The beginning of the school year can stretch out anyone's budget especially if you have more than one child in school. Here are a few tips to help you reduce, reuse and spend your hard earn money wisely.

1- It's best to get the list of school supplies on the last day of school before the summer holidays. Don't wait until the first day of school to get the list then you'll miss out on the summer sales and lose time shopping and searching for materials on the first day of school.

2- From the new list, check what you have left from last year's supplies. I have four glue sticks and two glue bottles left from last year. My oldest child used his wax crayons down to the last inch, but my youngest has a set that will only need a new box.
3- Stick to your list! As easy as this may sound - it's not! Don't waste your money buying supplies that look cute or because you think your child might need. There are a lot of children of come to kindergarten with geometry sets, staplers and hole punchers. They simply won't need these items. It might be best to leave your children at home when shopping for supplies, they seem to want to buy everything in sight.

4- Be a smart shopper. When buying markers ask yourself is it better to buy the markers that are marked two dollars more and will probably last the whole year or to buy the cheap ones at the dollar store that dry out as you look at them? Dollar stores are great for 80% of school supplies, the rest you'll need to watch out for back-to-school sales.

5- Don't purchase a pencil case that will hold three pencils and a half an eraser. Instead buy a cosmetic bag, boys can have the uni-coloured ones. The case will hold all supplies, it has a sturdier zipper and is available at the same price as the pencil case.

6- Identify your child's belongings - YES every pencil, crayon and marker. Otherwise they'll end up the collective batch at school and so will your money.

7- Reuse artwork or recycle gift wrap or colored comic pages to cover school books.

8- When you buy supplies at discount stores during their back-to-school sales, stock up on items you'll need during the year such as pencils, pens, rulers and paper. Some items could be good for holidays stocking-stuffers.

9- Reuse old vinyl binders. Cover them with pictures from magazines and brush on Modge-Podge (clear decoupage sealant).

10- Teach your children to take care their belongings as they use them and to put them away together after each use.suite101