Savvy Shoppers Know It's Time To Take Advantage Of Back-To-School Deals

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- Kids will be heading back to school in a few weeks, which means the time is now to get the best deals on supplies, and a few other things which might surprise you.

As CBS2's Cindy Hsu reported, a lot of kids actually love it.

"I think it's a little stressful, but it's definitely fun to get clothes," Olivia Viggio said.

For parents it can get expensive.

"We waste money, but it's okay," Jose Perez said

Lifestyle expert Katlean de Monchy said the key is to make a list before you start buying, and bring ti with you, so you can stay focused and less likely to make impulse buys.

It's also a good idea to run the numbers and arm yourself with price comparison apps, there are lots out there.

"If you really want to know you're getting the very best deal then you can go to a website like a price grabber, and price comparison shop. You can see is your deal really a great deal," de Monchy said.

While you'll see lots of sale and clearance ads, don't assume the price cut is that deep. Some items -- like kids shoes -- really are on clearance this time of year.

"If your child had grown, this is a great time for sneakers. There are fabulous deals. It's a great time for backpacks, it's a great time for office supplies," de Monchy said.

Some stores are already running low on school supplies, but don't worry.

"There's always a new deal. You might be hitting it on a bad day, you could always shop online, or ask when the next shipment is coming in," de Monchy said. "If it looks picked over ask, "are there more supplies in the stock room?" Chances are there are."

If your student needs a computer for school, it's a good time to shop for laptops where you can get up to 25 percent off on some brands, and grab those bathing suits and summer clothes before they're cleared out, and buy them a little big so your child can still weak them next year.

Experts also warned not to be enticed by credit card offers and special deals when you check out, that's a popular time to get you to buy something you don't really need.