Times are tough, families. With inflation rising and incomes not keeping up – and many of us working multiple jobs to make ends meet – the last thing we want to do is go even more broke buying costly school supplies.

GOOD NEWS – School supplies are necessary, but they don’t have to cost a fortune!

I save money on back to school supplies – and most everything else – by getting what I need free, then used, then I stack deals on what’s left. 

How to get things free?

1. Check what you have at home – you may already have some of what your kids need for the new school year, such as quality backpacks, unused folders, paper, pencils.
2. Join your local Buy Nothing group! Find one for your area on Facebook and there you can get or give FREE items within your own community.
3. Go to a FREE school supply event in your area! Here, anyone can go and get supplies. They won’t typically cover all your needs, but they will help take the edge off of shopping. 

Here are FREE school supply giveaways in the Twin Cities this year, 2023:

SUNDAY, AUGUST 13

Community Hope Fest. 2:00 – 6:00pm. Sherburne County Fairgrounds, Business Center Drive NW, Elk River. Free food, activities. Free backpacks for the first 350 kids.

SATURDAY, AUGUST 19

Edina Back to School Kids Clothing Swap. 10:00am – 1:00pm. Edina Senior Center, Edina. Swap instead of shop at the inaugural Back to School Clothing Swap. Find gently used clothing for ages kindergarten through 12th grade to get your family ready for back to school!

Back 2 School BBQ. 11:00am – 4:00pm. Zanewood Recreation Center, Brooklyn Park. Join us, this August 19th for an amazing time of fellowship and fun. We will again be cooking our delicious BBQ, have bouncy houses, the best face painters in the state, along with several activities for kids, and more!

FRIDAY, AUGUST 25

Back to School & Teachers Appreciation Event. 2:00 – 8:00pm. Maplewood Mall. Free school supplies table for teachers, vendors, discounts.

The Salvation Army Back to School Bash. 3:00 – 6:00pm. The Salvation Army Noble Worship and Service Center, Brooklyn Park. There will be food, music, games, activities, a bounce house, and of course school supplies. Although all are welcome, but only people who register will be guaranteed a backpack with school supplies.

MONDAY, AUGUST 28

Barbers & Backpacks. 12:00 – 4:00pm. 2090 Conway St, St. Paul. Backpacks, school supplies, vouchers for free haircuts.

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 2

Back 2 School Bash FREE Community Event. 2:00 – 7:00pm. 1349 Arcade St, St Paul, MN. We want to welcome everyone to come join us as we get ready for the kids to go back to school! We will have limited supplies of school supplies, free haircuts and dread retwist, along with some fly local clothing vendors! This is a free community event. We will have live music, food trucks, free food, video game truck, bouncy houses and more!

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 4

Free Back 2 School Giveaway. 10:00am – 4:00pm. King Milans Barbershop, 511 University Ave W, St Paul, MN 55103. Free haircuts, food, school supplies, backpacks.

Do you have more events to add to this list? Let me know or comment below.

Want more money-saving tips? Check out my guide:

25 Money-Saving Tips for Back to School Shopping

Instead of driving your children to various activities in your car, try to find activities that you can do at home and in the neighborhood. It will keep your children safe and provide activities that help them learn and get exercise. When you want to take a trip, plan a specific activity to do, like fishing, walking, hiking, or biking.

Here are some ideas to get you started.

Let Your Children Help With Meal Preparation

They can help you with shopping by writing a list and looking for specific items in the store. You can search online for recipes and try preparing a simple one for a family meal. Start by creating healthy snacks and let them wash and cut vegetables and fruit. Make a homemade dip for these items. Let them learn and make mistakes, but practice safety. They can help with dinner by giving them tasks to accomplish. Washing, cleaning, setting the table, and cleaning up are important tasks your kids can handle.

Have a family pizza or pasta night and let everyone participate. Have your children look for a recipe online. Since 49% of consumers say they search for items and products, let them look for recipes on Google. Shop for ingredients at the store, and make the dish at home, letting the children help out. There are many premade pizza crusts where you just have to add the toppings and cheese. It is an easy and fun project!

Develop Outdoor Activities For Exercise

Get your children outdoors to develop a regular outdoor exercise routine in the yard or in your neighborhood. They can weed the garden or water plants if you have a garden. Your children can play games outdoors that require physical activity. They can ride bikes, play bocce, badminton, walk, do yard work, basketball, or any activity that gets them moving.

