(NAPSI)When it comes to saving money on school supplies and clothes, parents may benefit from doing a little homework.

Studying up on ways to save can even put some money in your educational piggy bank.

Shop at home. Only buy the things you need. Walk around your house and open some drawers; you may have all the pencils and rulers you need.

Make a list and stick to it.

Shop early. That way, you wont be tempted to make last-minute impulse buys.

Shop around. Look at weekly sales circulars. Visit a few stores.

Buy clothes during tax-free holidays.

Look for free shipping. If you are shopping online or shipping supplies off to college, shipping costs can add up.

Consider saving on your everyday purchases through Upromise.com. Upromise now allows you to earn 5 percent or more cash back on eligible online purchases. Use the new Upromise Mastercard and you can earn 10 percent or more cash back on eligible online purchases through Upromise.

The cash back you earn goes directly into your Upromise account. Saving money for college can pay off, as having a college degree is becoming more and more valuable.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, college graduates with a bachelors degree earned an average of $20,000 more than high school graduates in 2011.

Upromise members can use their earnings in one of four ways: transfer the funds into 529 college savings plans, pay down an eligible Sallie Mae−serviced student loan, make a deposit into an FDIC-insured Sallie Mae High-Yield Savings Account offered through Sallie Mae Bank, or request a check.

You can learn more or join for free at www.upromise.com.

 

On the Net:North American Precis Syndicate, Inc.(NAPSI)