62 THE QUEENS COURIER • BACK TO SCHOOL • AUGUST 16, 2018 FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT WWW.QNS.COM
back to school
5 Back-to-School Shopping Tips to Buy More Time
It’s that time of year again. Parents are
preparing for the rush of back-to-school
with a seemingly never-ending to-do list.
As you run around to purchase school
supplies, uniforms and sneakers it can be
a busy and expensive time of year.
Tackle back-to-school season with
these tips to save money and maybe even
help you buy back a little time before the
school bell rings.
Get the kids involved before you leave
home. Jumping in the car and hoping for
the best as you travel from store to store
isn’t likely to net much more than a headache
- especially with the kids in tow.
Instead, get them involved before hitting
the shops and have them browse online
retailers and catalogs. With a list in hand,
you can plan your trip before you leave
the house or take advantage of free shipping
or in-store pick-up off ered by many
retailers.
Shop early and oft en. Th e back-toschool
season seems to get earlier every
year and many retailers off er deals each
week on everyday school supplies and
electronics. For those looking to save,
shop early and oft en during the 3-4 weeks
leading up to your child’s start date and
subscribe to retailer newsletters online
for deals delivered directly to your inbox.
Check sizes before you start. You may
know there are three good pairs of jeans
in your child’s drawer, but the fi rst cold
morning of fall is no time to discover that
they’re now an inch too short. Before you
shop, try on what you already have to
determine whether it’s time to size up and
get a better idea of what needs replaced.
Anticipate the need for (more) new
shoes. One inevitable truth about kids:
they grow, seemingly overnight. All the
hours you spend shopping can feel futile
when your child needs a new pair of
shoes just weeks aft er school starts. To
save time and money, be ready when
your kids hit their next growth spurt
with subscription services like EasyKicks.
Delivered on-demand, it off ers the latest
Nike and Converse sneakers for preschoolers
through teens. When kids are
ready for a new pair, simply swap them
for a new size or style and return the old
pair in a prepaid envelope to be donated
or recycled. Sign up and learn more at
easykicks.com.
Double-up on everyday supplies. If possible,
buy back-up school supplies while
you’re making the rounds - especially if
you spot a buy-one, get-one-free deal. If
your school supply list asks for one box of
crayons, buy an extra set and put it aside
in a designated drawer at home. Without
fail, kids will run out of notepads or pencils
at some point during the year, and
you can send in fresh supplies without
another trip to the store.
Armed with these tips, your time spent
back-to-school shopping should be shorter
and your stress levels - and credit card
bill - lower.
Courtesy Family Features