Families getting ready for school are feeling the economic pinch

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By ERIN ANDERSEN / Lincoln Journal Star

School lunch account: $100

Activities pass: $25

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Illustration by William Lauer

Illustration by William Lauer

School locker deposit: $6

School pictures: $23

Back-to-school: EXPENSIVE

Face it, even without  “school supplies” and new duds, back-to-school can take a big toll on the wallet.

And this year, with a poor economy and soaring gas and food prices, families are feeling the pinch harder than ever before.

A national retail survey found that parents plan to reduce their back-to-school spending significantly this year. The survey by TNS Retail Forward said parents on average will spend $506 on school-related items this year, compared to $668 last year.

Many parents said they were putting off the purchase of new clothes, and having kids wear what they have, according to a recent article on Investors.com.

And family saving experts like Kim Danger of Coupons.com and Consumer Report’s ShopSmart are encouraging parents to go slow on the purchases. And,  when they do decide to buy, make smart decisions.

Not all deals are good deals, says Danger. One of her tips: buy quality first.

 It costs more to replace three cheap backpacks than to buy one good one — especially one that can be used for a couple of years, Danger said.

And there are certain purchases, such as pencils, pens, notebooks and binders, where the best deals of the year are right now, she said. So take advantage of those back-to-school sales and stock up on the supplies you  eventually will need or use.

Many parents say discounts and deals drive the purchases they will make.

ShopSmart tells parents to make sure the buy is wise and necessary.

Parents have lots of economical options, from shopping sales, discount stores, resale shops and even online.

Lincoln has many resale options, from donation-driven Goodwill shops to consignment style resalers like Plato’s Closet, Once Upon a Child and Play It Again Sports.

There are lots of great deals to be had, says Jennifer Hamilton, assistant manager at the Goodwill store at 1700 S. 17th St.

“It’s like treasure hunting coming to our store. You never know what you are going to get. And you can find something different every day,” Hamilton said. “It’s like a little adventure.”

Having an adventurous attitude clearly helps when shopping secondhand and thrift stores.

Unlike most retail shops where racks are filled with lots of sizes and colors of the same brand-new item, resale shops require you to search, pick and dig to find just the right thing. It also takes some imagination to see just how that quirky makeup bag will make a great one-of-a kind pencil case.

And resale shops, which are known not only for great deals, are also known for great sales.

For example, today through Sunday, Goodwill is holding its annual 99 cent back-to-school sale — all clothing, purses and handbags are just 99 cent at all of Lincoln’s Goodwill stores.

For the somewhat less adventurous, secondhand resale shops like Plato’s Closet and Once Upon a Child take some of the chance out of secondhand shopping. The stores, along with Play It Again Sports, are all part of Winmark Corp., a national company that develops retail stores for used merchandise.

Because sellers are paid for their items, these stores offer a higher degree of scrutiny in what they will sell.

Once Upon a Child, 48th and Van Dorn streets, buys and resells children’s apparel and merchandise for the infant to size 16 crowd, said Susan Ruigh of the Lincoln store.

For the teen and young adult set, Plato’s Closet, 2525 Pine Lake Road, specializes in gently used clothing that meets standards of current fashion trends. Shoppers will find lots of popular name brands on the racks including Abercrombie & Fitch, Hollister, Express and American Eagle.

Another option for finding quality clothing for no cost is to hold a moms’ swap, says Danger. Get a group of moms together for a night of swapping and trading their children’s outgrown clothing, toys and gear. To learn more about hosting a swap, check out  Danger’s Web site at www.mommysavers.com/money-saving-ideas/trading-night.shtml.

Reach Erin Andersen at 473-7217 or eandersen@journalstar.com.

More ways to saveHere are some more cost-cutting tips from the experts:

1. Wait until late September. Buy fall trends at Labor Day and Columbus Day sales.

2. Stall with summer sale items. Get end-of-the-season deals on hot weather clothes that kids wear this fall.

3. Get a list of needed school supplies, before you shop. You can save a bundle by not buying unnecessary items.

4. Stock up on sale-priced items you can always use, like paper, pencils, crayons and folders.

5. Don’t stock up on unnecessary items. Take inventory of a child’s wardrobe before shopping. Resist the temptation to stockpile for the indefinite future.

6. Consider growth spurts. If your child is at an age where he/she will gain a couple of inches this year, buy fewer clothes in September. Set aside part of your back-to-school budget for a mid-year shopping trip.

7. Try things on. Make sure your kid will wear it, before you buy it. Always check a store’s return policy before shopping.

8. Buy cotton. Its fibers are kid-friendly, comfortable, breathable and durable. Remember, cotton can shrink as much as 10 percent.

 9. Know when to pay full price. You don’t have to buy everything at bargain prices for a good deal. If a child loves and wears an item of clothing over and over, it’s worth the extra money.

10. Arm yourself with coupons. Check out sites like Coupons.com or www.couponcabin.com for printable coupons. You also can Google the names of retailers and the words “coupon code” to find sites with coupons.

11. Shop away from the norm.  Check out-of-the-way places, such as office supply stores, dollar stores, grocery stores and even craft stores for deals on school supplies.

12. Look for leftovers. Chances are you have some pencils, rulers, calculators and partially used notebooks from last school year. There is no law requiring all school supplies be brand new.

 13. Shop resale for gear and clothes. Check out garage sales, thrift stores and resale shops not only for clothes and accessories, but sports gear.

14. Check out your own closets, too. Consider taking gently used clothes to resale shops, and use the money earned to fund back-to-school shopping. Or simply donate these items to places like Goodwill.

15. Swap with other families.  Host a moms’ swap night before school starts and trade what you don’t want for other things you can use this year.

And for the truly daring, there is always eBay, where deals abound — just beware of hidden shipping fees.

Sources: Kim Danger of Coupons.com; Consumer Report’s ShopSmart magazine; and Megan Howard, editor-in-chief at Gifts.com.