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Post by title1parent on Aug 10, 2010 4:36:48 GMT -5
www.suntimes.com/business/currency/2581858,CST-NWS-schoolshop10.article Five ways to save on back-to-school supplies August 10, 2010 1. Start by hunting at home. Most families, especially those with several kids, are likely to have a good number of the items on their back-to-school list around the house. Have your kids go on a scavenger hunt before heading to the store, and challenge them to find as many supplies as possible. 2. Know the difference between "cheap" and a "bargain." The lowest price item may not be the better buy, warned Christine Frietchen, editor in chief of ConsumerSearch.com, which offers product reviews and deals. Take backpacks, for instance. It's possible to find packs aimed at students for $20 or less, but if they're not well made, you could be heading back to the store for a replacement before school is out. That could mean double the cost or even more. And with studies showing back pain becoming common even among middle school kids, buying a well-designed backpack that can distribute the weight of heavy textbooks properly is important, Frietchen said. 3. Buy in bulk online and share the savings. But the key is finding others to split the purchase with you. Frietchen suggested reaching out to neighborhood or parent organizations for purchasing partners. "That's a better solution than buying 10 pencils at a time," she said. "You can get 200 pencils at a time and split them up among all the kids." 4. Spread your spending around. There's tight competition for retail dollars, meaning there are bargains available in unexpected outlets, like dollar stores, craft stores, supermarkets and chain drugstores. Cherrypick the best deals while doing your normal shopping and you'll likely find you've found everything on your list with less effort, and lower prices, than if you buy everything in one store at the same time. 5. Procrastinate where possible. The week after classes start, the big back-to-school sales often morph into clearance sales.
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Post by title1parent on Aug 13, 2010 5:30:37 GMT -5
www.suntimes.com/business/currency/2594386,CST-NWS-school13.article School supplies challenge budgets August 13, 2010 Back-to-school shopping is winding down. Illinois' 5 percent sales tax holiday continues through Sunday. With so many items to buy, school supplies add up. The "Backpack Index" compiled by Huntington Bank estimates school supplies for an elementary student cost $108.56. For middle schoolers, supplies cost $144.43, and for high schoolers, about $261.28. The most expensive item on the index for elementary school is $11.94 for six two-pocket folders. For middle school, it's a tie: $12.99 for 4 GB flash drive or a TI-30X IIS calculator, and for high school, it's $99.99 for a TI-83 Plus calculator. One of the biggest expenses is rental of a musical instrument, which the index says averages $299.40 for all age levels. High school students who want to prepare for college can expect to spend an additional $170.90 for test study books and test fees.
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Post by title1parent on Aug 17, 2010 5:35:15 GMT -5
www.suntimes.com/business/currency/2606178,CST-NWS-College17.article Stuff you DON'Tneed for college August 17, 2010 For those dealing with college expenses, Kiplinger.com has compiled a list of items that parents and students shouldn't waste money on and tips on smart buys. This week we share the website's recommendations, including saying no to: • New textbooks. Instead, check to see if a book rental program is available at the university or if the required books are at CampusBookRentals.com. The site can save you up to 90 percent off the list price of books. Also, used books are available at BigWords.com. • A high-end computer. Inexpensive laptops and desktop computers are available. While notebooks are cheap, their small keyboard and slower processing speeds might not make the grade. Among powerful, portable options is the Asus K50IJ-BBZ5 laptop, priced at $530 at Best Buy. The laptop has a 15.6-inch screen, weighs 5.8 pounds and has 4GB of memory and a 320GB hard drive. • Expensive telephone plans. The iPhone and Droid X are not must-haves and come with data plans that can cost as much as $200 a month. Less expensive, no-contract alternatives include the Straight Talk prepaid cell phone service offered at Wal-Mart, which uses Verizon's network. The plan offers unlimited minutes, text messages and data nationwide anytime for up to 30 days of service for $45 plus taxes and fees. • Cable television. No need to pay for cable when television shows and movies can be downloaded for free at sites including Hulu.com and Fancast.com. Also, Netflix DVD-rental subscriptions cost as little as $5 a month, and for $9 a month, subscribers get unlimited DVD rentals and on-demand streaming to their computer or television through a Web-enabled device, such as an Xbox 360 or TiVo HD. • A printer. Skipping this purchase can save you $50 on the cost of the printer, $30 for every time you replace ink and $9 per pack of paper. For about $10 you could buy a flash drive instead. Sun-Times staff
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Post by title1parent on Aug 18, 2010 5:49:53 GMT -5
