
As many people have been talking about their kids going back to school, it got me thinking about all of the new stuff people buy. I looked up some recent info and according to the National Retail Federation and Prosper Insights & Analytics' annual survey, families with children in elementary through high school plan to spend an average of $874.68 on clothing, shoes, electronics and school supplies. For most families, that's A LOT of money. But it doesn't have to be nearly that much. And as someone who hasn't bought "new" clothes, shoes, or electronics in over 16 years, I know there are a lot of options out there.
But hey, I vividly remember the fun of Back to School shopping. I'd go with my mom to places like Marshalls, Caldor and Hardcorps Surf & Skate. It was exciting to have something new and different. But "new" doesn't have to mean "brand new." There are plenty of things out there that can be new to a person, but they don't have to be new to the planet. And those things can bring you the same good feelings, and they can surely save you money as you will see below. Also, yes, I'm aware that school starts real soon for most and I know some people have started already. But I also remember waiting until the last minute to buy school supplies because of camps, vacations, etc.
Alright. I hope you enjoy the list. And let me know in the comments if you end up choosing any of these solutions and the benefits you got. Cheers!
KEY FOR BELOW
(👤) Benefits the People - can still fit your interests and tastes, custom, personalized, fun (🌎) Benfits the Planet - save resources, keep items out of the landfill (💰) Benefits the Wallet - save money
1. Backpacks (🌎 💰) - Now, this is probably the thing that most kids would be OK with using from last year, which is obviously the best way to reuse. But there are plenty of other options. Here are over 230,000 pre-owned backpack options on eBay alone. On the higher end of things, Alchemy Goods is a company that I had a booth next to once. They make great bags out of advertising banners and bike tires! And be sure to check your local thrift store. They always have some.
2. Books (🌎 💰) - Books are less common now than when I was in school, but they're always going to play some role in education, especially for college students. And books are a huge problem, as many people buy them brand new only to read once and many thrift stores don't even take them. Used books are almost always a fraction of the cost too.
Half Price Books is a great resource to find books online and at one of their many brick and morter stores. Other places to look online are eBay and ThriftBooks.
There are plenty of local used book stores out there too, so be sure to check your area.

3. Book Covers (👤 🌎 💰) - It's funny. I didn't think book covers were still a thing with so much on computers, but then I talked to my friend Rachael with 3 sons and she let me know it's definitely a thing. She sent me this great video tutorial to make them out of paper bags, just like I did as a kid. And the great thing with that is you can decorate them however you want. Instead of looking at a boring text book image, you kid can see their artwork, favorite athletes or musicians. Now, if you're like me and don't ever get paper bags, you probably know someone with a collection in their house or could even get some at the recycling center.
Thanks to Welcome To Nanas for letting us use her video. Check out her site for more kids crafts and reuse projects. You'll find her at https://WelcomeToNanas.com.
4. Bookmarks (👤 🌎 💰) - This is one of those things that I can't understand ever spending any money on. But I know it's nice to have something that fits your interest or style. Start by looking around your house or room. You could use anything from a birthday card to a trading card. If you want a custom one, you can decorate a piece of scrap card stock and attach a string. Just type "upcycled bookmark ideas" into an image search and you're bound to find something that strikes a chord.

5. Clothing (👤 🌎 💰) - This one is probably the most obvious and fortunately, most practiced these days. Buying used clothing for kids, especially as they are younger and grow so fast, just makes a whole lot of sense. And there are endless ways to find the clothes they want; whether it's hand me downs from friends and family, thrift stores, or online outlets. With my apparel brand STAY VOCAL, I offer an entire line of 1 of a Kind Reuse T-Shirts, so kids could go to school with a shirt that nobody else in the world has.
6. Ear Pods / Headphones (👤 🌎 💰) - This may sound a little gross at first, but there are always disinfectants and you can find many options that are certified refurbished with warranties. These are certainly harder to find in the wild at thrift stores, but here are over 1,000 options on eBay.
7. Laptops (🌎 💰) - You can save hundreds of dollars buying a pre-owned laptop. And just like with the headphones, you can find a ton that are certified refurbished with warranties. Here's a list of over 3500 certified refurbished laptops on eBay. In many cases, you'll also be supporting a small USA based business, who focuses on repair and helps keeps things out of our landfill. Apple also has an entire section of certfieid refurbished laptops and other electronics.
8. Lunch bags (👤 🌎 💰) - Fortunately, bringing a reusable lunch container is popular again, but you don't have to spend a lot of money on a brand new one. Here's over 6000 pre-owned lunch bag options on eBay alone. And if you have a kid who is really into vintage 80s or 90s things, you could always opt for a vintage lunchbox. Here's over 15,000 options for that!

9. Notebooks, Sketch Pads. etc. (👤 🌎) - Notebooks are one of those things that understandably you might not want to buy used, but first I would recommend checking to see what you have leftover from last year. It's amazing how many half used notebooks I found while sorting out some school things a few years ago. If money is less of an issue here and you want something with more style, you can find some totally unique upcycled notebooks made from book covers, game boards, videtape boxes and more on etsy.

10. Pencil Cases (👤 🌎 💰) - The most inexpensive and personalized option here would be to find a durable box or container around the house and decorate it with stickers, drawings, words, etc. But if there is something specific in mind, you don't have to spend a lot of money on a brand new one. Here's around 5000 pre-owned pencil case options on eBay alone. And if you're really feeling crafty, below is a tutorial on making an awesome looking case out of scrap cardboard.
11. Sneakers (👤 🌎 💰) - Ah yes... sneakers. It's been a thing and continues to be a thing. But like with clothing, people's tastes for sneakers come and go. There are some great online resources for sneakers these days like Grailed and Poshmark. And here are over 2 million pre-owned sneaker options on eBay. Yes... 2 million. And be sure to check your local thrift store. I've found so many great pairs of sneakers for under $10 at thrift stores over the years and sometimes they don't even look worn.
12. Writing Utensils (🌎 💰) - Before you go and buy a bunch of writing utensils, be sure to check around the house. This is how people end up with clogged junk drawers in desks and kitchens. And if you're lucky enough to have a creative reuse store in your area, they surely have some things for you and super cheap. I got a bunch of like-new sharpies at one recently for 25 cents each.

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