5 Tips to Simplify Back to School Shopping

school shopping

Back to school shopping post was Brought to you by Interac Association and TheCo

It is almost time for the kids to head back to class. Every August, the clock feels like it’s speeding up and the last few weeks of summer fly by all too quickly. As a mom, I know that my to-do list to get the girls prepared in time is pretty long so I need to make it easier by preparing myself properly.

Like my kids, I too want to get the most summer out of August that I possibly can, so I want to spend as little time inside or running errands.

It’s time to get organized and plan your back to school shopping in advance with my tips!

1. USE Interac Flash®

Use Interac Flash for all your in-store purchases. To pay with Interac Flash, simply hover and hold your Interac Flash enabled debit card over the payment terminal. Interac Flash is the fast, easy and secure way to pay as you run your back-to-school errands without having to enter your PIN at every purchase.

I was able to use my Interac Flash not only as I shopped for the girls’ clothing and school supplies, but also for their eye check-ups and hair appointments to simplify all of our back to school errands.

 

2.  PRINT THE SCHOOL SUPPLY LISTS

Every school, sometimes every teacher, has different school supply requirements for each grade. Visit your school’s website and print out a list for each class/grade for your children. There is nothing worse than arriving at the store without knowing exactly what it is you need for each child.

If you can’t find the list on your school’s website, pull in the power of social media and ask your local mom and dad friends online if they have the list handy to share with you. Thanks to my local mama-friends, this is how I gathered my girls’ lists this week!

You can also call your local office supply store to see if they have lists on hand for local schools.

 

School Shopping

Image Credit Connie Peters

3. GO ALONE

Schedule your shopping errands for a day that the kids are at camp or with friends. Shopping will go that much quicker and you can zip through the school supply list on your own.

There’s nothing worse than trying to decipher the supply list while having to simultaneously explain to a kindergartner why she needs duo tangs in five different colours, ten glue sticks and 20 pencils. You can shop for personal choice items like her favourite colour or patterned pencil box on a separate shopping trip.

4. PURGE THE CLOSETS BEFORE YOU GO

Go through your child’s closet either with or without them (preferably without) and make piles for both donations and trash of clothing they’ve outgrown. Make an inventory of what your child needs for Fall weather, including a special ‘first day of school’ outfit.

Check your child’s running shoes and outdoor boots for wear and tear and see if they still fit or need replacing.

Make a list before you head out!

 

5. KNOW THEIR CLOTHING SIZES

Be sure to note their sizes for clothing and shoes on your list, and of course, their favourite colours.

I already know my girls won’t wear jeans, so there is always active wear, leggings and casual comfortable styles on my list.

I know that if they’re between sizes, I’ll buy a few and I’m happy to return whatever they don’t like or doesn’t fit later on.

I personally love back to school shopping, and using Interac Flash this year for the first time greatly reduced the time I spent paying at every one of our stops. I felt safe using Interac Flash as it is just as secure as Interac® Debit but not having to stop to enter my PIN every time was very convenient.

To set up your Interac Flash, simply visit your financial institution, it takes only minutes and then you’re set!

Visit Interac.ca/Flash for all the details on how this convenient payment option works.

Disclaimer: This post is sponsored by Interac Association/Acxsys Corporation. All opinions are my own. 

Interac and Interac Flash are registered trade-marks of Interac Inc. used under license.

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