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For any parent on a budget, back-to-school shopping can feel more like a back-to-school spending free-for-all. It鈥檚 the same every year. Teachers send out those foot-long lists of 鈥渞equired鈥� and 鈥渞ecommended鈥� supplies, and kids are eager not to be the only student who isn鈥檛 touting the latest and greatest backpack, lunchbox, pants, or pens on that first day. We all want to send our kids to school equipped with everything they need to face their new school year feeling fully-prepared and confident. But as our writers, there are ways to both prepare and please your student without blowing a fortune on school supplies.

The key to reigning in your back-to-school overspending lies in understanding which supplies are truly essential. What do you already have lying around from last year? Which items can you wait to buy until later in the season? And which supplies can you skip altogether? These are questions that frugal-minded parents deal with every year, so for Reader Tips, we thought we鈥檇 ask our readers for their best back-to-school saving strategies.

Here are some of our favorite responses with minor edits!

• 鈥淚 try to skip the hype (circulars and catalogs only work wants into needs) and avoid falling into a Starbucks-fueled Target frenzy with the PTA packs for the actual classroom supplies. I do generally buy new sneakers from Zappos or Amazon, so my guys get something fresh for the first day.鈥� 鈥揅arrie B.
• 鈥淚 don鈥檛 have kids but I love back to school sales. I pick up my office supplies for the year after the rush is over and the sales are at their peak.鈥� 鈥揜andi K.
• 鈥淭here are always really good sales over Labor Day if you can hold out until then. And also keep reminding yourself that you don鈥檛 NEED new clothes and supplies if your old ones are still in good shape; retailers push the snazziest new stuff because it makes them a profit, but if you need to watch your pennies, don鈥檛 fall for it.鈥� 鈥揕ee B.
• 鈥淚 usually pick up stuff at 鈥渘on鈥� peak times and stow it away. So instead of going shopping during the summer, I do it right after Christmas (when the supply stores have some sale or discount) and towards May, when everyone鈥檚 out of school and not thinking about it. And then just toss it in a tote until I need it.鈥� 鈥揝tephanie V.
• 鈥淗ow much new stuff is really needed? Have a fun arts & crafts week and gussy up last year鈥檚 stuff to give it a new, updated feel鈥� What a great time to give your kids a lesson in frugality about the value of decorating and fixing things instead of trashing them! And school hasn鈥檛 even started yet!!!鈥� 鈥揓amie S.

A huge thank you for the readers that shared their ideas! Every Tuesday we鈥檒l post a new question on our . 聽We look forward to hearing and sharing your tips.

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