There might be another month of summer vacation left, but many parents are already perusing stores for school supplies, trying to buy all the necessary items without breaking their wallets. Bruce Winder, a retail analyst, said the ongoing affordability crisis is making shopping difficult for Canadians, particularly those in the bottom half of the income bracket. “If you’re in that bottom half, you’re having to do things differently,” he told CTV News Atlantic’s Jesse Thomas. “Waiting for sales, thrifting more, trying to make items last two or three or four years, using hand-me-downs, anything to make the dollars stretch through the season.” Winder recommends parents draw up a plan and a strict budget before they start searching for backpacks, pencils, and rulers. “Some of the biggest mistakes are impulse buying,” he said. “Almost do an inventory of what you have and what you need and stick to it. “Don’t buy things you already have or things you can get another year out of. Try to buy things on sale.” Winder noted parents may have to spend a little extra on items like computers to make sure they last several years. “You don’t want to buy a used electronic device if it breaks a month later,” he said. “Something your child could use for several years is something you might want to invest in if you have the cashflow.”
