If you’re like most teachers, you’re always on the lookout for creative and clever ways to stretch your classroom supply budget. This time of year, it’s especially important for you to review your budget and make sure it will last until the final day of school. If you give your budget extra attention now, you may be in for a pleasant surprise once school ends—a surplus!

Find out how you can save up to 75% on books, décor, and more for your classroom!

Here are 4 things you can do now in the New Year to stretch you budget even further for you and your students.

Track expenses
If you want your budget to go further, you have to know where the money flows. Create a simple spreadsheet to track expenses and update it weekly. Each month, take a few minutes to review your purchases and plan for the upcoming month, taking special care to note the areas in your classroom that may put a pinch on your budget in the future.

Cut costs
If you get in the routine of tracking your expenses now, you’ll know exactly where your money is going. Patterns will emerge and you may even see that a disproportionate share of your budget is going toward supplies that aren’t being used or are unnecessary—easy cuts. As you continue to review and reflect on your budget each week and month, you’ll also find additional areas where you can save money, stretching your budget even further.

Enlist parent support
When planning for future expenses, identify those items parents may be able to contribute. Often, parents are interested in ways to connect with their child’s classroom. By putting out a call for specific supplies in your newsletter, you’ll let parents know what they can do to help and have a positive impact! 

Keep an eye out for deals and discounts
Like most deal-savvy teachers, you already know all the retailers that give the best teacher discounts. And you’re always on the hunt for amazing deals—thrift stores, library book sales, and Scholastic Book Clubs are all great resources for adding to your classroom library. But there’s always more ways to save. From affordable bestselling book collections to borders and trimmers and bulletin boards, Scholastic also has great deals on the books and décor you need to brighten up your classroom and inspire learning without breaking the bank. Plus, when you sign up for our Teacher Newsletter, you’ll always know about our latest deals!

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