ORLANDO, Fla — With just days to go before heading back to the classroom, many parents and students may still have back-to-school shopping left to get done. Action 9 spoke with parents and experts about how to find the best deals.
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Nicholas Lackner and his family spent one of their last days of summer break playing at Lake Eola Park, but they know back-to-school readiness is important.
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Lackner said, “Our daughter is starting kindergarten, so it’ll be her second year of school, and our son is starting Pre-K.”
For them, prices have been slightly higher than last year.
Lackner told Action 9 Consumer Investigator Jeff Deal, “When we go out shopping for other items and if they have those items also at those stores, we’ll ask each other, ‘Hey, how much did you see that for?’”
So, what else can parents do to save money?
“One of the biggest tips that we are giving people is, of course, to compare those prices across the retailers,” said Stephanie Carls with RetailMeNot.
RetailMeNot is an online platform that offers cash back promo codes and deals from thousands of retailers in one place. The company found big retailers like Target and Walmart are promising the same or lower prices than last year on school supply essentials, but many specialty items and electronics could cost more.
Here are some things to keep in mind:
-Take inventory of what you already have. You may already have some items left from last year.
-Comparison shop online before heading to the stores to find out who has the best deals and consolidate trips.
-Fewer trips means using less fuel and more time for other things.
-The best deals might be online anyway.
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It’s also a good idea to prioritize things on your list to see what your kids will actually need when they show up the first day of school. You may be able to hold off on other things until later. Stephanie Carls calls it a three-layered approach. She recommends getting the essentials now. For the second layer, take your time and shop around for things that aren’t a priority. For the third layer, wait for things you won’t need until much later to go on sale. Often, the best deals can be found around Black Friday.
Carls told Action 9, “So, this structure can help keep you focused and avoids that budget panic that I’m sure a lot of parents are feeling right now.”
You may also consider buying used for some items. Also, keep in mind the Florida sales tax holiday runs through the end of the month. Here’s a link to more details: https://floridarevenue.com/taxes/tips/Documents/TIP_25A01-08.pdf
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