(ARA) – For students across the country, the beginning of a new school year is just around the corner. And, if you haven’t started your back-to-school shopping yet, you may soon find yourself dealing with large crowds and pricey cash register totals.

Back-to-school spending is expected to jump 6.9 percent this year, and families with school-aged children are expected to spend a total of $18.4 billion, an average of $563.49 per child. According to the National Retail Federation’s 2007 back-to-school survey, here’s how the register totals break down:

* Clothing and accessories: $231.80
* Shoes: $108.42
* School supplies (notebooks, backpacks and lunchboxes): $94.02
* Electronics or computer-related equipment: $129.24

To reduce the financial strain of back-to-school expenses, use these five tips to develop a strategy before you venture to the malls.

Tip No. 1 – Generate a list of necessities and stick to it.

Younger children typically receive a list of required supplies directly from their school. Most teenagers will want to generate their own lists — make sure to spend time reviewing it together before you head to the stores. Often a teenager’s definition of “necessity” may be slightly different than their parent’s.

Sending kids off to college? Remember — they’ll need a lot more than the basics. Make sure to include items such as linens, laundry supplies, computers and more.

Tip No. 2 – Watch for sales.

It seems like back-to-school sales start earlier every year. Start as early as possible and stockpile supplies little by little as they go on sale. By spreading out back-to-school expenses into several smaller purchases as you find the sales, you’ll feel less of an impact on your budget, and you’ll save money overall.

In addition to the basic school supplies and clothing, bigger ticket items such as electronics, laptops, calculators, cell phones, MP3 players and digital cameras tend to go on sale as new items are often released to hit stores in time for holiday shopping.

Tip No. 3 – Take advantage of price matching.

Many retailers now offer to match their competitor’s prices. If an item on your list is on sale at a store that’s too far out of your way, look for a more convenient, competitor store that will match the offer. You’ll not only spend less on the item itself, but you’ll save yourself time and gasoline.

Tip No. 4 – Supplement your budget with your change.

Concerned about how you’re going to pay for all the things your list? Coinstar, Inc. estimates that there is approximately $90 worth of change in the average American home waiting to be put to good use.

Take your change to the nearest Coinstar Center and have it counted for free when you place the value of your change onto a gift card or certificate from retailers like Amazon.com, Circuit City, iTunes, Timberland and more. Or, turn your change in for cash (there’s a nominal service fee) and spend it anywhere you like. (Visit www.coinstar.com for details and to find the nearest location.)

Tip No. 5 – Ask for student discounts.

Don’t forget about student discount programs. While most are geared towards college students making their own purchases, many are extending to middle and high school students. Depending on the amount of the purchase, the savings could be substantial.

Courtesy of ARAcontent

(ARA) – Remember when your biggest back-to-school shopping challenge was finding your elementary student the coolest pair of sneakers and trendy T-shirts?

Now they’re high-school or college bound and it’s a lot more complicated.

Today, shopping for school means making sure they have all the technology they’ll need to make it through the school year. But before you buy, make sure you do your homework and know what kids really need to succeed.

“Computers in school are now as commonplace as computers in homes,” says Paul Ewert, executive vice president and general merchandising manager of CompUSA. “Parents and educators have come to rely on technology as an important tool to enhance learning for children.”

Preparing your children in terms of technology requires more than just making sure their laptop is in working order. Ewert and the technology experts at CompUSA offer the following tips to help you make smart back-to-school shopping decisions:

* If your teenager carries his laptop to school, be sure to invest in locks. Locks will prevent unauthorized users from stealing or accessing the computer. Choose cut-resistant galvanized steel combination locks. CompUSA offers locks that can be user-programmed with up to 10,000 different combinations.

* A great alternative to carrying the entire laptop is to invest in a USB flash drive. “USB flash drives have become hugely popular as reliable, portable pocket-sized means of saving papers, presentations and even music and photos in a device smaller than your thumb,” Ewert says. “For most students’ needs, 1GB and higher capacities are recommended, with 2GB becoming the new standard for safe storage of information large enough for most purposes.”

* For safeguarding important schoolwork, as well as photos, videos and music, an external hard drive acts as a “safe-deposit box.” The drives can be used to back up data in the event of a system crash, corrupted files, accidental erasures or similar maladies common in computers used in a student environment. “Students should consider an external hard drive of 300 MB or greater, up to 1 Terabyte,” says Ewert. “The bigger they are, the more information they can store.”

* Many students are also using their cell phones or digital cameras to store photos, videos and music. Additional memory cards greatly expand the storage capacity of these devices. “The most popular memory card is the mobile Secure Digital (SD) cards for cell phones,” suggests Ewert. “These are good for saving hundreds of pictures, music files, etc., on a student’s phone or Blackberry.”

* Repetitive motion injuries are common among people who spend hours a day typing, including students. An ergonomic keyboard and mouse can help prevent injury and improve posture by helping position the hands, wrists and forearms naturally. Ewert recommends you test-drive a model in the store before you buy it. “Everyone’s hands and wrists are unique,” he says. “It’s important to find the one that best fits you.”

* All work and no play makes for very bored students, so be sure to throw in some technology that’s just for fun, like Slingbox, which allows students to tune into their local TV shows while away at school, and add-on TV Tuners that can turn a dorm room PC into a complete entertainment center.

* Finally, on a practical note, consider how you will handle situations when your computer and other technology are not working properly. Consider investing in a technology service plan for your students. Often, this can be available at a discount when you purchase a new laptop or desktop computer. This back-to-school season, CompUSA is offering 30 days of unlimited technical support for just $29.99 with the purchase of a PC. Many computer retailers charge $50 or more for a one-time service call.

To learn more about back to school technology, stop by your local CompUSA store or go online to www.compusa.com to view a Back to School Buying Guide.

Courtesy of ARAcontent