Back to School Tips: A Simple Plan for Saving Money, Meals & Mornings

If your summer has looked anything like ours with late nights, slow mornings and days with absolutely no schedule, then the thought of school starting again might bring up two very different feelings.

Excitement... and a tiny bit of panic.

Going from lazy summer mornings to lunches, backpacks, homework and somewhere you need to be by 8am can be a bit of an adjustment. And honestly, I've always found the transition back to school a little difficult myself.

Over the years, I've learned that the best way to make the transition easier is to do a little planning before the first day arrives.

My back to school plan focuses on three things:

• Shopping
• Meals
• Organization

Taking care of these three areas ahead of time means fewer frantic mornings, fewer unnecessary purchases and a whole lot less “Where is my...?” once school gets underway.

So, let's get ready for back to school!

Back to School Shopping Tips

One of my favourite back to school traditions started when my oldest first began school. We would have a special date together to shop for her school things.

I loved having that one-on-one time with her, and it turned something that could have felt like a chore into something we both looked forward to.

But there is one rule I always try to follow: We shop with a plan.

It is incredibly easy to walk into a store and start grabbing things because they're cute, on sale or look like something your child might need.

And before you know it, you've spent a small fortune on clothes and supplies that weren't actually necessary.

Here's what works for us:

Take a clothing inventory

This sounds like a big job, but it took us less than 10 minutes.

I pulled out everything in my daughter's closet and dresser, including socks and underwear, and we went through it one item at a time.

Her job was simply to say yes or no.

Anything she said no to was either donated or put aside for her younger sister.

Once we knew what she actually liked and would wear, I could see what she was missing.

And do you know what she actually needed that year?

An indoor pair of shoes and a sweater.

That's it!

I also like to buy one special outfit for the first day of school and sometimes a fun accessory. It's a little tradition that makes the first day feel special without turning back to school shopping into a whole brand new wardrobe.

Shop your home before you shop the store

Before buying school supplies, take a look around your house.

You may already have notebooks, pencils, pencil crayons, lunch containers, water bottles, backpacks or other supplies that can be used again.

This is one of my favourite frugal habits: use what you already have before buying something new.

Once you've figured out what you already own, make a list of what's actually needed. Then shop that list, and only that list.

Compare prices on school supplies

School supplies can add up quickly, especially when you're buying for multiple children.

Depending on what you need, check places like the dollar store, Walmart, Staples and Amazon before you buy.

Don't assume the cheapest looking store will always have the best price. (ahem, I'm looking at you Dollarama.) A quick comparison can sometimes save you more than you expect.

And if saving time is more important to you than shopping in person, online shopping can be a great option. You can get everything on your list in one order and have it delivered to your door or arrange for store pickup.

The goal isn't necessarily to find the cheapest possible version of everything.

It's to avoid spending money on things you don't actually need.

Back to School Meal Planning Tips

Meals are probably one of my biggest sources of stress during the school year. (If I'm being honest, all year long actually!)

What's for breakfast?

What am I putting in lunches?

What's for dinner?

So, rather than trying to figure everything out every morning, I like to create a simple plan ahead of time.

Create a breakfast menu

My kids have never been particularly good at answering the question, “What do you want for breakfast?”

So instead of asking, I decide.

I create a simple weekly breakfast menu that stays the same from week to week.

For example:

• Monday: Muffins and fruit
• Tuesday: Pancakes or waffles
• Wednesday: Toast and fruit
• Thursday: Eggs and toast
• Friday: Cereal and fruit

It doesn't have to be fancy. In fact, the simpler the better.

Having a predictable breakfast menu means I know what groceries to buy, the kids know what to expect and I don't have to come up with five different breakfast ideas before I've even had my coffee.

Make lunches easier

I also like to think ahead about school lunches.

You don't necessarily need to prepare five completely different lunches every week. Create a list of foods your kids will actually eat and rotate them.

Having a few reliable lunch options on hand makes those mornings much easier.

And if you have older kids, get them involved. Even if they're only responsible for putting their lunch into their backpack, that's one less thing for you to remember.

Back to School Organization Tips

A little organization before the first day can make a surprisingly big difference once school starts.

Create a simple morning routine

Rushed, hectic mornings are definitely not my favourite.

Unfortunately, they happen more often than I'd like to admit.

I've found that both of my kids do much better when they have a simple morning routine written down. Instead of constantly asking, “Did you do this?” or “Are you ready yet?”, they can simply work their way through the list.

Our routine looks like this:

1. Get up
2. Get dressed
3. Eat breakfast
4. Pack lunch
5. Brush teeth and hair
6. Put on backpack and shoes
7. Head out the door

A visual routine can be especially helpful for kids who have trouble remembering what comes next.

Choose outfits ahead of time

One thing that worked incredibly well for us was setting aside outfits for the entire week.

I would put together five or seven complete outfits so there was no morning debate about what to wear.

This was especially helpful for my child who tends to shut down when faced with too many choices.

It also made mornings faster because we weren't standing in front of the closet trying to put together an outfit at 7:30 in the morning.

Now that my kids are older, they pick what they're wearing the next day, the night before at bedtime.

Label school belongings

With the amount of money we spend on school supplies, clothing, lunch containers and other things, losing something is frustrating.

Labels can make it much easier for lost items to find their way home.

We have used Mabel's Labels for years and have always found them helpful. I put labels on everything from clothing to water bottles and lunch containers.

It's a small step that can potentially save you from replacing things that simply 'wandered off'.

Do a little now to make September easier

You don't have to completely transform your home or spend weeks preparing for the school year.

A little planning goes a long way.

Take a quick inventory of clothing. Make a list before you shop. Use what you already have. Create a simple breakfast menu. Write down the morning routine. Pick out outfits ahead of time.

None of these things are particularly complicated, but together they can make the transition from summer to school feel much smoother.

And perhaps my favourite part? A little planning can save both time and money.

That's a pretty good way to start a new school year.

I'd love to hear from you! What are your favourite back to school tips and tricks? Leave them in the comments!