Back-to-School Shopping Tips

While summertime brings songs about sun, sand and fun, parents of students know this season includes an extra expense: back-to-school shopping. Here's how to survive this unavoidable annual ritual while keeping your expenses down.

• Textbooks are expensive, particularly those needed in college. Save lots of money by buying used, renting, borrowing or downloading e-books.


• Kids lose things, including laptops and smartphones, so insure them against loss and other damage.


• Accept hand-me-downs. If your kids have to wear uniforms and they’re the same as used ones in good shape, choose the less-costly used option.


• Shop at dollar stores for everyday items including writing instruments, binders and paper.


• Shop in bulk. Team up with family, friends and neighbors to buy common school supplies in bulk.


• Buy computers with lower speed and storage. Higher levels of speed and space cost more and are more likely to be beneficial for gaming than for school research.


• Wait for sales. If you can hold off, you may find better prices on electronics and clothing during the holidays than in the back-to-school sales season, when retailers figure they have you cornered.