SUMMER is here and the children are off, but it’s never too early to think about buying your back to school goodies.
New research has found the best days to pick up the essentials at the cheapest price.
Back to school supplies can be expensive but shopping at the right time could save cash
And buying at the right time could save you nearly £200, according to Idealo data shared exclusively with SE.
Those wishing to pick up school bags should aim for August 26 for the best bargains.
The average cost on that day is £59.24, compared to the priciest day in March when it would set you back £86.90 – nearly £30 more.
Laptops carry the heftiest price tag at £1,049.41. But that price, on Sept 22, is the cheapest and £196.05 less than the priciest time to buy in February.
Meanwhile tablets are at their cheapest on September 8, costing £370.78, on average.
That’s 25% cheaper than when they are at their most expensive in January with a typical price of £434.94.
Pens and pencils are estimated to be at their cheapest September 12 at £9.92 while sport lovers should pick up their football boots September 4 as they’re predicted to be priced at £62.60.
That’s a saving of £1.35 and £9.25 respectively versus the priciest times to buy in January.
The data is based on the prices on thousands of items tracked on Idealo’s website in previous years.
And they are based on the average price, so you’ could still find that costs may be higher or lower, for instance if there’s a sale on this year, and shops change prices regularly.
That’s why you should always shop around and look for the best prices to ensure you get a good deal.
You might find your back to school essentials for even cheaper.
Katy Phillips from Idealo said: “School costs can be a burden during the summer, especially added on to other activities such as holidays.
“We hope our calendar of discounts prompts parents to make a note in their diaries and take a step-by-step approach to buying throughout August to ensure everything is purchased at the cheapest possible price.”
How to save money on back to school shopping
Websites like Idealo, PriceRunner and PriceSpy can help you compare prices.
If you’ve got your eye on a certain item, it’s worth keeping tabs on the price so you know how much it usually costs and can spot when it’s a good deal.
Handy tools can also help you track the price history of an item you’re considering buying.
CamelCamelCamel tracks the price history of items sold on Amazon. You find the item you want on Amazon’s website, then take the URL and put it into the CamelCamelCamel website.
It will reveal the historical price of the item, so you can check whether you’re getting a good deal or not.
This price history website works in the same way but for Argos products.
It can also help you find out about recent reductions in different categories, so you can easily compare if prices have dropped.
Meanwhile, Alertr is a browser extension that helps you track deals at hundreds of retailers including John Lewis and Boots.
The tool will send you an email when items you’re tracking have dropped in price.
And it’s always worth searching for a discount code or voucher when it comes to making your purchase as you could get even more money off.
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