photo credit: foilman

If your child uses a lunch box, purchase an extra one at the start of the school year–like now. Once school starts and the year is underway, stores tend to clear out their original stock of these items.  The restock is slim and the cost is higher.  The chance of milk getting spilled or a Berry juice box leaking are high………plus how much fun would it be to get a fresh, new lunch box at Christmas time and pitch the old “spoiled milk” smelling one!

Office supply as well as Target and your Marts have price wars on paper goods, pens, pencils, crayons, etc.  to stir up the back to school shopping instinct.  Stock up now on these items.  Buy enough to last all year and stash away for that little something for a child’s birthday gift or for those Operation Christmas Child boxes.

Now is the time to buy summer shorts, swimsuits, T-shirts, etc. for next summer.  Summer items are now deeply discounted.  Buy them, pack them away and you will be able to pull out new clothes at the start of the summer season next year.

Back to school can quickly drain the family budget, particularly those with multiple children.  As the kids get older their preferences and tastes come into play and often times a plain, wire bound notebook doesn’t do the trick anymore…….it’s a fancy, sparkly, glitter coated one, often putting the price tag even higher.

In most cases, the first day of school still feels like summer.  My suggestion is to  wear their favorite summer outfits.  The kids will be more comfortable than being overdressed in a new, stiff outfit!

A few weeks into the school year, head out to pick up some new outfits.  By then, there may be some sales plus they will know by then what’s “cool”, or at least they will have a good idea and you’re not going to be stuck with those jeans that “nobody else is wearing”!

Make celery roses-if you cut a stalk of  celery about 2 inches from the bottom you will see the part usually thrown out, is a perfect rose!  Dip it into paint and press on paper!  Pretty!  Fun for the kids!!

Try making your favorite flavor combinations of Jello and juice.  Just replace the cold water with fruit juice and put the jello into little cups.  My fav is orange juice and peach jello.

When you go out to eat, tell your kids that they each have $5-8 or whatever’s right for the menu; enough to cover a meal.  Whatever they don’t spend, they get to keep.  Amazing how quickly they’ll opt for water, skip dessert or share fries with their sibling……most kids meals come with everything for a certain fee, but they may opt for a corn dog, an order of fries to share with somebody else and water to drink.

Maximize closet space by hanging shoe racks on the doors (which can be used for more than just shoes!)  Add hooks for hats, belts, necklaces, tote bags, robes and so on.  If hangers and drawers are out of reach, keep a stool in the room so kids can reach clothes, to make it easier for them to clean up or get dressed.

Wildfire
3020 Eden Prairie Center
Eden Prairie, MN
(952) 914-9100
Kids Eat Free on Sunday Nights at Wildfire Eden Prairie! Kids 12 and under can enjoy a complimentary meal from our kid’s menu. Two complimentary kids meal with every adult meal.
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