www.suburbanchicagonews.com/beaconnews/news/schools/2608854,2_5_AU18_GALLCOL_S1-100818.article Teacher's tips to start school off right August 18, 2010 After endless summer days of sleeping in, eating where and when you like, going to movies and dinners with friends and taking trips to far-flung places, August rears its hot and humid head, and the onset of a new school year beckons. Teachers and students across the Fox Valley experience a similar anticipatory fear of the first day of school. Students wonder: What will my classes be like? Will I make friends? Will my teachers be nice? Teachers wonder: What students will I have this semester? Will they be well-behaved? What changes do I need to make from last year to make my classes more interesting? Here are some pointers for parents, students and teachers to help make the first few days of school seem a little more effortless. In order to defeat that feeling of first-day flutters, here are a few tips to help make that first week a little more manageable: • Try to arrange a tour of school before it begins. If this is not possible, find the quickest route to all of your classes before the end of the first week. • Find your locker. Practice your combination and try it a few times. Don't share your locker with several other people; it may seem like a good idea at first, but this is how your homework and books get lost. If you can't find your locker or become lost, don't hesitate to ask a dean's assistant or teacher for help. • Bring a backpack, folders, notebook and something to write with. I can't tell you how many class minutes are lost each day because students come to school unprepared. Most teachers have extra supplies -- some will sell them quite cheaply, or give some away to students who can't afford them. • If you have questions surrounding a particular subject area, speak up. Teachers are here to teach you and chances are there are others in your class who will have similar questions. If you wait too long, your grade may be affected. • Get organized. Many students receive failing grades because they just don't get up on time or manage their time poorly in the morning. Lay out your clothes for each day the night before. Make sure that all of your clothes are clean and that they fit. Place your backpack filled with your necessary school supplies by the door so that all you will need to do is to grab and go. • Can't get up? Buy a cheap alarm clock. Still can't get up? Buy two, and place them far enough away from your bed so that you have to get up to turn them off. Make sure you have a reliable ride to school, or give yourself enough time to walk. • Get to sleep by 10 p.m. Staying up to Twitter or text till 2 a.m. or to play video games sure is fun, but it won't be when your first-period algebra class is having that pop quiz, or your gym class is running sprints. Keep up the vampire routine and you will earn yourself a few fat F's. • If you get a homework assignment, do it. Don't stick it at the bottom of your locker or use it to line your birdcage. Don't blow it off, since many missed assignments equals zeros and they add up quickly. • Get involved in the life of the school. Have extracurricular interests? Express yourself. At East Aurora High School and most others in the area, you can join dance team, drama club, mural club, science and math clubs, chess club, Anime club, DECA, football, baseball, softball, soccer, tennis, golf, badminton, basketball, chorus, band. The list is endless. Make your years in the Fox Valley count and you can also take advantage of many volunteer experiences in your community. This will help to enrich your high school years and make you a well-rounded individual. Michele Gall is a teacher at East Aurora High School. She can be reached at bellasans@sbcglobal.net.
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Post by title1parent on Jul 16, 2011 7:45:12 GMT -5
Early back-to-school shoppers aim to avoid expense, hassles
BY SANDRA GUY
Business Reporter sguy@suntimes.com
Last Modified: Jul 15, 2011 01:41PM Laurie and Michael Ledonne started back-to-school shopping with their two kids in tow earlier this summer, aiming to seize bargains and avoid extra time and expense searching for last-minute items.
“I started picking up items, a little here and there, when spring turned into early summer,” said Laurie, a human resources director for a Lemont maintenance and training company.
“I’ve made the mistake of waiting until the last minute, and I ended up driving to four stores to find scissors with pointed ends,” she said. “I spent twice as much, if not more, than I would have otherwise because of the gasoline prices, not to mention the aggravation.”
The Ledonnes’ children, Isabella, 11, and Vincenzo, 9, attend St. Pius X Parish School in Lombard, so they must adhere to strict clothing and school-supply guidelines.
Yet the children still express themselves by selecting colorful folders, backpacks and lunch boxes.
“I let the kids look through the advertisements to find the styles they like,” said Laurie. “One year, Isabella wanted a one-shoulder strap backpack and Vincenzo wanted a rolling backpack.”
The Ledonnes have set a $150 budget for each child — $60 for supplies, $30 for clothes, $30 for shoes, $20 for backpacks and $10 for a thermos.
They shop with a list and try to plow through one store in one afternoon to buy most items.
The Ledonnes are among a growing number of shoppers seeking early back-to-school deals, a trend prompting retailers to start offering sales in the heat of summer. Back-to-school season is the retail industry’s second-biggest after Christmas and the winter holidays, accounting for $55 billion in spending last year, according to the National Retail Federation.
Because kids usually need new clothes, back-to-school spending is expected to increase 3.5 percent each for clothes and shoes from a year ago, while books are forecast to be the weakest segment, with a 1.5 percent increase, according to a forecast by the International Council of Shopping Centers.
