Busy shopping season

The Daily News, Wahpeton, N.D.: Many parents are using the next week or two to purchase back to school supplies for their children.

In this day of technology, shopping for supplies isn’t as cheap as it once was. In fact, according to the National Retail Foundation, consumers are expected to spend about $74.9 billion this year to send their children and college students back to school, which is a collective 12 percent more than last year.

What is the most expensive time of year for shoppers? Christmas.

Do you know what is next? Yes. Back to school shopping.

As school budgets become tighter, the cost has shifted from classroom onto families. Smart parents can save money without skimping on necessary supplies for their child.

Mike Sullivan, director of education for Take Charge America, a national nonprofit credit counseling and debt management agency, offers some tips for cutting costs on back-to-school shopping.

Supply lists often call for scissors, rulers, pencils and other items people already have at home. Parents need to take stock by using what they have instead of buying new supplies.

Stick to the list. Teachers’ supply lists have become more extensive and expensive, so Sullivan encourages parents to stick to the list and avoid impulse shopping.

He suggest parents comparison shop, clip coupons, wait until after Labor Day to reap savings, shop or swap secondhand stores for clothes, shop tax-free and include children in their budget for clothing and school supplies.