3 Back To School Tips For Single Moms and Single Dads

[Tom Taylore]

It's coming... That's right... SCHOOL!

I know, it's MID AUGUST and there are already commercials on TV and you can't go to the grocery store without seeing ads that say "Get Ready To Go Back To School"...

And while my daughter is slightly under the age to get ready for school we have a close friend who is starting second grade... He's staying with us for the three weeks until school starts, so getting him ready for school has been a topic of conversation recently.

Over the last week, I've discovered 3 money and time saving tips for getting your school-age child ready for school... and I wanted to share them with you today.

1. Shop Alone - Yes, my first tip is to shop alone if at all possible... This way you don't have kids screaming about the five dollar "purple" notebook as opposed to the one dollar "white" notebook. I know it might be a challenge to find a place that has daycare but this will help tremendously... Here in Portland we have Fred Meyers, which offers to let your kids play with other kids for about an hour... If you can find something like this where you live, you're golden! If not, maybe help another Single Mom or Single Dad out by having them watch your little one while you go shopping.

2. Go In With Another Family - If you have other kids on your block, go talk to their parents and see if you can "go in" with them on school supplies... Why do I recommend this? I recommend this because often things like notebooks and pencils come in "discount" packs... So, say a four pack of notebooks is $6.00, but a single notebook is $2.00. If you cut the expenses in half (i.e. buying the four pack) and split the actual supplies with your neighbor, you'll end up saving money.

3. Always Check The Dollar Store - Yes, being a Single Parent, I'm sure you know right where your closest Dollar Store is! The Dollar Store is great for things like pencils, paper and notebooks. It never ceases to amaze me at how well-stocked these places are... But, because school is coming in the next few weeks, you'll want to go out and get these supplies now!

Just three quick tips for getting into the "school days" frame of mind...

So, as you're getting your child's supplies together remember that we're in this together, learning lessons along the way!

Talk to you soon,

Cliff