First, take a look at what you have at home—last year’s scissors are just as sharp as the new pair at the store. Rulers, plastic folders, barely used notebooks, markers, pens, mechanical pencils, and other basics can be cleaned, and no one—not even your kids—will notice they’re not brand new. Backpacks and lunch boxes can also be cleaned and given new life with a few patches or swapping between your kids or with friends. “Don’t assume you have to buy everything on your child's school list, as there’s a good chance you have supplies left over from last year,” says Woroch. “Go through your home, kitchen drawers, playroom, kid’s room, etc., and pull everything out to see what you can use for this upcoming school year.”  You can also wait a week or two after school starts to score steep discounts on school supplies. “Remember, your child doesn’t need everything for the first day of school,” says Woroch. “You may find better deals on merchandise in September as retailers clear out inventory. So send them to school with what you could get now, using what you already have at home.” An easy way to save money on electronic devices is to look for refurbished tablets and laptops. Refurbished devices are products that were sold and returned shortly after. The manufacturer then thoroughly checks the device and remediates any problems before putting it on sale at a discounted price. Refurbished devices are covered under the same warranty as a new product.  Woroch also recommends using apps to save time and money. “Begin by comparing prices before you head to the store using a circular aggregator like Flipp to see who has the items on your list for the best price.” A circular aggregator is a website that gathers sales flyers and promotions for easy browsing, so you can see the sales at many different stores in one place.  And when shopping online, be sure to look for promo codes before buying anything. “Deal sites like CouponCabin.com organize coupon codes by store name or category, making it easy to find savings quickly. Or download the Sidekick browser extension, which automatically searches for coupons when shopping at a retailer online and applies the code with the biggest discount to your online cart,” recommends Woroch. Online shopping makes it easy to compare prices, so be sure to take the time to explore the different stores, discounts, and products. You can do this as a first step, even if you want to visit the brick-and-mortar stores to do your shopping with your kids. Some states also hold tax-free holidays in the weeks leading up to back to school, which can save you money on school supplies as well as clothing and some electronic devices.