Monday, August 18, 2014

Save on Back to School Supplies

 Liz Latham
It’s almost time to send your children back to school and this can pose a financial burden on most families as you pay school fees, buy new clothing and tick off the back to school supply list. If you start early, you can avail yourself of a number of apps and sites that have specials and coupons that can really help ease the financial strain.
Only get what you need
Start with the list that your school has issued and tick off any items you already have. Check drawers and cupboards and see what items you can reuse from last year. 
Don’t buy items that aren’t on the list.
Shop online
You can buy most of the items you need online and you can compare prices that way too. Be sure that the shipping costs are lower than traveling costs to go to the store yourself. When you compare items online, you can find the stores which sell them at the lowest price. Of course you don’t want to make a special trip to each store or the gas money will negate any savings, but keep the list handy so that if you happen to be in the area, you can pop in and get a few things. Combining your back to school shopping with other errands will also save you gas money.
Swap Meets
You can organize to swap all your school supplies with neighbors and friends. This way you can maximize on bulk buys and you can swap out items which you don’t need. You can also work with other families to take advantage of ‘Buy one get one free’ offers or bulk purchase discounts.
Coupons
Coupons are a wonderful way to save and you can really reduce your costs by visiting the following sites to find coupons that you can utilize:
Money-saving apps
If you want to save money on the go, there are smartphone apps that help you to find bargains on your back to school supplies. You can also use these apps in stores that offer price matches. Simply find items cheaper elsewhere and show the cashier the ad on your phone so that they can match the price. This will really save on time and travel expenses as you don’t have to go to more than one shop.
Here are some of the apps you can use:
Checkout 51 (iOS or Android)
Red Flag Deals (iOS or Android)
The Coupons App (AndroidiOS)
RetailMeNot (AndroidiOS)
Cartwheel by Target (AndroidiOS)
ShopSavvy (AndroidiOS) / RedLaser (AndroidiOS)
Foursquare (AndroidiOS)
Swarm (AndroidiOS)

Friday, August 15, 2014

Help your Child to Adjust to a New School


courtesy of Avalore

If you are relocating this semester, you can help your children to settle into a new home and school. Moving is a traumatic experience as children have to get accustomed to a different home, a strange town and new friends. They may also be missing old friends and familiar places. There are some ways you can make the transition to a new school seamless. The most important approach is to understand and acknowledge their fears and anxieties and address as many as you can.
Get orientated
Contact your new school and ask for a tour. If you can get a copy of your child’s schedule, you can trace their daily route from home to school and then around school to all their classes. Knowing where they need to go will help to reduce anxiety. If there are summer holiday activities where your child could meet prospective new school mates, then get details from the school office.
Ask your new school about the buddy system. Many schools assign ‘buddies’ to new students who help them to settle in and find their way around.
Know your new school
Look online and ask the school for brochures or information on activities and clubs. Knowing all the fun things they can do may help kids to foster a positive image of their new school. Getting involved in activities, sports and clubs from day one is a great way for your kids to make new friends.
The website can also provide information about dress codes, teachers, school rules and supplies needed so your child can be prepared.
Talk it out
Ask your child what they are most afraid of or what they worry about when they think about their new school. For example, if they are concerned about getting lost on their bike ride or walk to school, offer to drop them off for the first week or take the route together a couple of times before school starts so that they feel confident. Getting them to talk about possible problems and helping to address their concerns will alleviate anxiety.
Get organized
No one knows your child like you and so you are able to pre-empt any possible issues. For example, shop for and plan clothing choices for the first week. Make sure that they have their back-to-school supplies, get them back into a routine so that they aren’t late on their first day and make sure that they have all your contact details at the new school.
It’s a celebration!
Give them something to look forward to for their first week at school. Celebrate their first day with a cupcake party or take them somewhere special on the weekend after their first week. Having something positive to focus on will help to motivate them.