Well, the back-to-school shopping season has officially begin. Stores have moved out beach stuff and summer goods for back-to-school displays (soon to be replaced by Halloween and Easter).

To help you with your back-to-school shopping, here are some tips:

• Always shop with a list and a budget. Most schools post supply lists for each grade on the school website. Use that list and the weekly ads to make your shopping plans and make sure you get the best price.
• If your budget allows, purchase extras of consumables (pencils and pens, paper, etc.).  The prices now are the best they will be all year, so you can make your supply budget stretch farther if you make purchases now.  Just make sure that you store them immediately in a place where you can find them later.
• If you don’t have a student in your house, now is still a good time to buy stationery and office supplies. I use marble composition books as writing journals, so I try to pick up a few while they are on sale to last me through the year.
• The beginning of school is not a good reason for a whole new wardrobe.  It is a good reason to go through drawers and closets and see what still fits and is in good condition.  And remember — hand-me-downs are just recycling clothes. It’s not cheap. It’s green!
• Consider a school supply recycling party with other families.  You’d be amazed at how many people have school supplies (including backpacks, binders, lunch boxes, and calculators) in good condition going unused.
• Now is also a great time to purchase storage bins and bulletin boards.  Ideally, each child should have one of each for storing and displaying projects and papers.
• As soon as possible, talk to each child’s teacher about other supplies and various fees that might be required during the year.  The earlier you know about them, easier they’ll be to work into your budget.
• To aid in your preparation, many states have tax free holidays during the back to school period. If your state has one and you need to make purchases, be sure to take advantage of this discount. If you are buying things you don’t need, though, you aren’t saving money.
• Think outside the big box stores. Office supply stores and craft stores often have good back to school deals.