Money Saving Tips for Teachers

Okay, teachers, you know we spend tons of our own money on our classrooms and school supplies. Whether you are spending your own money or the school district’s money, get the most for your buck. The following are some money saving tips that you can use.

Set budget

This goes without saying, but it deserves saying again. Have a set amount of money that you plan to spend on those school supplies and don’t go over it. Trust me. I know how tempting it is to grab that extra pack of paper or container of hand sanitizer. But, stick to your guns and only buy what you have figured into your budget.

Have a plan

Before heading off to grab that box of copy paper or box of crayons for your classroom, have a detailed shopping plan. Look through sales circulars and see if you can find a deal on the items that you need to purchase. Usually office supply stories are running a sale on these items, so take the time to check. This will save you both time and money.

Know When to Shop

Knowing when to shop is just as important as having a plan and a budget. Even if you are making purchases with your school money, you should make that money stretch as far as you can. So, learn the right time to make purchases. Paper, pencils, crayons, storage disks, and other school supplies tend to go on sale just before school starts. So, it pays to stock up on these items before school starts. Computers are best purchased in September, the last of December, and late June according to Decide.com. Try to make your purchases around this time.

Buying in bulk

Just as you would stock up on nonperishable items when they are on sale for your family, you should do the same for your classroom. When items like crayons, copy paper, pencils, scissors, and glue go on sale, buy them in bulk. If you buy these items in bulk, you will not have to purchase them again until they go back on sell.

Consignment shops

Consignment shops have a wealth of things that teachers can use. I have often found reading books, clothes, and other items that I can use in my classroom in a consignment shop. The shop that I frequent is Buzzy B Consignment in DeKalb, Mississippi. I have been able to grab several great reading books for $1.00 or less. They also have movies and other school related items. I will also confess that I have made several clothing purchases at the store. Most of these clothes were new and still had the tags on them.

Store loyalty cards

Another way for teachers to save money is to use store loyalty cards. Stores like Office Depot, Office Max, Fred’s, CVS, and Walgreens have loyalty cards. These cards can help to save you tons of money in the long run. Office supply stores will often give you discounts for being a teacher and for purchasing a certain monetary amount. I recently purchase computer ink for only $5.00 after I received my store rewards. Are you wondering how drug stores like CVS and Walgreens can save you money? They sell school supplies and they put these items on sale on a regular basis. So, take the time to fill out for those loyalty cards and start saving.

Teaching may be a job of heart, but it can cause havoc on your wallet. Use tips above and start saving.

http://www.9news.com/money/consumer/275531/103/The-best-time-to-buy-a-laptop-computer
http://www.moneymatters360.com/idex.php/tricks-saving-money-on-back-to-school-shopping-1584/
http://voices.yahoo.com/things-know-start-stockpile-11903485.html