5 tips to help you do your back-to-school shopping like a pro

To quote the great poet Taylor Alison Swift, “August slipped away into a moment in time.” Now that we’re midway through summer’s final month, it’s time to get ready to head back to school, if your kids haven’t already. Whether you’re sending little ones to school for the first time or getting young adults ready, your list is likely long and daunting — and with prices still affected by record inflation, searching for the best deal is no doubt important. MarketWatch Picks spoke to smart shopping and money saving experts to help arm you with the tools you need to get ready for school like a pro. 

1. Trying to get it done all-in-one? Hit your favorite discount retailers

“Back to school sales are extremely prevalent right now, so it should be easy to track down savings from many of your favorite retailers. Target and Walmart are both big picks for consumers, as they’re great for checking off pretty much everything on most school supply lists,” says Julie Ramhold, consumer analyst with DealNews.com. “They also tend to be great options for parents who need to shop for uniforms, too, so if you don’t want to shop multiple stores, these are both definitely worth being your first picks,” Ramhold adds. 

If you’re shopping primarily for basic supplies, you’re likely to spend a lot less browsing store brands than name brands or at other retailers, says money saving expert Andrea Woroch. “When it comes to basic supplies and clothing, you can save up to 50% by opting for store brands over name brands. For example, Target’s Up & Up 1-subject notebook costs just $0.99. Comparatively, the same type of notebook from Five Star costs $3.39. That’s a $2.40 price difference for just 1 item,” she says. “For clothing, you can get this girl’s polo uniform shirt from Walmart’s Wonder Nation for under $5. Meanwhile, a similar style from Land’s End will cost you nearly triple even when it’s on sale for $16,” Woroch says.

Certainly, if you have a membership at one of these retailers — like Walmart+ or Target Circle — that may help you decide where to shop if your loyalty is divided.

The MarketWatch Picks team has put together this guide to see if springing for a Walmart+ membership is right for you. 

But don’t forget to compare prices between the two. “Don’t spend your time driving around to them to see how they stack up; instead, take the school supply list and add every item to your cart online at each store,” Ramhold says. 

And don’t forget to check out even the off-brand discount stores if you’re looking to save on the basics, says Trae Bodge, smart shopping expert at TrueTrae.com. “For example, at Dollar General, you can find more than 100 back-to-school items from brands like Crayola, BIC, and Elmer’s, plus store brands like iMagine and Office Hub that offer a 100% satisfaction guarantee.

2. Got younger kids? Splurge on some items that will last

There is an exception to Woroch’s approach to opting for store brands over name brands: Items like backpacks and sneakers tend to hold up longer if they’re higher quality, giving you more bang for your buck. “For this reason, shop discount stores or at outlet centers to get name brands for less. I also suggest going with a backpack in a plain print or color so your child can use it for a few school years. Opting for a character style backpack could mean that your child outgrows it the following school year and you will have to replace it,” Woroch says. 

3. Got older kids? Save by empowering them to shop on their own

Older kids have likely shopped for back to school with you a few times by now and may have their own ideas about what works best for them. Luckily for you, this can also serve as a smart budgeting tool. “For teens and tweens, I strongly recommend giving them a gift card to shop for themselves. They will be much more mindful of what they buy with “their” money vs. yours, and they’ll learn quickly about how pricey items can impact their budget,” Bodge says. “To make it fun, I like to give a personalized Visa or Mastercard with the Build-a-Card service from GiftCardGranny. You can upload a fun photo and personalized message and the cards ship within 1-2 days.”

You can also use cash back apps like Fetch to score gift cards, Woroch notes. “Just take pictures of all your school shopping receipts and upload them to the app to earn points which are good towards free gift cards to various stores that sell school supplies like Target, Amazon and Walmart which you can then use to offset additional school purchases either now or mid year when you need to restock your supplies!”

4. Stack your errands list if you’re strapped for time and look for free loyalty programs where you already shop (if you haven’t already)

Chances are you’ll have to hit the pharmacy sooner or later. “For example, if you need to pick up other things at CVS, you’ll find that they have a broad selection of healthy snacks for lunches as well as budget-friendly school supplies. If you join their free ExtraCare program, you’ll save even more with access to sale prices and ongoing personalized offers online or in the CVS Pharmacy app,” Bodge says.

Ramhold notes that the CVS ExtraCare program also has a “Spend $40, get $10” program right now. “You could earn free money to use at CVS for purchases you’d buy anyway and then apply that free money towards additional school supplies so you can get items without spending more out of pocket,” Ramhold adds.

5. Take a beat to understand what you don’t need to buy as well as what you do – and don’t buy everything right now.

It’s definitely important to make sure that what you need isn’t just sitting under your nose. “Before you go shopping, take stock of what you have at home. This way, you’re not wasting money on supplies you already have at home! For example, you can tear out pages from half-used notebooks, reuse folders and binders, and put together a pack of crayons or markers from a scattered set. Lastly, toss that dirty backpack in the wash so it looks new again,” Woroch says.

Obviously buy whatever necessary supplies your child’s teacher recommends, but hold off on spending too much on clothing, Bodge suggests. “Reason being is that they will inevitably see a trend at school that they’d like to take part in, and fall clothing will start to go on sale in October,” Bodge says.

You can also save by swapping rather than buying, shopping second-hand, or collaborating with other local families. “Swapping is another way to avoid spending. Reach out to other families from your school or in your neighborhood to set up a clothing or supply swap,” Woroch says.

Both Bodge and Woroch note that if your family has a Sam’s Club or Costco membership, consider buying supplies and snacks in bulk or teaming up with another family – or even a whole classroom – for a supply run. “Have 1 parent buy all the supplies and divvy it up among families, then collect cash via Venmo/Paypal/Zelle,” Woroch says. 

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As for shopping secondhand, Bodge recommends considering retailers like ThredUp and Poshmark for clothing or purchasing refurbished tech from Best Buy to save on big ticket items. This can help you save significantly. “If your kids are like, “ew, used” show them how much further their budget will go when buying secondhand. Plus, no one besides you will ever know,” Bodge adds.