MINNEAPOLIS — With the start of school just around the corner, many parents are doing back-to-school shopping. But you may have noticed that inflation is driving up the price of school supplies.
We sat down with a financial counselor for tips on how to navigate the increase.
The first thing you should do is see if you can check items off your list by looking around your house. There could be supplies or clothes from previous years lying around.
Once you've done that, look at your child's supply list and buy only what's needed right now. You can save the "wants" for when a sale comes along.
If your child needs new clothes, check out a thrift store. You can find gently used clothes for great prices.
And during this time, try not to get too stressed out while shopping.
"Talk with your kids and help them understand. This is a great teaching moment that we don't always need the biggest and the best and the shiniest," said Sara Croymans, a University of Minnesota Extension educator. "A plain notebook works just as well as a notebook with some special characters on there that might cost more."
Another tip, save your receipts. You may be able to lower your taxes or get a larger refund during tax time.
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