How to save money on back-to-school shopping

Everyone is looking for ways to save during the back-to-school season. We at Applerouth have come up with a list of things you can do to help cut your costs.

• Shop at home first. Look for deals on the Internet, and shop through sites like ebates.com that not only give you coupons for many stores like Office Max and Target, but also give you up to 5% cash back on a regular basis.
• Schedule all of your purchases. Check your home-office inventory and make lists of what you need for each kid. After you’ve taken the time to raid the home office, stick to your lists.
• Buy your kids’ school clothing all year round. You really only need to buy two or three new outfits to coincide with the beginning of the school year. At the end of summer, buy the clothing that goes on clearance. Many stores, like Old Navy, are part of a larger company that rotates merchandise among the stores. Ask store employees when merchandise is planned to be marked down for sales, and wait to buy until then.
• Take advantage of tax-free holidays.
• Don’t make all of your purchases upfront. If you wait one or two months, many school items like backpacks and folders will go on clearance—buy then!