Holiday spending is barely over and the list of school supplies has already arrived—and, what is worse: with a 15 percent increase! To avoid spending the rest of the year paying this bill, the first step is to reuse everything that is in good condition: folders, scissors, rulers, backpacks, lunch boxes and other items do not need to be replaced every year. When covered with some nice paper, that old notebook becomes new. Shop around on prices (use the Internet for this) and see if the school has any sort of special deals with any stores that provide discounts. Here are some other good tips for saving money:

- Leave your kid at home
It’s like going hungry to a supermarket: children in an office supplies shop only make the bill go up…

- Buy in groups
Get together with other parents and buy wholesale.  Sometimes, this can reduce prices by half.

- Get away from toys
Name brand materials or those featuring a toy are usually much more expensive.

- Don’t be in a hurry
The least expensive options run out faster on stores. Hit the stores as soon as possible.

*Full version of article published in AnaMaria magazine.

Read this post at the Guindaste blog: Save money on school supplies!