Tips to help you save on back-to-school shopping

Planning is key

Planning ahead for back-to-school expenses is essential. Consider the following pointers:

Avoid unnecessary purchases

Before splashing out on new items, take stock of what’s already there – clothing, stationery, and other usable goods can be easily repurposed without the need for additional costs.

Shopping for back-to-school items on a budget also means managing unnecessary spending by maximizing existing resources and avoiding duplicate purchases.

Set a budget

How much should parents spend on back-to-school clothes and supplies? It all depends on the household budget. Budgeting is a core part of any cost-saving plan and helps to discern realistic spending limits and avoid unnecessary purchases. One effective budgeting technique is to group funds according to expense type, for example: clothes, supplies, electronics, etc.

Review back-to-school supply lists

Back-to-school supply lists can be extensive. While it’s wise to not overlook anything, use the list to identify the essentials, the desired additions, and the less crucial items to check unnecessary spending.

Find back-to-school shopping deals

Consider some of the following shopping methods to uncover back-to-school shopping deals and keep costs down:

• Sales and clearance racks.
• Discount and dollar stores.
• Couponing, both digital and traditional.
• Second-hand and thrift.
• Online marketplaces for finding online deals.

Keep in mind that some generic brands offer similar or identical quality to name brands at a fraction of the price, particularly stationery items like notebooks, folders, and binders.

Stretch your dollars by shopping smart

For thrifty spending, smart shopping strategies help streamline the purchasing process. These approaches may save money:

• Multi-packs and bulk items. Is buying in bulk cheaper? It can be. Where practical and appropriate, seek out multi-pack deals on products and buy in bulk. Buying in bulk is easy to do in-store, or go online for potentially even more competitive deals.
• Mix and match. Consider a "mix-and-match" or capsule wardrobe — a limited amount of clothes that all complement each other — to maximize outfit combinations with fewer clothes.
• Multi-purpose items. Some items are natural multi-taskers, alleviating the need for additional products and supplies. Buying a reusable water bottle, for example, replaces countless disposable bottles; or a multi-compartment pencil case that keeps everything in one place.
• Shopping windows. Parents frequently ask, "When do back-to-school deals start?" A good time to shop is typically at the start of summer. Save extra by knowing when to start looking for sales.
• Coupons. Many stores — both online and traditional — offer coupons and discounts on back-to-school supplies. Check out PayPal Honey for coupon codes at a click.

How PayPal can help you save

Want to save and earn cash back this back-to-school season? We’re here to help, regardless of if you shop online or in-store.

The PayPal app is a valuable tool that offers hundreds of cash back rewards from the brands you love. Unlimited offers can be saved, and they’ll be applied automatically at checkout.

And with the PayPal Cashback Mastercard, you can earn cash back whether you’re shopping online or in-store. When you check out with PayPal and pay using your PayPal Cashback Mastercard, you’ll earn 3% cash back², on top of cash back from any offers you’ve saved in the PayPal app. Win-win!