Odds are, while your kids may be a little bit excited about seeing their friends again, they may have the blues about giving up their summer freedom and settling back into a routine. The good news is, you can help beat the back to school blues with these easy ideas.

Beat the Blues Strategy #1: Back to School Bash

Why not plan an event to celebrate back to school? Invite your kids’ favorite friends and their parents and let everyone enjoy catching up from the summer before school is back in session. You could call it the “Goodbye Summer” party, make it a movie night, or even get out of town for a quick weekend before the family routine changes and time grows thin again.

Ongoing Family Fun

Why not set aside some time for family during the first few weekends after school session resumes? You can grab a projector rental from Projector123.com for just $99 a weekend and hold video game wars, watch family flicks, or showcase a family vacation slideshow from summer. Use your imagination and have fun with it — it has less to do with WHAT you do, and more to do with being together during a time of transition.

Kids’ Choice

Like any change in routine, going back to school can be stressful on kids, so why not give them a little more freedom during this transition time? Offer “kids’ choice” options — for anything from weekend family activities to dinner choices, which movies to watch, or even which family game to play. Kids love to feel included and to have their opinions valued.

Got more ideas for beating the Back to School blues? Write us or post a comment here, we’d love to hear from you.

PART 2: Shop the Sales.

Back to school sales are ideal ways to get what you need at a reasonable price — but only if you stick to your plan. Walking into a huge sale without a plan is a lot like grocery shopping when you’re hungry — you’re likely to buy things that look good right now, but then you get home and realize you don’t have any real meals you can pull together.

The same is true for clothing — without a bit of wardrobe planning, you’ll end up with a bunch of pieces that you might like individually, but you can’t pull together enough great oufits with them. Once you’ve got your plan, hit the sales and stick to your budget. Start by purchasing the necessities on the list BEFORE you address any impulse buys.

Another essential tip is to start early — and DO NOT SETTLE. It doesn’t matter if the item is $2, or an amazing color, or the perfect fit. If your child doesn’t like it, he/she won’t wear it, so it’s not a good find. Keep looking and hold out for a perfect match. Starting early (when the sales start, ideally) allows you the best possible selection and keeps you from settling because you are rushed or running out of time.

Sticking to your budget also allows you the space for some must-have (unplanned) items that your kids are sure to ask for. And because every parent loves the ability to leverage, this offers another great opportunity to do just that. The back to school shopping experience may also provide a great opportunity to talk to your kids about money, value, budgets, and proper planning. You can get your kids ready for school and pass on a little of your parental wisdom at the same time. (Have you noticed that kids tend to listen a bit more when they know you’re buying them something?)

Planning and shopping with your child is a great way to connect as a family, have fun, and ensure that your child will actually be happy with their back to school wardrobe. And isn’t a little planning now worth all that in the long run?

Join us in the next installment for part 3 of Back to School: Beat the Blues

How can you get your kids all that they need for the new school year without breaking the bank? Here’s part 1 of our 3-part series.

PART 1: Plan Your Attack.

Each year, back-to-school sales seem to start earlier and earlier, but one thing is for sure: the sales cannot be beat. Sure, you can save money by shopping the sales — but without a clear plan, you could wind up spending more! To avoid going overboard, take a walk through your children’s closets before you hit the mall. See what clothing & accessory items are in good condition and still fit for this year, and make a list of what essentials are needed.

For smaller children, fashion doesn’t change as rapidly as it does for older kids and adults, so many items can be used as hand-me-downs or repeat seasons. Older children may be able to create fresh looks with existing basic components (like jeans, jackets, etc.) simply by adding new accessories such as hats, jewelry or scarves.

Taking a few minutes to create a wardrobe strategy will keep you from buying more than you need — and more than you can use (for example, 3 pairs of black jeans is not nearly as versatile as 1 pair of black jeans, 1 pair of dark jeans, and 1 pair of chinos).

Some school supplies may still be fully functional for this year, while others will most definitely require replacement. Having a very clear list will keep you within your spending budget while ensuring that you get everything your children need. And starting your list NOW will help you keep your eyes peeled for those essential items — at the best possible price.

Stay tuned for part 2 of Back to School: Shop the Sales