The ABC's of Saving Money this School Year

(ARA) - It's no doubt that the cost of school supplies can break the bank. A recent survey by Kodak reports one out of two parents admits they have exceeded their back-to-school budget at least once. Now that the kids are settled into school, it's a great time to organize the family and seek out ways to save money on supplies that you'll need to replenish throughout the year.

Kathy Peel, founder and CEO of Family Manager Coach Network and author of recently published "Desperate Households," shares some great tips for regaining control of the family budget following the back-to-school frenzy.

* Scour for sales: Specials on school supplies are plentiful. Stores often need to unload extra merchandise (notebooks, pens, etc.) at this time of year to make way for holiday stock. Their leftovers can be your treasures.

* Buyer beware: When investing in electronics, be mindful that the cost of "refills" can eat up your budget. Avoid anything that requires disposable batteries and beware of reasonably priced printers require expensive ink refills. A new line of KODAK EASYSHARE All-in-One Inkjet Printers is designed to foster kids' creativity and save up to 50 percent on everything you print compared to similar consumer inkjet printers.

The savings are based on home printing of documents and photos, using average ink costs of comparable consumer inkjet printers. Actual results may vary. Visit www.kodak.com/go/inkdata for details.

* Hunt for online coupons: Get your kids involved in finding coupons online. Many of your favorite brands offer special coupons that can only be found online, so don't wait for the coupons to come to you, go get and print them!

For more tips from Kathy, pick up a copy of her new book, "Desperate Households."

Courtesy of ARAcontent