Next to Christmas, the back to school shopping season is the second biggest shopping season of the year with U.S. consumers expected to spend $83.8 billion according to the National Retail Federation. But with a little work and know how families can save hundreds of dollars on their costs.
Here’s how.
Savings for College Students
Books. No need to pay the full list price on textbooks at your college bookstore anymore. Through online comparison books sites like BestBookBuys.com and Big Words you can search for the lowest prices on books in all types of medium including e books, international editions or used books across thousands of sellers . You can also compare the cost of buying versus renting on these sites as well.
Cut tuition costs by claiming AP Credits. By now, incoming freshmen have received their AP scores. Check out www.collegeboard.com/ap/creditpolicy to see if your score may have earned you college credit. If you are just starting college but have sophomore standing due to AP credits you may be able to save a year’s worth of tuition and other expenses by graduating early. Make sure to notify your college about your scores.
Healthcare. Make sure you are not paying double. Many colleges charge a built-in fee for health insurance through the college. If your child is insured under your policy, appeal this amount. This can save you anywhere from $500 to $1000 or more per year.
Claim the higher education tax credits. Under the American Opportunity Credit, taxpayers can get a reduction in their tax bill of up to $2500 per student provided the tax filers have an adjusted gross incomes of less than $80,000 a year (if single) or $160,000 (if they file jointly). An eligible family with two kids in college could get a tax credit of $5,000.
Savings for Everyone
Use Twitter and Facebook to search deals. Really. Follow your favorite retailers to make sure you receive their specials and alerts to sales. You can also bookmark CouponTweet.com. According to the site, “Coupon Tweet searches Twitter* for the best deals and discounts so you don’t have to. Search for everything from underwear to Urban Outfitters, electronics & software to cars, clothes, Target” and more.
Time your purchases. If you have a little time to wait for a certain back to school item, you should check out the website CamelCamelCamel.com. The site “provides free Amazon price drop alerts and Amazon price history charts, helping you decide when the price is right.”
Find free shipping codes. Make sure to take the time to hunt down free shipping codes for the item you want. Simply enter in the store name and free shipping in the search bar to see if there is a code. You can also check out FreeShipping.org. The site partners with more than 4,000 merchants to provide users with free shipping offers.
Search for coupons. Don’t forget to look for coupons. If you are still getting a Sunday paper the coupon insert is an excellent place to start. You can also go online and search for coupons at Redplum, Coupons.com, and CouponMom.com.