COLUMBUS, Ohio — It took five stops at the store to get Toni Aram’s family ready for the school year. The mother of two picked up smaller items at Walmart ahead of her sixth and eighth graders going back to Olentangy Schools on Thursday.
“Usually, like the big expensive items like Chromebooks and earbuds and calculators and stuff, we ordered that ahead of time online,” said Aram. “Then folders and things like that, I feel like it's easier to get in the store.”
Rob Burnette, a financial planner believes back-to-school shopping should start with a "spending plan."
“Other people use the term budget, but budget has a negative connotation to it,” said Burnette, the CEO of Outlook Financial Center in Troy, Ohio. “You build into your spending plan, I need to spend X number of dollars on back to school stuff.”
Burnette says make an inventory at home before going to the store.
“You can donate those clothes, you can go take them to a resale secondhand thrift store and sell clothes back to them,” Burnette suggested. “So there's weight and that's going to obviously help offset your funds.”
Even reusing some school supplies until items go on sale after the school session begins.
“Go buy the next backpack in about two months, when the prices have dropped when it's no longer in huge demand or trying to clear them out,” said Burnette.
As for Aram, days of planning and saving lead to first day of class on Thursday.
“Never ready. It's always a stressful time, but it'd be good to have a routine again,” Aram said.