Don’t Let Back-to-School Shopping Stress You Out

Here are three steps you can take to plan for the upcoming back-to-school shopping season:

Make a plan before you shop. Take some time to assess your financial situation. Once you have good handle on your current financial state, determine how much you truly feel comfortable spending.
Take stock of what you have versus what you need. Prioritize your needs list. What do you need to buy before school starts and what can you purchase later? What really needs to be replaced versus what can be reused? If new clothes are a need, many stores will be clearing their shelves to makes way for winter clothing. This is a good time to stock up at
a discount.
Avoid impulse buys. Take your needs list with you and stick to it. If your kids will be shopping with you, share the list with them beforehand. Better yet, have them help you create it.

If they want something that isn’t in the budget, offer them the option to chip in their own money. Generation Z has become more involved than previous generations and are spending more of their own money on back-to-school supplies. Teaching your children about finances plays a critical role in forming a healthy attitude about money and setting them up for long-term success.