Dogs, Cats, and Other Pets

Where to Find the Biggest Back-to-School Sales

We're happy to present this article from our partner site Yahoo!

by Yahoo Shine

We're happy to present this article from our partner site Yahoo! Shine:

It seems like every big-name store is having a back-to-school sale right now, and for the 43 percent of parents who put off back-to-school shopping until the last minute, it's tempting to hit up the nearest big-box store and call it done. But some places offer better bargains than others, so in an effort to help you keep your costs down (who really wants to spend $500 or more on supplies and clothing?) Yahoo! Shine did a little digging to find out where the bargains are.

Backpacks
Toys "R" Us has a great deal on backpacks — buy one character-themed bag for $14.99 to $17.99 and get a free lunch kit. But be warned: a more-expensive bag may save you more money in the long run. Lands' End, L.L.Bean, and Jansport all offer lifetime guarantees on their backpacks, which means that if something rips or wears out, they'll replace it for free. (If a bargain backpack tears mid-school year, you'll have to buy another at full cost.) Staples is offering $15 to $45 off their higher-end backpacks, so it's worth checking them out now.

School Uniforms
If you're looking for school uniforms, head to Target, Old Navy, and Kmart. Their prices for French Toast-brand uniform pieces are all great (they have store-brand options, as well) and at Kmart you can save an additional 5 percent on new, in-store layaway purchases until Aug. 25. Schools in 21 states and in Washington DC require students to wear some sort of uniform, and those specialized outfits rarely go on sale. But right now, boys' and girls' uniform short-sleeve polo shirts are about $6 (down from $10) at Target. Old Navy has a four-pack of pique polos on sale (two white, two dark blue, online only) for just $20, and boys' pants are just $10 a pair online, down from $14.50. And Kmart has customized their selection to work with different school systems.

(If your kids are growing too quickly for you to stock up on uniforms, just be patient. "If you can't find great prices, just buy what will get you through the first few weeks of school," frugal shopping expert Mir Kamin of Wantnot.net suggests. "Whatever's left over after the rush will be on clearance in short order.")

Back-to-School Clothes
JC Penney has plenty of great back-to-school clothes for kids who don't need uniforms, but the biggest bargain it's offering this month is free haircuts for kids in kindergarten through sixth grade.

High-Tech Gadgets
Gadgets are on many kids' wish lists, but for some college students, they're a necessity. Apple is offering a back-to-school bargain for college students: if you buy a Mac between now and Sept. 21, you'll get a $100 gift card to use in the App Store or on iTunes. (New iPads get you a $50 gift card.) Bonus: shop through the Apple Store For Education for special (that is, lower) prices.

Lexar 8GB USB drives to go with that computer are on sale for just $6 each at Target, where you can also find plenty of notebooks, sticky notes, markers, and other supplies for $1 each. If you have tiny kids at home, the savings get bigger: RoseArt brand crayons, markers, and colored pencils are 49 cents per pack or less. At Staples, you can buy notebook paper for pennies (literally, a package of 120 sheets for 1 cent, as long as you have $5 worth of other stuff in your cart).

Some stores are appealing to more than just our pocketbooks. On Saturday, Aug. 11, Sears is offering an extra 15 percent off back-to-school clothes to people who download a special coupon (at Sears.com/TeamUp); 5 percent of the money shoppers spend there that day will go to Sears' anti-bullying initiative, Team Up to Stop Bullying.

— Lylah M. Alphonse
Copyright © 2012 Yahoo Inc.

Also on Shine:

Women and the Back-to-School Buying Binge
Back-to-School Spending: $500 Per Shopper?
Back-to-School Trends For 2012-2013: Stainless Steel, Glitzy Accessories, Superheroes, and iPads

Back-to-School Trends: Stainless Steel, Glitzy Accessories, and iPads

We're happy to present this article from our partner site Yahoo!

by Yahoo Shine

We're happy to present this article from our partner site Yahoo! Shine:

Back-to-school spending is expected to top $500 per shopper, a consumer survey says, but just what are the things kids are clamoring for this season?

Parents may assume that their kids want new clothes to kick off the school year, but according to a Harris Interactive survey conducted for Ebates.com in June, most kids — 42 percent — said what they really wanted was a tablet computer or a new smartphone. Preteens are most likely to want some sort of high-tech gadget, even though their age group is less likely to be allowed to bring smartphones to school.

Out of the 2,208 parents surveyed by Ebates, 43 percent said that they planned to do their back-to-school shopping in August, five percent said that they wait until September to stock up, and just 30 percent have started scoping out the back-to-school sales already. More parents than ever before plan to shop online, paying special attention to free-shipping deals, the National Retailers Federation says.

"The budget-conscious consumer has not forgotten about price, quality, or value, we're merely seeing a more savvy shopper," BIGinsight Consumer Insights Director Pam Goodfellow said in a statement. "There's no question consumers have become more practical in their shopping, and with school purchases oftentimes considered a necessity, parents have likely been saving and scrimping to be able to fully afford all of their children's needs for the upcoming school year."

Retailers are already placing bets on what kids will want their parents to buy, stocking the shelves with things that they hope will be the hot items for back-to-school this year. Here's a look at the emerging trends:

For the lunchbox:

Stainless steel is in — not for the lunchbox itself, though, just for the stuff you pack it. With the government's new ban on BPAs in baby bottles, manufacturers are taking things a step further and making thermal containers and water bottles out of sleek stainless steel. They're pricier than plastic, but they last longer, don't hold on to odors, are reusable, and won't leak toxins into a kid's lunch.

For school supplies:

Superheroes are always big among the elementary school set, but this year, they're even bigger, thanks to blockbuster movies like The Avengers aimed at adults and older teens. Another must have for younger kids: anything Angry Birds, from backpacks to notebooks to lunch boxes. For older kids, notebooks and other school supplies will be governed with glitz and glitter or animal prints in colors not normally found in nature.

For the tech-savvy:

According to data from Ebates.com, kids of all ages are clamoring for high-tech gadgets like tablet computers and smartphones, but the people who can benefit most from those devices are the college-bound. If you're heading to the dorms, a tablet computer (like an iPad) can serve as your entertainment system (streaming movies and TV shows, playing music and games, reading books via Kindle, iBooks, or Nook apps) and as an in-class learning aid (for tapping out notes or recording lectures or even for toting around PDFs) and can even be used for carrying around all those English lit books they'll have to read (thank you, ereaders!). Students will still need a computer for writing papers and doing research, both of which are more difficult to do on a tablet.

For clothing:

For girls, skinny jeans and ballerina flats are popular, and for students who have to wear school uniforms, flowered headbands are a hit, thanks to shows like Gossip Girl. Floral prints and tribal themes are also rumored to be hot this season. For guys, retailers are counting on bright colors and classic prints — think wide horizontal stripes and argyle patterns.

Also on Shine:
Back-to-School Spending: $500 Per Shopper?
Shaquille O'Neal's Mom Opens Up About Education, Sports, and Keeping Kids Motivated
Back-to-School Tips For Homeschoolers