I know some schools are just getting out for the summer- but the new school year is looming! On that note- how much do you budget for back to school and how do you stretch your dollar more?

I have a rubbermaid tote that is full of back to school supplies that I stockup on during the August back to school sales.
I think her fees are around $25 so it's not a big burden.
We aren't big "back to school clothes shoppers". She has enough summer clothes. I save up to buy her new clothes for the colder months. Then we hit consignment stores and sale racks first.

well ds's fees are only $25 bucks i already have the supply list for next year so i only have a few things to get since i picked up extras on sale last year.. i usually put $50 bucks in his lunch acct to start the year(he only buys milk he maybe buys lunch 1 to 2 times a month is all). as for clothes we watch the sales to buy colder weather clothes he has tons of shorts and shirts for this summer that he will be wearing for the first month or two of school anyway.. so starting up school is not to costly for us.

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fALL SEVEN TIMES STAND UP EIGHT!

I am crossing fingers that my kids won't have grown TOO much and can still fit in what they wore at the end of this school year. Then I always wait until back to school clothes go to clearance and I try to pick up stuff for $2-3. Buy bigger sizes!!!!!

For supplies, usually they end up having decent sales like crayons for .25 and stuff, but it still ends up being a lot. Their supply lists are LONG. Not sure how to get around that I do still have some things such as new pencils and new glue leftover from last year and both kids brought home their pencil/supply boxes which looked pretty new, so I'm gonna make them reuse them.

Luckily they are boys and don't care about stuff being new.

I am going to have to see if I have any backpacks hanging around here in decent condition b/c my oldest's is ripped; I will keep an eye out for lunchboxes too, for some reason theirs always get yucky. I really want to get thermoses this year to save on juiceboxes but I figure they will go on sale closer to school starting.

One thing I "always" buy new is sneakers for school. I'm gonna have to keep on the lookout for those. They each could probably use a bag of new socks too....

One of the things you can do is plan ahead for next year since it's a little late to do it for this year. I notice that about mid-September Walmart clearances their backpacks and lunchbags. This would be a great time to pick one up for next year and stick it back or keep on hand in case one breaks. I discovered this when hubby went back to college and we went looking for him one. We got him a $20 backpack/laptop bag for $5.

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Brandy, SAHM to Jodi & Andrew

My mom used to save all the change during the school year and summer and would use this as money for school things. I remember she was always amazed how much money she had from all the change that she and my dad saved during the year. Usually my brother and I would have between $150 and $200 a piece to spend. School supplies came first and then whatever was left went to the backpack if needed and clothes. The container she used was a cleaned out large plastic pretzel container.

I always buy when the stuff goes on sale the last week of July/First week of August. (School starts August 11th here!!) I keep and reuse the stuff we can -- such as pencil boxes and scissors.

Last year I bought the folders and notebooks I would need this year when they were clearanced so I am stocked up. I will do the same thing this year.

I also buy a very high quality backpack. I have found that if I spend $40-50 on a backpack it will last me three or four years -- whereas if I spend $20-25 it will usually last one. My oldest can reuse her backpack again this year -- its the fourth school year. My youngest needs a new one and his is only a year old. My middle also needs a new one and hers is two years old. (I was pushing it with her last year!! But she wanted to keep Hello Kitty!!)

Without backpack I spend about $15 per child on supplies -- I always buy the wipes, baggies, hand sanitizer and stuff on sale in advance. Then I also usually buy an item on the teachers wish list at open house.

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Grace

Wife to Stoney

Mommy of Sarah (8.5), Hannah (7), and John(5)

I do the same thing...each year when there are sales on things I know they will need the following year (somethings are as low as 1 penny!!) I buy them..so I have a tote of items and we always get the list at the end of the school year...so I already have a big dent in that....I also found that washing the backpack and line drying is a great way to get another year on those!! It is amazing...I have a friend who buys new backpacks every year...when the old are perfectly fine ..just dirty!! My daughter gets gift cards for her bday in June and in July when we are on vacation she and I go shopping for a few new things..my son is usually okay to start with the clothes he has but we always buy new shoes to start the year. Their fees are 35.00 ea and I just take a little out each payday and put it back for fees so it doesn't hurt too much....and they both have money in their acct's for lunches leftover from last year so we are good there....

In past years, I've spent about $500 on back to school clothes & shoes. This year, I'm going to do things a little differently. I've already bought their tennis shoes (1 size larger than they're in right now), and will probably get them each one pair of black or brown casual shoes, that they'll need to try on. I am also going to get them each 2 new outfits, new socks, undies, undershirts, etc. My hope is to only spend $200-300 total for a couple new outfits, "dress" shoes, underwear, socks, etc. for each of them.

I usually stock up on the underwear, socks, tights, shirts, during the back to school sales, and then save some for Christmas as well.

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~*~ Angie~*~
Wife to Brian
SAHM to Sarah & Andy 2/11/2000

I am hoping to not spend too much - this will be my first year and my DS is going into Kindergarten. The list doesn't come out until the week before school start so the last week of August - after all the sales of course - not to happy about that. I talked to the teachers though and they basically said there really won't be much we need to buy that they have a buget and it takes care of most items - I hope that is correct and that they don't want us to buy an expensive kit like I have heard of elsewhere. I need to get a lunch box that will fit in his backpack and I know he needs new shoes and pants. I think he basically has everything else though. If they have good sales on underwear I may buy some extras though in a larger size and just put them away - sort of depend how good the sales are and how much extra money we have at the time. The biggest cost will be his new jeans - he goes through those like crazy and he needs all new ones. He has tons of t-shirts so I am not planning on buying those and I think he has tons of long sleeve shirts as well - will do a quick inventory when it gets closer.