I remember “Back to School” shopping with my mom when I was younger. It was a big deal: the new supplies, the new clothes, all leading up to that first day of school.

What I don’t remember was if “Back to School” was as big of an industry as it is now. I was too young and oblivious to really notice.

It was always such a big deal to buy new clothes for the new school year. In Northeast Nebraska you had a better chance of wearing those fall clothes before October than you do here, but none the less, I’d rather let my kid wear his summer clothes to school now and buy his fall/winter clothes a month or two down the line when he will actually need them. Not to mention waiting an additional month or two gives me better odds on purchasing clothes that fit him through the winter. But those pesky adds keep wiggling their way into my brain and I find myself thinking about shopping for clothes. It’s the power of marketing.

It comes back to our ability to plan ahead and think sensibly about what we need instead of what we want and then deciding where it all falls within our personal budgets.

But what about those great sales, you ask? What about planning ahead and buying now what you know you’ll need later because it’s cheaper?

That’s true, I say that. That mostly does not apply to fashion. Clothes can almost always be found on sale. If you miss the back to school sale, Labor Day is right around the corner with it’s sales. Truth be told, the BEST prices you will get on clothing will be at the end of a season when it hits the clearance rack. For small children this can be the best time to buy ahead because their sizes are more predictable and their willingness to allow you to chose their fashion is much higher.

In the meantime, take advantage of the good deals you find at the grocery store. Keep an eye out for “Back to School” sales on items like cereal (that big Hy-Vee/General Mills sale usually happens in August) and watch for printable coupons for those clothing items you find yourself buying anyway in the mad dash back to school.

Target is a good place to print coupons for not only food, but clothing items and supplies as well. There are some good coupons right now, print them before they are gone and save them to use in the next few weeks.

Enjoy your last few weeks of summer before the kids head back to school!