by Lillian Jensen

Created on: August 07, 2009

With the month of August comes the return of school for many students across the country. What that means for mothers and fathers is the dreaded back to school shopping. Don't let this year's back to school spending frenzy stress you out! Here are some tips on how to get the best for less.

Set a budget and inform your children

Consider your shopping list and come up with a realistic budget on what to spend per category, such as school clothes, supplies, and fees. If your children are old enough to understand budgets and money, clue them in on how much you have allotted for them to spend. If Susie knows she only has $200.00 to spend on clothing to last her the entire fall season, she might be more apt to choose that $15.00 pair of jeans instead of that $50.00 pair of jeans. If your children aren't quite old enough to understand, use this as a time to teach them! You can even make it a game by encouraging your children to compete to find the greatest deals.

Take advantage of the tax free weekend if your state offers one.

Many states have instituted a sales tax holiday during the back to school shopping season. This includes items such as clothing, school supplies, computers, computer software, and computer peripheral devices. This is especially helpful for parents purchasing computers for their students entering college. The tax free weekend could easily save you a nice chunk of change in and of itself. Many stores run sales during the tax holiday to draw more business to their stores, making tax free weekend even more of a savings to the consumer. Check to see if your state offers a tax free holiday by visiting your state's Department of Revenue web site, or by going to http://singleparents.about.com/od/cuttingcosts/qt/Ta xFreeHoliday.htm.

Peruse the weekly store ads.

Now that you've checked to see if and when your state offers a tax free weekend, take a peek at the store ads to see which stores are offering the deepest discounts. Many office supply stores, such as Staples and Office Max offer penny deals and dollar deals. Even drug stores get it on the action, offering items that are buy one, get one free. If you take advantage of these deals, purchase extra for next year!

Shop second-hand for name brand clothing

For parents of pre-teens and teens, the battle over name brand clothing heats up during back to school shopping. Skip the high-end retail stores and go to high-end second-hand stores instead, such as Plato's Closet or Ditto. You'll find the same brands for pennies to the dollar. Susie will fit in with her friends without breaking the bank.

Using these tips, you are sure to get the most for your money while sending your children back to school in style. Happy shopping!

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