Frugal and Green Tips for Back to School Shopping

Towards the end of summer, every parent knows there are many things that must be bought to prepare their children for the coming school year. From school supplies to new clothes and shoes, back to school time can get quite expensive. If you live on a strict budget and do not want to spend unnecessary money, here are some frugal and ecologically friendly ways to shop for school supplies.

1. Clothes Swapping Party

If you have friends with children, why not plan a clothes swapping party? Simply have your friends bring the clothes their kids no longer want in hopes of trading for something better. This can be a completely frugal and earth-friendly way to obtain the clothes your child needs when he or she goes back to school. Plus, you get to enjoy the company of your friends.

2. Make Subtle Changes

If your child wants a more updated outfit, why not work with what you already have? Try taking an old top and adding a cute applique to it. In an instant, an old shirt will have a new stylish flair. If shoes still fit, yet they need to be fixed in places, why not take them to a shoe repair place instead of buying a new pair? For just a few bucks, shoe repair shops can fix up shoes to make them look new again.

3. Find School Supplies at Home

Each year, you will have to pay money for school supplies like pens, pencils, paper, and much more, so needless to say, the price can really add up. Before you even think of heading to the store to buy these things, check around your house. Chances are, you will find a ton of school supplies just lying here and there and this find will save you big bucks.

4. Fun Supply Holder

Your child will most likely have to haul in a lot of school supplies on the first day of school. If you want your child to have a fun and creative way to haul his or her supplies, why not make a supply holder? Find a plastic container with a lid that will fit all the school supplies and decorate the container in any way your child wants. Not only will decorating the container be a fun project, but your child will get to show off his or her own work of art. Oh, and it’s free.

5. Ziploc Bag Pencil Case

If you want your child to have a no cost, environmentally friendly pencil case, why not try attaching a heavy Ziploc bag inside your child’s binder? Everyone has a Ziploc bag lying around the house and it makes a good, durable pencil case.

As the summer winds down, it’s time for back to school shopping. Back to school shopping can be quite expensive, but it does not have to be if you know how to be frugal. If you want to save money on school supplies while reducing your impact on the environment, you may want to follow the above 5 listed tips.

Do you have more creative, frugal and green tips to share during this back to school shopping season? Please comment and share your ideas below!