By Andrea Woroch

As kids soak up the last few days of summer, some aunts are busy helping the mothers of their neices and nephews browse endless aisles of school supplies and clothes to help the kids go back to class in style. Considering the average American family is expected to spend just over $669 this year on school expenses, and 34 percent of PANKs (Professional Aunts No Kids) contribute to a child’s education each year, your contributions will go a long way. In fact, 45 percent of PANKs say they have given gifts to parents of the children in their lives to help them in providing for their kids. However, this is no time to rush through the store. A little bit of strategy will help you stretch your budget, so follow these simple tricks for saving on back-to-school buys.

1. Search Your Home
Once you have a list of school supplies required for your niece or nephew, search around your home for any usable supplies. Collect unused pens, pencils, notebooks and other supplies so you don't waste money on items you already have. You should also help the parents clean out drawers and closets to get a better idea of their clothing and footwear needs so you don’t double up on items they already have.

2. Shop Second Hand
Considering schooled-aged children grow out of their clothes and shoes quickly, buying anything at full price is likely a big waste of money. The best way to save on clothes is to shop second-hand. Visit your local consignment store or check out online shops dedicated to gently-used clothing for kids at thredup.com. Tweens and teens may have better luck finding trendy brands at RecycleYourFashions.com or via the Poshmark mobile app. While you're at it, ask your nieces and nephews outgrown clothes to sell on these sites for credit toward future purchases.

3. Swap or Trade
Reduce your overall spending by swapping the child's outgrown clothing and any excess school supplies. Help your brother or sister’s family set up a swap with friends and neighbors who have children around the same age, or advise your siblings to contact the school PTA to organize a larger event. When it comes to your niece’s or nephew's technology needs, consider trading in old gadgets like smartphones, DVDs, video games and consoles to earn cash towards a new laptop or tablet. Retailers like Walmart, Target and Amazon offer technology trade-in programs, so research each program to see which fits your needs best.

4. Stack Savings
There are plenty of sales and promotions on supplies, clothing, and gadgets during the back-to-school shopping rush. With a little extra effort though, you can stretch your dollars even further. Review weekly ads for stores online to see who has the best specials, then search for printable coupons to save more. For instance, you can score an extra $10 off your kids' apparel purchase of $30 or more from Kohl's when you print the coupon from CouponSherpa.com, or use their app to access the offer in store. Subscribing to the retailer's e-newsletter may provide you with a new client coupon to use in the store or online as well.

5. Snag Summer Clearance
As retailers clear out summer inventory to make room for fall merchandise, now is a great time to stock up on shorts, short-sleeve tops, dresses, and sandals for up to 70-percent off. Since most of these warm-weather garments can be worn during the first several weeks of school, it buys you time to shop for fall and winter goods when the sales begin. If you can, hold off until Black Friday or even after Christmas to score the deepest discounts on cold weather essentials.

6. Scope out Daily Deals
I've personally felt daily deal fatigue and generally hit delete before I even get a chance to review the email. However, these sites are full of huge discounts good for back-to-school needs. For instance, Groupon is offering $10 off a $30 gift certificate to Radio Shack for your child's various tech needs as well as $40 off the Microsoft Office Home & Student package. LivingSocial offers a host of home goods for your dorm-bond college student, from bedding to bath towels to shower caddies for 40 to 60-percent off.

Andrea Woroch is a nationally-recognized consumer and money-saving expert for Kinoli Inc., who helps consumers live on less without radically changing their lifestyles. From smart spending tips to personal finance advice, Andrea transforms everyday consumers into savvy shoppers. She has been featured among top news outlets such as Good Morning America, NBC's Today, MSNBC, New York Times, Kiplinger Personal Finance, CNNMoney and many more. You can follow her on Twitter for daily savings advice and tips.


Published: 8/27/2014