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 Reuters asked Tara Kuczykowski, a mother of five in Columbus, Ohio,
and author of the popular DealSeekingMom.com blog (http://dealseekingmom.com),
for her best tips on shuffling through these deals, figuring out
when to buy online, or when spending more could make sense.
TIMING THE DEAL SHOPPING
"The earlier you start, the more you're going to save," Kuczykowski
says. "Buy a little bit here and there. Maybe you don’t need as many
as the limit, but if it's a deal, get it anyway. Stock up."
For instance, she notes that if you can get ten notebooks for a
dollar now, it makes sense to buy as many as you can. You will
always be able to use a notebook, and the extras could be donated to
the school to benefit less privileged children.
FIGURING OUT THE REAL DEALS
"It really pays to look at all the ads in a given week and see who
has the best prices," Kuczykowski says. "Take the ads with you. You
can also check online. But get the Sunday newspaper ads."
Just sitting down for a few minutes and glancing at these will allow
you to see what one store is charging for, say, pencils, compared to
another. That could help you avoid paying more for a product at one
store if you can get it cheaper elsewhere, she notes.
ITEMS TO FIND THE BEST PENNY DEALS FOR
"Index cards, ballpoint pens, and school glue," Kuczykowski says.
Office supply stores are the best place to find such deals, she
says, and they may be priced better than online options, especially
if bought in larger quantities.
"They're trying to draw the crowds in there. Buy the limit. For a
penny or a few cents it makes sense," she says.
Look for big discounts as well on other items, she says, like Ziploc
bags, hand sanitizer, garbage bags, paper towels, and office
supplies that would be good for anyone to stock up on, including
small businesses.
ON BACKPACKS AND THE OCCASIONAL SPLURGE
"It's usually better to spend a little more on a quality backpack
that's going to last, than on a very inexpensive backpack advertised
to get you in the store," Kuczykowski says.
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A cheap backpack she bought for one of her kids fell apart in short
order, after which Kuczykowski splurged four or five times that
price for Lands End backpacks that lasted through all of elementary
school.
"It's one of the times that quality wins out over price."
ON CLOTHING
"Take advantage of the end-of-summer clearance sales. All the short
sleeves, all the shorts," Kuczykowski says.
"It's easier to stretch those items than to buy the big fall
wardrobe they're not even going to wear for a few months."
ON LUNCH KITS
"Rubbermaid LunchBlox comes with an ice pack and containers that all
snap together. The ice packs are durable. You can fill the little
cups," she says.
The kits sell for about $15 but can be purchased at many retailers
for $10 or less. They can be configured to fit a variety of
different shaped lunch bags or boxes.
(Editing by Beth Pinsker and Bernadette Baum)
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