There are many games sold for children that promote exercise. In fact, Americans spend over $600 million on golf balls yearly. Kids can learn to hit golf balls in the yard. There is a game called Putterball that comes with a mat, two golf balls, and two putter sticks that lets you practice. You can buy more golf balls for a group activity. If you have room, buy a used trampoline and let the kids exercise outdoors.

Start a Hobby Where They Create Something

It’s time for your children to learn a hobby or learn a craft. You can set up a table outside where they can make things. They can learn to draw, write poems, stories, or essays. You will need pencils, paper, crayons, colored pencils, and other common supplies. Fat Brain Toys make creative kits for different crafts and projects for boys and girls. This is a good way to try a craft without committing too much money.

They have kits that involve weaving, making clay dinosaurs, easels and art supplies, chemistry, and engineering and construction. If you are skilled at a craft, you can teach your children some simple tasks to see whether they are interested. Let them choose a hobby they have an interest in, and they will be more likely to stick with it.

Teach Them About Fishing

Perhaps you like to fish and live near a local lake, pond, beach, or have your own. You can teach your children to fish by scouting for safe places to go. The local bait store can tell you the best places to stop. Instead of buying equipment, let them use what you have. Try to find a location you can fish off the dock or near the lake where they do not need a boat.

Teach them to use bait and aim to catch some fish. Keep it simple; try fishing from the beach, piers, or stream. These are good places to start. Talk to your kids about how the first fish hooks were made of a short piece of wood, bone, or stone. They were even supposed to be pointed at both ends! Keep the fishing trips short, not too long, to maintain interest. Try different locations without using a boat at the beginning.

If you’re worried about keeping your kids occupied outside of school hours, here are some ideas that’ll keep your kids fit, curious, creative, and helpful at home while spending little.

Want more ideas?

Check out my list:

With the COVID-19 pandemic continuing throughout the country, many schools are taking the necessary precautions to do what they can to reopen their doors to students. About 75% of U.S. schools are public and 25% are private, and the precautionary decisions of each school vary. Some schools and universities are continuing to teach completely online while others are giving students the option to choose between online and in-person learning.

While online learning may not give your child the traditional learning experience they want, limiting in-person learning as much as possible is important for everyone’s health. According to the CDC, between 2,000 and 10,000 new COVID-19 hospitalizations per day are expected to occur by September 14, and already one-third of American families struggle to pay medical bills.

If your child is starting their next school year from home, you may be wondering what you can do to make the year better and more fun for them. After all, they won’t have their friends to make classes entertaining and back-to-school clothes don’t have the same appeal when there are no classmates to impress. Fortunately, there are a few ways you can make your child’s online learning back-to-school experience just a little more special.

Take their ‘first day of school’ photo

If it’s a family tradition to take your child’s first day of school photo, keep up the tradition. Your child’s classes may be online, but that doesn’t mean you won’t want to remember their first day. Create a poster or sign with the grade your child is going into on it and have your child can hold the sign for the photo outside. Even if the school day is unconventional, it gives your child a special moment to remember.

Check out these “First Day of School” photo frame ideas!

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Personalize your child’s desk

One of the best parts about back to school is entering a new classroom that’s decked out for the new school year. Nothing beats the smell of new crayons and the feeling of opening a new notebook or agenda. Give your child that same experience by personalizing their desk area with some new materials and decor to really give that feeling of a fresh start to a new year.

Set up fun after-school activities

When your child is using virtual learning, it can be challenging for them to have a sense of separation between school and home. A great way to establish that balance is by setting up fun after-school activities like going to the park, walking around the neighborhood, and playing outside.

If your child is the type who prefers to play online games like Minecraft, which sold over 200 million copies as of May this year, for fun, be sure that they take a break outdoors to get some vitamin D before they get to gaming. Taking an outdoor break between “school” and home will help your child relax and unwind.

Ask your child what they learned over dinner

Your child may be learning online, but they’re still learning. Over family dinner, ask your child to share their favorite thing they’ve created that week or their favorite topic to have learned about. If your child is on the younger side, they can use this time for show-and-tell and show the family their favorite artwork or toy.