3 Rs For Last-Minute Back To School Savings

MIAMI (CBS4)- With classes starting next week, it may be the perfect time for last minute shopping advice before the start of the school year, and one South Florida resident has some tips to get parents on track.

"I am not really looking forward to it," said Jake Isenman, as he and his sister enjoyed one of the final days in their pool.

Isenman's mom, Jenny, has no choice but to prepare her children for school.

"I think we are ready to head back, but the shopping and the process is kind of a pain," admitted Jenny Isenman to CBS4's Jorge Estevez.

Lucky for her she is the creator of TheSuburbanJungle.com, a blog for parent in the know. Isneman said shopping can be easy. Her advice is the 3 R's to save on Back to School Shopping.

She suggests people reduce their budget by procrastinating. She said consumers are going to find much better sales now than they would have two weeks ago.

Another tip to reducing a family budget is signing up for email alerts from your favorite stores. Many stores send email alerts about sales and other deals. Stocking up on school supplies now that they are cheaper can reduce a shopper's budget in the long run.

"You want to buy as many as you can when you are getting this deep of a discount," said Isenman.

The second "R" is to re-use some items and mix the old with the new. Also parents should know when to save and when to splurge.

"Splurging is a good idea when it comes to denim, shoes, back packs, crayons and markers because they last longer," said Isenman.

The third "R" is recycle by taking part in swap meets with friends and family.

"If you are not going to use it then someone should so that way at least you are giving other people a chance to use you stuff," said Isenman.

Another way to save is to locate places that offer free school supplies for families who qualify.

For more information on Isenman's blog, click here.