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School starts this year on August 25th.

While you may be happy to see your children return to school and be out from underfoot, the prospect of taking them shopping for school supplies with you might not be too appealing. Not only do you have to deal with checkout lines, but your child(ren) possibly reaching beyond your budget.

There is some relief using common sense and an online venue.

1. Take Inventory

First, before rushing out into the crowded and narrow aisles at your local convenience store, take a look at the back-to-school list that many schools distribute and look for items that you already have. Cross these items off. Is there still enough ink in your child’s markers to last another year? Do one of your older children have an old smock that they can pass down to a younger sibling? Look around the house before heading out to the stores because chances are you can cross a lot off your list without dropping a dime.

Tip: If your workplace gives out free supplies like notebooks, packets of paper, or pens and pencils see if you can grab a couple of extras for your kids!

2. Online

The Internet has changed the way we shop for school supplies. One recommendation when it comes to using the internet to your advantage is to check store fliers you receive in newspapers or the mailbox first, write down prices, and compare the in-store prices to what you can find on the internet. An additional advantage to buying school supplies online is that your kids won’t be distracted by all of the shiny potential purchases in the store. It’s an easy way to stick to the budget and the list without having to fight with a complaining child!

These days you can buy everything, from crayons to clothing, cheaper on the Internet. Check out Amazon School Supplies,  specially created pages on Amazon for the most often needed school and office supplies.

This is not only useful to parents that can shop online with children at their side in the comfort of the home, but relatives, as well. Grandparents can purchase items for children and have it shipped directly to them with an included note at no charge.

The best part is that shipping is free on orders totaling more than $35. Joining Amazon Prime will also provide you with free shipping on any size order, plus free 2-day delivery, and movie viewing.

TIP: Amazon Prime offers a free 30-day trial. Order what you need within that 30 days and then cancel your subscription if you do not want to keep the service.

Be sure to use the internet for the most expensive of school supplies. Calculators for high school or books for college are great things to buy online on eBay instead of in the store because you can get them used, which ultimately can save you hundreds of dollars.

Compare the more expensive products with the cheaper ones. Is it worth spending more money on quality folders that will last your child through the year, versus having them break after only a few months? Depending on the difference in cost, maybe!

If you don’t want to be buying a new backpack every year or two, look for a more high quality product that your child loves especially if it has a lifetime warranty! Obviously the benefit of having a lifetime warranty will cost you more money upfront, but over the course of your child’s education it’ll definitely pay off.

Hit the stores a few weeks after school starts. The back-to-school deals are usually pretty deceiving, especially in comparison with how much you can save after school has already started when things really start to go on sale.