Millions of parents flock to local stores to buy school supplies. This annual ritual is very different from what it has been in the past. The rising cost of gas, food and school supplies is taking a deeper toll on the family budget. What should a father do to make ends meet? It looks like parents will have to research more hours to find the same discounts on clothing and school supplies that they were able to find last year.

To take advantage of discounts, parents are learning to work together. Some parents send friends to one store while visiting another store. Parents go where prices are cheapest. Although back-to-school shopping is an annual activity, parents don’t take inventory of everything they already have, either. This is especially true when a parent waits until the last minute to shop back to school. A parent can save hundreds of dollars simply by reviewing the places in their home where school supplies were stored last year.

Parents can get caught by the discount sign in the store window. The sale sign is cute and great to attract customers to the store. A store might offer three packs of pens for $3.00. Another store might offer five packs of pens for $3.00. If you go to the same store every year, it can still be helpful to compare prices to get the best deal.

The start of school is not the best time to get electronic gifts like computers. It may be best to wait a few weeks after your student has started school. Things like IPODs and CD players will be priced lower after the big rush is over. Don’t let back-to-school pressure force you into a purchase that puts you deeper into debt. When you finally decide to make an electronic purchase, look for rebates and discounts on products. Some discounts are immediate, while others must be mailed to corporate headquarters.

Some parents get caught up in the back-to-school race. The whole idea of ​​having the kids away from home is the reward for a crazy summer. Don’t let your rush to buy school supplies put you deeper into debt. Pulling out the credit card can add 24 percent to your purchase. Do your best to pay for everything in cash. In fact, it might be a good idea to create a bank account to save money for next year’s back-to-school purchases.

Just because there are crowds of people at a particular store doesn’t mean it’s offering the best discount. It may be an indication that they are great advertisers. When shopping, it is best to go slowly. Talk to your friends who are shopping, they can help you identify the best places to shop. Parents, you can get your students back in school and avoid breaking your bank account by making smart purchases. Parents can make every discount count by remembering to start their back-to-school shopping early.