School is starting!

Can you believe we are thinking about school starting again?

Here is my personal hint on back to school shopping ...

DO NOT blow the budget on clothes before school starts!!!

Around here school starts in mid-August. The weather is still hot and will be that way until late September. That is at least 6 weeks where the kids will still want to wear summer clothes - summer dresses, shorts, short sleeve shirts, open shoes, etc.

On top of that, the important items to spend the budget on are beginning of school fees (for those kids in sports, etc) and school supplies - lunch boxes, backpacks, and the huge list of things the teacher says the kid needs.

And there are many a kid who has purchased what they thought was cool clothing for school only to actually attend school and find out that only the nerds wear it. If you must buy clothing for school, buy ONE new outfit for picture day or the first day and be patient!

There is a lot of stuff that goes on sale in October when the push for 'back to school' is over and the stores are preparing for Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas. Then in January you'll start seeing deep, deep discounts and 75% or more clearance items on really nice winter clothes. Those new outfits - the stuff your kid will really wear - will get him or her from January all the way through to Easter if you buy smart. Then in late April or May you'll only have a couple of outfits to buy to get them through the warmer weather just before school lets out.

Another hint ... buy an extra lunchbox per kid now, while they are in stock, then HIDE IT. Kids invariably break their lunch box by January but by then it is really hard to find them anywhere (other than the generic can coolers you can find in the camping department). If your child can't decide which lunchbox they want to get, buy both. You won't be sorry.