BY CARRIE RESCH
yard. Many local boutiques carry basics for kids and rather than
waiting for a national retailer to schedule a sale or struggling
with coupons, you can take advantage of First Coast retailers offering seasonal sales and straightforward savings.
SCHOOL SUPPLIES:
I
t’s that time
of year again.
Back to
school equals back
to spending, and for
a lot of parents in
this economy,
budgeting for
this time of year
can be a challenge.
School is back in session on Aug. 20, but back-to-school shopping usually starts in July and ends in early September, according to the National Retail Federation (www.nrf.com), a retail
trade association.
School supplies are not cheap, and from clothes and shoes to
backpacks and electronics, consumers are estimated to spend
more than $83 billion on school supplies for grade school and
college kids — more than Mother’s Day,Valentine’s Day, Easter
and Father’s Day combined, according to NRF.
DEPARTMENT VS LOCAL SHOPPING:
According to NRF, six in 10 shoppers plan to shop at department stores this year, higher than any previous year. Many use
department stores for one-stop shopping and buy basics and
then shop at specialty stores to splurge on accent pieces.
However, some of your best resources are right in your back
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Budget-conscious shoppers may surf the web to find the best
deal on items and avoid shopping crowds at the same time.
Buyer beware, though: Online shoppers will spend an average of
$874 for school supplies, 27 percent more than the overall average shopper. Online back-to-school shopping has quadrupled
since 2003 and nearly 40 percent of consumers will shop online
this year, according to NRF, but local shopping may yield better
deals according to their data.
PREPAID GIFT CARDS:
Apprehensive about letting your new college student loose
with your credit card this school year? Try a prepaid gift card
that will ease your mind and rein in your college student’s
spending by keeping them on a budget.
Prepaid gift cards will also work for older students who want
to go shopping with their friends instead of their parents. Decide
on a set amount and encourage them to make a list of items
they will be shopping for before they go.
FASHION TRENDS:
Know what’s “in” for juniors before you begin shopping:
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