Here Are Some Ways To Save On Back To School Shopping In Central Minnesota

If you've been out recently shopping, really anywhere, you may have noticed that it is back-to-school shopping season. It should also come as no surprise that the cost for back-to-school shopping is also higher than it was last year. So if you are feeling the pinch of back-to-school shopping, here are some tips for you in an effort to help you save some money.

• Shop with a plan - go into the stores that you know will have what you need, and for prices that you are comfortable with. If you have a list from the school or teacher, stick to the list.
• Spread out your shopping - if you price compare prices online you might find that some supplies are cheaper from one place rather than another. Think Amazon over someplace like Target for markers
• Look for previously owned items - from calculators, tablets, and even clothes in some cases, if there is a uniform. Just make sure that the devices work before you buy and that the previously used items will still do what they need to do for those classes or subjects.
• Wait - You can wait it out to a certain extent. Retailers don't want to sit on thousands of packs of crayons and will be discounting items they still have a lot of in stock. If you are OK with it, wait it out as long as possible get what is available and fill in the holes as the school year goes along.
• Coupons - Be on the lookout for coupons, and remember some places will let you double up on them. Use a national coupon plus a retailer coupon to increase the amount you save.

Hopefully, these tips will help you out on your quest for back-to-school supplies!

H/T to Consumer Reports for some of the tips used.