It seems like every big-name store is having a back-to-school sale right now, and for the 43 percent of parents who put off back-to-school shopping until the last minute, it's tempting to hit up the nearest big-box store and call it done. But some places offer better bargains than others, so in an effort to help you keep your costs down (who really wants to spend $500 or more on supplies and clothing?) Yahoo! Shine did a little digging to find out where the bargains are.

Related: Back-to-school trends for 2012-2013: Stainless steel, glitzy accessories, superheroes, and iPads

Backpacks
Toys r Us has a great deal on backpacks -- buy one character-themed bag for $14.99 to $17.99 and get a free lunch kit. But be warned: a more-expensive bag may save you more money in the long run. Lands End, LL Bean, and Jansport all offer lifetime guarantees on their backpacks, which means that if something rips or wears out they'll replace it for free. (If a bargain backpack tears mid-school year, yo

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In the first week of August over 100 schools around the country are already back in session.

Instead of the standard 180 day cycle, several charter schools and even a handful of public schools have added about 20 days to the academic calendar, The New York Times reports.

Advocates of the shorter summer break say those extra few weeks give students a head-start, particularly for those in low-income areas where class size is at a maximum and extra-curricular support is at a minimum.

"The kids' education is more important than all of these breaks that we have," Debra Phillips, an Arizona-based mom with two kids starting school this week, tells the Times.

By shortening the lag time, study habits are easier to pickup again in the new year, especially if kids have had minimal structure during their time off. At least, that's the idea.

But can 20 extra days really give kids an academic advantage? For now, there's no definitive data on the benefits, though Arizona's Balsz Elementary Schoo

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I'll admit it's been a while since I went shopping for back-to-school supplies, but last time I checked, notebooks, backpacks, and as many new outfits as I could finagle from mom and dad were on my list.

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You know what wasn't on my list? Indoor tanning sessions.

Beach Bum Tanning is trying to change that. They are currently promoting "student specials" for indoor tanning sessions that the company's CEO, James Oliver, says should be on everybody's back-to-school checklist.

Related: Is Your Spray Tan Safe? News You Need to Read

Did Mr. Oliver miss the memo that there's a direct link between indoor tanning and skin cancer? Is he neglecting to read the increasing body of scientific evidence that shows melanoma rates are soaring among young people? A recent study found an eightfold increase of melanoma in women ages 18 to 39 in the last 40 years. How are we letting indoor tanning proponents like Oliver encourage our young people to

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