Best back to school deals
NEW YORK (WABC) -- The National Retail Federation says this year - on average - each family will spend an average of $673 on back to school items. That includes everything from school supplies to clothes to electronics. 7 On Your Side goes back to school to pass along it's biggest tips to save you big.
How much you'll spend on school supplies not only depends on where you shop, but when you shop could save you big. So always check the store circular before you stock up.
Staples discounts certain items daily or weekly. This week the Crayola 24-pack is 50 cents. Next week the same crayons will cost you $1.99. We saw notebooks on sale for spare change, just 17 cents, so you should consider buying sale items in bulk and splitting the cost with other families.
Those deals don't last but some are worth waiting for, if your students wants a new iPhone, savings experts say wait until Apple announces it's latest version next month, then buy at big box reseller like Best Buy.
Consider buying insurance for those sure-to-crack iPads and iPhones. All carriers offer coverage for about $10 a month or you could purchase Apple Care Plus, costing $129 to insure the iPhone 6. But you'll get discounts on repairing or replacing the phone for up to two accidental damages.
If you're buying big back-to-school items like laptops, see who offers student discounts and tech support for students.
Shopping around is key, we found this Samsonite backpack at Staples for $85.79 at Best Buy the same bag costs $39.99, a difference of more than $45. Since Staples offers a price beat guarantee, we put it to the test. After showing the clerk the cheaper bag ad, a manager beat the lower price by 10%. That was a savings of over 50 bucks.
You should also be aware dozens of stores offer student discounts, show a current school ID, save at retailers like J.Crew and Best Buy. Amtrak will give you train tickets for less and plenty of insurance companies offer good student discounts on car insurance. But you won't get these deals unless you ask, many discounts are not advertised so make sure you always inquire.
