► Prepare for the fancy requests: Taking my 8-year-old daughter Ariel, who’s going into grade 3, back-to-school shopping was intense. She had her eye on the fanciest supplies, from glittery notebooks to designer backpacks. It took some serious negotiation to keep us within budget. (But hey, she’ll be the most stylish third-grader out there!)

► Make a list: Assign a budget and stick to it. (And for goodness sake, DON’T bring the kids along!)

► Find sales: For back-to-school clothes, shop end-of-summer sales and focus on apparel the kids can wear all year long. (Whether they like it or not!)

► Buy in bulk: Kids can really go through the essentials like paper, pencils, glue sticks, and notebooks quickly. (And backpacks. Trust me.)

► Do your online homework: Follow your favorite brands and retailers on social media, and sign up for their email newsletters, to stay in the know about the latest deals. Sometimes, they even have exclusive sales for their followers. (No fair! 12 more days of summer vacation, and I have to do homework?)