“Just like Christmas in October, retailers are putting school items on sale earlier,” said Michael, a manager in Sears Holdings Corp.’s automotive business.
Besides, waiting until items are out of stock guarantees a stressful, frustrating and even embarrassing shopping experience, Michael said.
“I don’t want my children to be unprepared,” he said. “It’s our job to make sure they are prepared to study.”
Said Laurie, “Back-to-school shopping is supposed to be fun. There is an excitement about getting fresh markers and new sweaters. We don’t want to take that away by running around (to find things).”
Major retailers offering early deals include Kmart, Sears, Office Depot, Staples, Target, Toys R Us, Walgreen and Wal-Mart.
Kmart Chief Marketing Officer Mark Snyder said Thursday he is seeing more back-to-school items already on layaway, including hand sanitizer, paper towels and other supplies that parents are buying to help money-strapped school districts.
Kmart sells its own “Smart Sense” line of such supplies at 20 to 25 percent lower prices than national brands, he said.
Parents are watching their wallets more carefully because of high costs of gasoline, food and even clothing, which is up in price because of the cost of cotton.
“We are seeing Mom planning trips more carefully,” Snyder said. “She’s choosing one store and targeting that one trip to get her shopping done.”
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Post by title1parent on Jul 29, 2011 7:26:33 GMT -5
Spend wisely: your guide to back-to-school shopping and saving
Last Modified: Jul 25, 2011 03:55PM NaperSun
The back-to-school season can become a very expensive time of year - especially if you have a child that grew several inches over the summer months.
Add to new clothes all the school supplies and sporting equipment she'll need if she decides to try out for a school team and you've got yourself a full list.
But there are ways to meet your budget, and make sure you get everything on your kids' back to school lists. Here are some tips to cut costs and keep money in your pocket:
* Only purchase what you need. Look over last year's equipment and have your child reuse pencils, pens, rulers or glue for the classroom. Sure, folders and notebooks take a beating so you probably will have to purchase some new school supplies. The same holds true for clothing. Find just a couple of mix and match outfits that will stand up to frequent wear and multiple washings to help reduce what you spend on clothing.
* Shop the sales. Many states offer clothing tax-free holidays during the back to school season, providing a nice discount. And most department stores also hold promotions and discounts on school supplies and clothing, so keep an eye out for store brochures that will allow you to comparison shop for the lowest prices.
* Stay home and save big online. Instead of driving all around town trying to find the best deals, stay home and shop your favorite stores through website like Ebates.com. For example, if you shop at jcpenney.com for school supplies, you not only can take advantage of discount codes and coupons through the Ebates site, but also receive up to 6 percent cash back check in the mail.
* Buy in bulk. Items are cheaper if you buy in bulk, so make a list of all the supplies your children will need for the entire school year and purchase them now, during the back-to-school sales. If you don't need such a large supply, ask a friend or relative to join you in the expense so all of your children can benefit from bulk shopping.
The back-to-school season is so exciting and you can easily get caught up in the flurry of activities while trying to get your children organized. But make sure you're an economical mom and stick to your budget so you can save money for some other fun activity.
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Post by title1parent on Aug 3, 2011 17:05:48 GMT -5
Illinois State Representative Darlene Senger August 3, 2011
Senger Supports Back To School Supply Drive Makes Naperville Legislative Office a Drop Off Point for the Program Springfield... State Rep. Darlene Senger (R, Naperville) wanted to remind those in the Naperville and surrounding communities that her office will once again be a drop off point for "Back to School Supplies" during the month of August. "This is a great program that I have participated in for the past few years," stated Senger. "Especially in this rough economy, there will unfortunately be many kids heading back to class who are ill equipped with the day to day materials needed." Her office, located at 125 Water Street in downtown Naperville, has already begun receiving supplies. All types of school supplies are welcome. The supplies specified by the school districts include: Pens, pencils (regular, mechanical, and colored), pencil erasers, highlighters, dry erase board markers, 3"x5" index cards, notebooks, notebook papers, notebook dividers, 2-pocket 3-ring folders (paper or plastic), crayons, glue sticks, scissors, compasses/protractors, rulers, ziplock bags (quart and gallon sized), post-it notes, supply boxes, and Clorox/Lysol wipes. The supplies collected will benefit local lower-income students. "We continue to be grateful to the amount of support we receive from State Representative Senger. She is a tireless advocate for the growing needs of our students and families in District 204," said Jason Altenbern, community relations coordinator for District 204. To reiterate the details: What: Back to School Supply Drive Where: You can drop off supplies and backpacks at Darlene's office at 125 Water St. in downtown Naperville When: They have already begun accepting supplies, and will continue to do so through August 19th. Please call Rep. Senger's office at (630) 219-3090 with any questions.
Darlene Senger Illinois State Representative, 96th District
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