few school bags on the racks. Or suppose you just finished eating dinner in a Makati City restaurant. Take a quick peek in the shoe stores along the way and consider purchasing a pair for your kid. Then, later, set a specific day to shop for the remaining supplies. Provide him with his own list so that early on, he’ll have his own responsibility which can make the whole trip exciting for him. Make sure that he understands the importance of sticking to the list as well.

4.       Check for prices and deals. Do not forget to browse through the ads, flyers or in the internet for special promotions. Be informed if there are ongoing sales near your place.

5.       Always keep the sales receipts. This is especially helpful in case there is a need to return an item or two.