How To Save Big On Back-To-School

Whether the impending start of the school year has caught you off guard or you've been preparing for it all summer, the cost of all of those school supplies and new clothes can take anyone by surprise.

So we asked a St. Louis mom who has made it her business to save money – and help others save money – to tell us how she pinches pennies (and a lot more) on all kinds of school supplies for her own 3 kids. Kim Julian founded STLMommy.com in 2008, a very popular web site that tracks prices, deals and money-saving opportunities year-round. She's been helping families save money ever since.

Here are Julian's recommendations:

Clothes:

For school clothes, Julian recommends starting online. "Shopping online is my preference for saving more on back-to-school clothes," said Julian.

"I start with cash-back web sites likes Mr. Rebates or Ebates so I can instantly earn money back on my purchases and [find] big discounts from retail stores in August." However, she added, "You will find deals during the summer at garage sales and consignment sales."

If you prefer to shop in stores, be sure you sign up for the store's rewards card or e-club to get member-only savings and coupons. And speaking of coupons, Julian is what you might call an extreme couponer, and often tells her readers about deals, that when used with coupons, equal free stuff.

"For me, coupons equal cash," she said. "They are the cash I take into the store and the cash instantly coming off my bill. For grocery purchases, I stock up during Schnucks and Dierbergs double- and triple-coupon weeks and take advantage of the under $1 deals each week at Walgreens, CVS, Target and Walmart."

School Supplies:

All those pencils, erasers, glue, notebooks and accessories (like when your daughter really has to have that One Direction backpack because all of her friends have one), can add up to big bucks. But Julian has some tricks up her sleeve for those expenses too.

"The key to save big is to start early," she said. "Right now you can get penny and dollar deals from stores like Office Max and Office Depot when you use their rewards programs, and 25-cent Crayola Crayons at Toys R Us."

You can also check Julian's web site, where you'll find a spreadsheet with the lowest prices for items on your back to school list, along with the lowest prices she's seen on the items since sales started, so you know what the base price should be. You can find the back-to-school deals at www.stlmommy.com/tag/back-to-school.

For the One-Stop Shopper:

If you live in Missouri, take advantage of this weekend's Back-To-School Sales Tax Holiday, which starts at 12:01 a.m. on Friday and ends on Sunday at midnight. Certain back to school purchases, such as clothing, school supplies, computers, computer software, computer peripheral devices and other items are exempt from sales tax. There are restrictions — any item has to have a taxable value of $100 or less, and school supplies can't exceed $50 per purchase — but you'll see a substantial savings if you need to stock up. For a list of the restrictions, check the Missouri Department of Revenue's list here. For a list of cities and counties that have opted out of the sales tax holiday, go here.

Live in Illinois? You'll have to find other ways to save (or drive across the river). The cash-strapped state cancelled its back-so-school sales tax holiday in 2011.

Online Promo Codes and Cash Back:

When shopping online, which Julian says is her favorite way to shop for clothing for her kids and for herself, use readily available promo codes to save cash instantly, and use the instant rebate sites. "RetailMeNot.com is my favorite site to search for promo codes and additional deals," she said.

Julian will often check Ebates and Mr. Rebates before she makes a purchase to see which one is offering the biggest cash-back percentage that week. (Signing up for both sites is free).

More 'Free' Money:

Get social, Julian says, and when your friends make purchases, you'll save money. "Refer your friends to sites like Zulily, Rue La La, Modnique, Groupon" and other online retailers. Add your referal link to the bottom of your email, or share the link on Facebook or Twitter, and when your friends click and buy, you earn a percentage of the purchase (usually in site credit).

Do people still use daily deal sites, like Groupon? "Daily deal sites aren't as popular as they were a couple of years ago," Julian admits, "but my go-to site for half-off entertainment and restaurant deals is Groupon. I've never had a bad experience with the purchses I've made and they have great customer service. To stay up to date on new deals each week, you can sign up for Julian's free daily email right on the home page at stlmommy.com

Photo: Kim Julian during a recent visit to Grants Farm, with her kids Emma, 3, Aidan, 6 and Alex, 9. Photo courtesy of Kim Julian.