Shelia Lewis: Smith County Extension

In many school districts around the country, summer vacation ends in mid-August. With the end of vacation looms the excursion that many parents have come to dread: shopping for back-to-school supplies.

Crowded stores and seemingly endless checkout lines are things most families would like to avoid.

If you haven't already done it, gather up the backpacks, messenger bags, lunch packs - anything that has been used to transport items to and from school - and get rid of the past school year's accumulation of "stuff."

Turn the pack inside out and shake out the crumbs and lint. If necessary, use the vacuum. Check care labels to see if it's OK to toss the items in the washing machine. If not, wipe them down with a disinfectant wipe.

Create a central collection point, such as a basket or a plastic bin, for the wayward pens, pencils, notebooks, and any other reusable supplies that you uncover during the summer months. That way, you'll be able to take inventory before school starts and avoid replenishing supplies you already own.

SHOP SMART

No matter how hard you try, some supply shopping is usually necessary. Shopping early is one way to sidestep the crowds. To avoid "buying blind," check with your school district for a list of supplies. Some school districts and many private schools now post lists of required supplies, by grade level, on their Web sites prior to the first day of school.

The average family anticipates spending more than $500 for back-to-school supplies, according to a survey done by the National Retail Federation. With a little creativity, there are ways to cut these costs.

Here are a few ideas, courtesy of Nancy Bock, Vice President of Education at The Soap and Detergent Association.

COMPARISON SHOP: Check out newspaper ads, online suppliers and the Web sites of local retailers. Warehouse clubs also offer back-to-school supplies, usually in large quantities. If the price is right, but the quantity is overwhelming, perhaps you can share the costs with another family.

AVOID THE "COOL:" Notebooks adorned with fancy logos and favorite heroes are usually more expensive (and sometimes have less paper) than the plain versions. Involve your child in the process by checking the prices, counting the pages, and having him or her do the math. You may still decide to make the more expensive purchase, but you've also had an opportunity to provide a lesson in comparative shopping.

GO FOR GARAGE SALES: They can be a good source for items like calculators and vintage lunch boxes.

FIND SOME FREEBIES: Look online for a Freecycle Network in your area. Freecycle is a grassroots, nonprofit movement of people who are giving and getting stuff for free in their own towns.

A volunteer moderates each local group and membership is free. You might just find someone who has office supplies/school supplies to give away. Visit www.freecycle.org for more information.

STORE SALES: Keep your eye out for store sales. If you can delay some purchases for several weeks, you may be able to take advantage of clearance sales on school supplies.

When shopping for back-to-school supplies, don't forget to add hand sanitizers or hand wipes to your list so you can tuck them into backpacks and lunch boxes. Good hand hygiene will go a long way toward keeping your kids healthy all through the school year.



Shelia Lewis is a Smith County Extension agent in family and consumer sciences. She can be reached at sk-lewis@tamu.edu. This column on family and consumer education news appears in the Thursday Community section of the Tyler Morning Telegraph.

Shelia Lewis
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