Watch CBS News

Expert Tips For Back To School Shopping On A Budget

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- It's back to school time, which many parents love -- except for the shopping for clothes and school supplies.

The cost can really add up, but there are lots of ways to save.

As CBS2's Cindy Hsu explained, before shopping it's a good idea to hit your kids closet and get rid of anything they've outgrown.

"Sometimes something you're going to shop for is already in your closet, this way you're not wasting money and time," Katlean de Monchey, Nextpert.com said.

De Monchey -- a trend expert -- advised doing the same thing with school supplies, they may have some left from last year.

You'll still be able to find great deals on supplies, but when it comes to clothes you might want to hold off on the bulk of your buying. The best deals are around Columbus day in early October.

While you're cleaning out that closet.

"You might even find something that still has a tag on it, that was never worn, so that may be an opportunity to resell and make some money," de Monchey said.

There are entire websites where you can just resell clothes, many of those sites also allow you to buy clothes at a huge discount.

Before you spend, make a list of what your child needs.

"Also put the dollar amounts of what you intend to spend, this way you won't overspend," de Monchey said.

If your favorite store offers sales alerts, sign up.

Personal shopping apps like Mezi can provide price based choices from a number of different stores.

While you're looking for the best deals your kids may be begging for designer jeans or expensive shoes. You can say too expensive, or make a deal and have the kids chip in on the price -- that way they'll get a feel for how much everything costs.

Since it's such a competitive shopping season a lot of stores will match prices and give you the lowest one possible, so be sure to shop around.

View CBS News In
CBS News App Open
Chrome Safari Continue
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.