Back-to-School Clothes on a Budget
By Kendall Bitonte, GalTime Associate Producer
My mom always made the first day of a school a pretty big deal when my brother and I were growing up. We would have a special pancake breakfast ( to give our brains extra energy), get a special note in our lunch boxes wishing us good luck with our teachers and would, of course, always take a photograph on the front stoop before catching the bus. If I dug around in old photo boxes I could still find those photos, chronicling every grade through high school of my brother and I showing off our new duds and grins.
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In order to make each of those photos a success, however, there were hours of shopping and deliberation trying to find good deals and deciding which items would give my wardrobe the most "bang" for my mom's "buck".
Audrey McClelland is a back to school shopping pro and GalTime financial expert who has tips to make your Back-to-School Shopping trips both easy on your wallet and cheesy smile-worthy for your own photographs.
1. Research the Stores with the Best Deals
McClelland calls TJMaxx and Marshalls her personal "back to school go-to stores" because of their selection of designer brands at affordable prices but she keeps other stores in mind as well as many have special deals during this time of the year.She likes TJX stores so much, she's actually a back-to-school spokesperson for the brands.
"Before I go anywhere, I always google to see if I can get any additional coupons. People love to shop GAP and Old Navy - never go there without googling to see if there are coupons online. People miss that fact, they're just looking for the in-store deals, but really - there's lots of juicy deals online and coupons that can be honored in the store, too," McClelland suggests.
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2. Make a Family-Friendly Budget
While McClelland doesn't have a "ballpark budget" to aim for, she suggests thinking for an average figure per child and then stretching that amount through coupons, year round shopping and investing in key, standard pieces: "For me, with 4 sons, I usually say about $100 a child. But I average per kid. I always buy the same things, but in different colors. Polo tees - everyone gets one, but in different colors. Same with sweaters, undies and shoes!"
3. Shop in Advance
Even though you might be a few weeks out from the first day in the classroom, that doesn't mean you should wait to shop! McClelland strongly encourages shopping early, as the stores have all the trends and styles in stock during the summer months. McClelland, herself, swears by shopping far in advance to save money. "Stock up now for next spring. Buy the size up. With growing kids, this is the best way to save money and still have fabulous new clothes for your kids!"
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4. Trends can be Affordable
Unfortunately, the trendy clothes are usually the most expensive and while they might look the best on the hanger, the number on the price tag certainly won't be attractive. McClelland says style and trends can be affordable if purchased in small doses: "Buy basics year round - jeans, crew tee, sweaters, boots - and then amp up the trends and style through accessories. Scarves, necklaces, bracelets, hats... these are the pieces you can have some fun with, but on a budget! You're never going to have a scarf for $80 at Forever 21! You'll find them for $5 (at most!). So amp up and have some fun with accessories."
Have a stylish school year!
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