Last week, I dropped $90 on school supplies for my 6-year-old twins. And that didn’t include clothes and shoes, two things that suck the life out of any budget.
As you may know, I hate shopping. For some reason, I feel guilty when I spend money, though that has never slowed me down. Plus, I’d rather be doing something productive, like flitting around on Twitter.
But there are a few things we haven’t had to re-purchase this year because we did it right last year. And in that preachy, I-know-it-all tone that I’m perfecting as a mother, I’m going to share what I learned.
(1) A Backpack
Buy a sturdy kid’s backpack from a mountaining/outdoorsy shop. We purchased two from Mountain Equipment Coop (MEC) for under $25 each. Our kids have used them every day for two years and they look brand new. Plus, MEC has a lifetime guarantee that they honour, so these backpacks just may become family heirlooms.
(2) A Lunch Bag
Buy a lunch bag that is machine washable. I’ve tried insulated bags and spent too much time digging out cracker crumbs, yogurt spills, and mashed cheese from the seams. We purchased these neoprene ones from Staples and, like the backpacks described above, the lunch bags still look brand new.
(3) A Water bottle
Buy a stainless steel water bottle. I fill it up half with juice and half with water every day, then my kids refill it with water when they run out. I save money on juice boxes and I put it in the dishwasher every night. You can change the lid once a year, too. And when you go out to a movie with your spouse, you can put wine in it; the stainless steel keeps a Pinot Grigio cold for two hours. Not that I’ve done this.
(4) and (5) Children
The last must-have school supplies are my children. And you can’t have them. Well, not today.
So, there you have it: three things that stay clean…and my children.
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Please share any Back-To-School Tips (or Horror Stories) in the comments section.
ROTFL!
Besides laughing, I did learn a few tricks. I like the idea of one good backpack sans princess/truck/dora/star wars etc on it.
Photos are hilarious too.
Had way too much fun with the photos. Kids said, “You really like Thing 1 and Thing 2, don’t you?”
For pre-school all that is required is a back pack so my daughter chose her Minnie Mouse one but at $10 I consider that money well spent if it sends her to school happy even if it doesn’t outlive this school year. I really like those lunch bags and the idea of them being washable plus the sturdy MEc back packs for the future and the water bottles are a great idea too. Just a few more years to go and I will be joining you.
$10 for Disney is a steal. Even if it lasts till Spring Break (which our Little Tykes ones did ages ago)
Bringing wine in a stainless steel water bottle into the movies? Why have I never thought of that? That may have helped me get through Lord of the Freakin’ Rings. Genious.
LOL. I think my experience with Titanic taught me that lesson.
I am super impressed that you have had the water bottles for longer than a month. I think my kids record is two weeks. I swear, they cannot keep track of their water bottles. I may consider tying string to them kind of like mittens when they were younger…
I like the string idea. Mabel’s Labels also work and last through the dishwasher. I’m thinking of ordering my own set of “Ms. Shirtliffe” ones for my classroom…putting them on my tea mug, my board markers, my forehead.
Love it! Wish I still had a Thing 1 and Thing 2 to buy little school supplies for. This year it is school supplies for a high school junior (aka #6 or the baby) and for two college kids (aka #5 and #4 who buys most of her own stuff). The twins are not in college anymore and one even has a full time job! YIPPEE! Maybe I should buy him a lunch sack.
#6 is a Junior? Wow. You deserve a medal for getting 5 out the door. Maybe you should go buy yourself some school supplies. I still can’t resist the perfect pen…
I love MEC. They have the best stuff, and it lasts forever. 🙂
Ode to MEC!
I love this pack!! It would be even better if they had more colours to choose from 🙂
More colours would be great. My daughter was originally disappointed that pink wasn’t an option, but things have a way of working out: one year later and her favourite colour is light blue. Fortuitous!
Love, love, love MEC!
I purchased a ‘diaper bag’ nearly four years ago and it still looks brand new today. DS will certainly be going off to JK with a MEC backpack.
New fan of your blog here!
My twins were born in Thailand (we have traveled the world in MEC gear) – but I never knew they had a diaper bag. Too late for this life time…but maybe for a gift. Thanks for stopping by!
My ‘diaper bag’ was just a backpack (Rundle Daypack), I wanted something practical.
The other thing I like about the MEC kids packs is the smaller sizes. I cringe when I see so many little bodies loaded up and hunched over like sherpas in their huge Dora bags.
We have the same ones for our kids and they still look brand new after 4 years of use.
Love love love your sherpa reference. So true.
Omigod. Wine in the water bottle. Lady, you are awesome.