Back to school season is a time ripe with organizing, scheduling, sales-hunting, and frantic shopping. The promise of routine and a quiet house (if only for a while) is alluring for parents, marking it as an exciting time (the kids may disagree), albeit a bit stressful– and expensive.
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Enter to win $120!
Follow our Instagram and TikTok pages to learn how you can enter to win $120 for your own back-to-school haul!
Budget aside, putting together the back-to-school list can be a daunting task, and it doesn’t have to be just for their classroom essentials, it can also be for you – whatever it takes to make the transition back to a packed schedule easier. Luckily, we gathered around some professionals – parents of different aged-kids with different tips to help us put together the ultimate back-to-school guide for parents:
As a teacher, a mom, and someone who’s always on-the-go, Selma knows firsthand how the right essentials can make or break your day. Whether you’re getting ready to head back to school yourself or shopping for someone who is, here are her tried-and-true favorites to keep you organized, comfortable, and feeling good:
Hydration is non-negotiable for me. I keep a reusable water bottle with me everywhere so I’m not buying plastic bottles or hunting down a water fountain between classes. It’s an easy way to save money and do something good for the planet. Plus, if it’s cute, I swear it makes me drink more water. 😂
ASICS Sneakers You Can Actually Live In Get them here.
If you’re on your feet all day, invest in shoes that love you back. I’m obsessed with ASICS super supportive for teaching (or chasing kids around), but still cute enough to wear straight to the gym or running errands. I usually grab mine at Nordstrom Rack because the deals are always solid.
A Backpack That Doesn't Destroy Your Shoulders Get it here.
Please skip the one-shoulder tote – your back will thank you later. A good backpack with padded straps is essential for carrying your laptop, books, snacks, basically your whole life. From NYC train rides to random downpours, mine has held up for 3 years and counting.
I swear by a planner to keep me sane. I start each day by writing down 2–3 non-negotiable tasks. It feels so motivating to check them off and helps me stay on track without feeling overwhelmed.
Brow Pencil & Gloss (Because Cute is Still a Priority) Get them here.
Even on the busiest mornings, I like to throw on a little brow and gloss to feel put together. My go-tos: the NYX Micro Brow Pencil in Espresso and the e.l.f. Lip Oil. Affordable, easy, and they make a big difference.
Selma is a personal finance content creator and the founder of Bitch I’m Budgeting™️, a financial wellness brand and online community empowering women to take control of their money through real talk, practical tools, and accountability. After paying off $41,000 in debt on a $37,000 salary, she turned her journey into a movement that’s helped over 50,000 women collectively save and invest more than $1 million. As a new mom, Selma applies the same philosophy to parenthood, helping fellow parents feel confident with their growing financial needs through her social media and newsletter community.
For Them (School Edition)
Tiffany's Picks:
As a busy working mom and content creator, Tiffany knows that it's the little things that make mornings easier, and their days smoother. Here are her favorite essentials for making school a breeze:
If you've got a picky eater, and the sandwich and apple combo just won't cut it, these boxes are amazing for creating snackable lunches that will fuel them, and make it fun to eat!
Keeping the lunch theme going, pack them with their snacks, meals, and drinks in this cute lunch tote that keeps everything insulated, is actually water-resistant and will likely last them their entire elementary career!
A Pack of Disinfecting Wipes (IYKYK) Get them here.
Mornings are busy, and spills and accidents will happen (especially if you leave the lunch prep until the morning). I always have a pack of disinfecting wipes nearby, and these are great for buying in bulk and always having in store!
I carry this everywhere with me (and in the car). With the school season and after-school programs, scrapes and other minor injuries are inevitable, and a good parent is a prepared parent.
A Reusable Water Bottle Just For Them Get it here.
Getting kids to drink their water can be a real challenge sometimes. I like to get them something practical that's also cute/fun for them with multi-colored straws so they'll actually want to drink out it.
Tiffany is a Miami-based mom, content creator, and budgeting advocate who shares her practical (yet useful) tips on her Instagram and TikTok accounts. From meal prep hacks to affordable baby gear, she helps other moms build a relatable community, and empowers them to make affordable choices in their every-day life that can lead them to financial success.
As a mom of four, and an advocate for practical frugality that has led her and her family to raise their sons debt-free, all while buying and maintaining a home with an income that’s under the U.S median, Hope knows the value of finding the right deals at the right time. If you have kids that are about to head off to college, here are her (and her sons’) crucial picks that will make all the difference, without breaking the bank:
My oldest son said the single most helpful item he had at his dorm was an over-the-door storage organizer. In fact, nearly ten years later, he still uses it. Look for organizers which have four hooks, instead of two. They are more stable and will last longer. It’s also handy to have a variety of compartment sizes, so you can sub-organize your supplies into several categories.
My daughter-in-law, who recently returned to college, uses colored gel pens every week of class. She advises choosing gel pens, because they glide easier across the paper than traditional pens. They are especially handy when color coding documents to find information more easily.
My 21-year-old son, who’s now a college junior advises buying a couple of packs of colored 3 x 5 index cards. They will allow you to visually organize your notes. He’s gone through countless cards over the past three years. The small size makes it super easy to lay them out on a table and arrange your notes in whatever order you need for studying, writing papers, or preparing presentations.
Think of this item as an “office on the go”. Look for an all-in-one organizer binder. Choose a binder with dividers and a plastic insert to store extra pens and pencils. A small clip on the back allows you to attach paper and use it as a clipboard. You will have everything you need in one place and at your fingertips.
Hope Ware teaches busy people practical frugality skills so they can learn to budget, pay off debt, and live the life they really want, knowing their finances are under control. She and her husband raised four sons, debt-free, including purchasing their current home with cash when their income was about $40,000 a year. Twice a week, they share frugal-living tips on their YouTube Channel, Under the Median, helping over 200,000 people reach financial comfort.
