How to De-Stress Back-to-School Shopping
It feels like summer only just began, and yet, it’s almost time for kids to go back to school already! Back-to-school shopping can be overwhelming—and expensive—but with these tips, you can put together everything your kids need to tackle the new school year, without stressing you or your wallet.
Take inventory of what you already have
Often when we’re thinking of back-to-school shopping, it’s a frenzy of hopping from store to store trying to remember what you need and where the best deals are. A good thing to remember is that you probably have most of what you need laying around the house. Combine a few well-loved packs of markers to make a full set, empty and reuse binders from previous years and dig through the junk drawer for a forgotten-about flash drive or graphing calculator. You could also borrow or trade supplies from friends and family, and host a clothing swap to find new-to-you outfits (and uniforms!) while giving new life to clothes your kids have outgrown by passing onto other families.
Be a meticulous planner
Instead of heading to the stores and hoping for the best, make a list (or bring the one the school provides) and physically check things off once you’ve got them in your cart so you can be sure you have everything you need and not a bunch of things you don’t. If you’re a bargain hunter, check flyers and discount apps to find which stores have the best deals and map your shopping journey out beforehand. When it comes to the dreaded lunch planning, remember that kids often like eating the same things anyway, so buy your food in bulk and batch-cook (with the kids’ help!) so you have many delicious lunches ready to go in the freezer.
Get the phones your kids need—and collect valuable PC Optimum points
As everyone prepares for a new routine, back-to-school is an ideal time to think about upgrading your mobile devices and plans for the whole family. You want to ensure that everyone can be as productive as possible with school and work, and stay in touch especially if you have high schoolers or kids heading off to university.
Maybe your student wants to hone their photo editing and video skills with an Apple iPhone 13, Samsung Galaxy S22 or the Google Pixel 6. Or maybe they need max productivity to do research for papers while also taking notes during classes with a Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 or a Motorola G Power. They probably also need a flexible data plan so they can connect from anywhere. The experts at The Mobile Shop can help you select a phone and plan that’s right for your family.
You can find The Mobile Shop during your next grocery trip, located in select Superstore, Loblaw and Zehrs locations. Expert staff (called Mobilists) can walk you through the latest phones and the top plans from all the leading Canadian carriers, like Bell, Rogers and Telus. Compare plans in a single place with an unbiased Mobilist, ready to answer all of your questions. No need to shop around or talk to multiple salespeople. Your Mobilist can activate almost any advertised offer so they’ll help you find the best deal for the phones, coverage, price and plans that fit your family’s unique needs.
Plus, there’s no better time to upgrade your phone because you can earn PC Optimum points with your purchase. Until September 12, earn up to 450,000 PC Optimum points or more on select phones and plans with a phone trade-in. PC Optimum points never expire and are redeemable on future shopping trips at more than 4,500 Loblaw locations across the country. Collecting these bonus points is the perfect way to finish checking off your back-to-school list.
The Mobile Shop has 195 locations nationwide, but you can also chat with a live person online from 10 am to 9 pm EST, 7 days a week or fill out a form to have a Mobilist reach out with an answer within 24 hours. Click here to find the nearest location to you and find the perfect phone for you and your family.