Action 9′s tips for saving on school supplies

CHARLOTTE — We probably don’t have to tell you back-to-school shopping can add up.

According to the National Retail Federation estimates the average family will spend almost $900 on basic school supplies, clothes, and electronics this year.

The group said that would be the second most since it started surveying parents about this.

So Action 9′s Jason Stoogenke has 12 tips to help you save as much as you can:

1. Don’t forget about student discounts. See if your kid’s ID gets you money off.
2. Consider thrifting.
3. Don’t forget office supply stores. They have some great deals.
4. Don’t forget about coupons. Try CouponCabin, RetailMeNot, and specific stores’ websites. An extreme couponer told Stoogenke she’s a fan of Coupons.com and P&GGoodEveryday. And her favorite rebate apps are Checkout51, Fetch Rewards, and Ibotta.
5. See what you already have at home. You probably have leftover supplies from last year or hand-me-downs from older siblings.
6. Use what are called browser extensions. You can add custom features to your web browser. Two popular ones are Camelizer and PayPal Honey.
7. When it comes to tech, consider refurbished items.
8. See if anyone is giving away what you need on platforms like BuyNothing and Nextdoor.
9. See if other parents want to buy in bulk with you.
10. Save your receipts. You may see a better deal before school starts.
11. Remember you have other shopping holidays coming up, like Labor Day and Columbus Day, if your student can wait that long.
12. Credit cards. It may be time to use those rewards if you can. And for a major purchase, like electronics, you may want to open a new credit card, one offering 0% interest. Just make sure you read the fine print and are prepared to pay it off.

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