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Back To School

August 10th, 2011 at 04:11 pm

Easy Peasy!

Kids don't need any clothes.

They have back packs and lunch pails already.

School will ask for $25 donation or so, each, for supplies. (So we don't have to buy one thing all year).

& so, we did nothing, nada, zip, zilch, to prepare.

If only every year were so easy! Big Grin

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MIL bought the kids some polo shirts for school. She was all excited because they were on sale at Target. For reference, I tend to avoid Target clothing for the crappy quality. (I do buy the kids' clothing there - but they outgrow it in 5 minutes. It's dirt cheap - and holds up as long as it needs to).

*I* stock up on polos at Hanes whenever they are on sale - usually $5 or $6 a pop. Needless to say, I don't need any shirts for the kids - they have a TON. New ones and everything. I always stock up when there is a big sale.

But, MIL refused to take no for an answer. I glimpsed that if she had her way, she'd throw away all their Hanes shirts and replace them with her *superior* Target shirts. ("They are cotton and polyester!" she tells me). I have to roll my eyes at the ridiculousness as clearly they must be eons above in quality, right? Wink

We decided to exchange all the shirts for pants (which we will need - and are more costly). For all her insistence I take these shirts - she did give me the receipt.

4 Responses to “Back To School”

  1. Joan.of.the.Arch Says:
    1313023062

    Hallelujah! Reading about a little ordinary thriftiness regarding school preparation might just have kept my head from exploding this evening. Sometimes I just am driven crazy by all the spending crappola that doesn't make any sense.

    I've been tutoring for a family for 2 years at a ridiculously low rate. I gave them the break because they pleaded poverty. Yet after being in their home 8 hours a week for two years, I've not observed any poverty. Actually my eyes bug out at the spending I see!

    One of them showed me her new school supplies-- the biggest and most deluxe version of everything, including the things that were listed as "optional" on the supply list. I saw the price tags on the backpack and lunch bag and about choked. Everything had to be cute and embellished; nothing could be plain.

    A few days ago, I told them what my new rate would be. The response was, "That's too much." Well, *I* cannot prioritize the kids' education over sequined backpacks, the tons of junkfood, the parade of toys both cheap and expensive, and the constantly renewed wardrobe, but the *parents* certainly could.

    Anyway, my head was in danger of exploding, so I'm glad to read some common sense. For real!

  2. MonkeyMama Says:
    1313034151

    @ Joan - Ugh!! Yeah - I was just hearing all this "back to school buzz and realizing there wasn't anything to it now that we are established. Sure, we will need to do some fall clothing shopping for the older one - but it's mid summer now!

    I realized today that BM only has 3 pairs of shorts, but with the whole "insane amount of shirts to exchange" thing, I get off easy. Will trade in for some shorts this weekend.

    I counted, and both the kids had 8 shirts/each, and I will keep 2/each to appease dh and MIL (they are white - which I would never buy or care for. We just tie dyed too old school shirts that had turned a dingy grey).

  3. MonkeyMama Says:
    1313034386

    P.S. The only shopping that has arisen (needing more shorts) comes from the "uniform" policy - which I don't care for in the least on a frugal level. Well, on any level, really... But I do know where to pick up the clothes dirt cheap - and will probably start hitting the on campus recycled clothes closet since I can donate LM's old clothing and exchange for clothing for BM. I had left that to the worse off, but you know how that has turned out (people on scholarship driving Hummers - and stuff like that - much like you experienced today). I am sure there are people truly worse off, but I have no qualms with an even exchange in size.

  4. terri77 Says:
    1314537733

    Well that was nice of your MIL to try and help with the back to school shopping. It's good that you'll be able to exchange the shirts for pants as well.

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