It’s almost back to school! Kids might be excited (or not) but I’m sure the parents are dreading the shopping that it requires. Here are some suggestions on how to make the task a lot easier to accomplish:

Take inventory. Have your kids do this with you. Inspect each child’s school things and school clothes. Is the backpack still holding up? Are the sneakers too old? Do the socks have holes in them? Is there anything that can be handed down from an older kid to a younger one?

Make a final list. Based on the inventory you just did, make a final list of the things you need to buy or to acquire. Emphasis on the latter. You don’t need to buy everything. If an older sibling (or family friend) has some things that they can pass on to the younger kids, then you can opt to do this. Don’t forget to put quantity so you won’t end up buying more than you should.

Based on your list, set a budget. And the most important part is to stick to it when you do go shopping. If you are taking the kids with you, explain that you have a budget and that anything they need to buy is in the list and non-negotiable. This will avoid temper tantrums while doing the actual shopping.

Start early. Don’t go along with the shopping mob. By shopping early, you can afford the luxury of taking time to choose quality items. You don’t have to beat your way to get to that last pair of sturdy sneakers.