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  • 5 basic steps for a great back-to-school makeover

    Everyone secretly wishes to start their new school year as a fresh chapter of their school life, which also in a way means that they wish to revamp their previous fashion style and embrace something new.

    Are you also wanting to get a complete makeover before the first day at school but are confused where to begin from and how to reach your goal? If yes, then don’t fret, here are five simple steps to having a major makeover during the summer.

    Introspect
    The first thing to do once you decide that you need a makeover is to understand what kind of makeover you are looking for. Do you wish to be more experimental with your clothes? Or do you want to gain more confidence and work on being content in your own skin? Once you have introspected, you can outline a plan for how you are going to achieve your goal during the summer.

    Clear your wardrobe
    The first thing to do if you have decided to change your fashion style is to dig through your wardrobe and discard the clothes that you are probably never going to wear again. While you are at it, you will get a good idea of what clothes you are comfortable wearing and what kind of clothes you would like to add to your wardrobe. You can either consider selling your old clothes or simply donate them to a charity.

    Go shopping
    Once you have cleared your wardrobe, buy some new pieces that you can wear stand alone or the ones that compliment your current wardrobe. Try to buy some trendy pieces and some items from the vintage boutiques, so that you can mix them together and enhance your style. If you can’t afford to buy high-end brands, then find out a thrift shop in your locality and rummage through their collection.

    Create your own style
    You don’t need to always buy new clothes to look different. Many times, just by adding some accessories and wearing a dress in a different way, you can make it seem like you have changed your dressing style. Don’t shy away from mixing your clothing items and experimenting every single day.

    Reinvent yourself
    What many school-going girls and boys fail to understand is that getting a makeover is much more than changing your appearance. Instead of aiming for just looking different on your first day of school, you should have a holistic approach. Try to spend some time on yourself and master the art of being confident in yourself.

    Just keep in mind that summer is the best time to experiment and get the dramatic change that you always longed for. So, rediscover yourself and learn to be confident in your own skin.

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  • 5 popular retailers for back-to-school sales

    With the holidays coming to an end and the new academic year finally beginning, school-going kids might have a mixed feeling of sadness and excitement. Back-to-school sales on school supplies, backpacks, clothing, and computer electronics can add to their excitement. Here are some popular back-to-school deals offered by popular stores.

    Academy Sports + Outdoors
    Those looking for an athletic gear can shop from Academy Sports + Outdoors as they are offering some of the best back-to-school sales on brands like Nike, Under Armour, BCG, adidas, Layer8, Cheetah, and Soffe. There are sales on football equipment as well, which you can find on the company’s official website. Additionally, you will find a sale on back-to-school essentials that include school uniforms, bags, notebooks, and other stationery.

    Amazon
    Amazon provides competitive offers on back-to-school products through coupons. You can go to their coupons page to find all products including back-to-school supplies and click on “clip coupon” to purchase a product at a discounted rate. Products on back-to-school sales such as backpacks, pencil cases, and organizers are available at up to 15% discount on the website. Moreover, you can go to Amazon’s back-to-school and off-to-college pages to find the related products on sale.

    Kohl’s
    Students of all ages, from kindergarten to college can find clothes on Kohl’s official website. During the back-to-school season, Kohl’s offers great deals that include backpacks available on sale for less than $20, juniors and kids clearance jeans starting from less than $10, adidas products available at approximately 25% off, and school uniforms available at a starting price of around $10. On their official website, the company also provides discount codes for back-to-school products.

    Office Depot
    At Office Depot, you can find back-to-school sales on not only traditional school supplies like notebooks, calculators, and stationery but also technology gear such as laptops, tablets, and pen drives. You can also find a sale on school supplies for different grades under the ‘School Supplies’ section on the website.

    Target
    You can shop for school supplies, clothing, dorm dcor, and almost everything from your back-to-school shopping list at great prices on Target’s website. Some back-to-school discounts offered by Target include T-shirts starting at around $4, jeans at around $8, approximately 20% discount on backpacks, and school supplies available for around 99 cents.

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  • Back-to-school sales to save money on tech supplies

    Most students will have their classes starting at the end of August; this makes August a great month to buy school essentials at discounted rates as the month comes with numerous back-to-school sales. You can easily find everything from traditional school supplies to tech supplies available on sale. However, shopping for sale products from the right places is important to get the best deals on back-to-school tech supplies. Below are some tech essentials available on back-to-school sales.

    Laptop Samsung Chromebook 3
    The Samsung Chromebook 3 is a suitable laptop for everyone from elementary school to college. It is a small and sturdy laptop that provides a quick and seamless access to Google’s host of services that include Gmail, Drive, Docs, and much more. The specifications of this laptop include 1.6GHz N3060 CPU, 16GB eMMC, and 4GB RAM. You can buy this laptop on many back-to-school sales where it is available for approximately $194.

    Service Amazon Prime Student
    The Amazon Prime Student service is available on back-to-school sale for approximately $59 a year. With a Prime membership, students can access free shipping on all products from Amazon. Additionally, members of Amazon Prime Student get access to all the Prime membership perks at half the cost of traditional Prime membership. They also get around $100 off on Amazon’s back-to-school sale.

    Headphones with Mac Free Beats headphones on purchasing MacBook
    The annual back-to-school sale by The Apple Store is back with approximately $200 off on select MacBook purchases, which come with complimentary Beats Solo3 Wireless headphones. Some other stores like Best Buy offer MacBook Air on sale for approximately $749 to students who have a valid ‘.edu’ e-mail. However, complimentary headphones do not come with offers other than the ones provided by The Apple Store.

    Smartphone Moto G6
    Moto G6 is one of the budget smartphones that run on GSM and CDMA networks, which allows its users to use the phone of any carrier. The phone comes with a colorful display of 5.7-inch, fingerprint sensor, dual rear cameras, and Snapdragon 450 processor. On back-to-school sales, you can buy this phone for approximately $235.

    Surge Protector Belkin power strip
    A surge protector may not be on the top of your list of back-to-school tech essentials; however, it is an important device that many people, including college students, may require on a daily basis. If you are looking for a new surge protector, you can consider purchasing the Belkin power strip that comes with 12-outlet protector with enough space between each plug and an 8-foot long cord. You can buy this product for approximately $19 on various back-to-school sales.

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  • Points to consider before shopping for school supplies

    As summer comes to an end, one of the thoughts in the back of your mind is shopping for school supplies. From clothes to notebooks, shoes to stationery, everything your children will need for the start of school makes it to your shopping list.

    Back-to-school shopping can be both exciting and challenging as everyone scrambles for time and resources during the last few days of the vacation to get their children ready for school. Amidst all the shopping chaos and madness, you also aspire to save money on purchases as school supplies will burn a deep hole in your pocket. You might end up spending about $1000 minimum for all the supplies your child needs for the first day of school and throughout the semester.

    Here are a few points to consider before shopping for back-to-school supplies in 2018.

    Prepare in advance
    It is imperative to have a list of everything to ensure that you don’t end up purchasing unnecessary supplies for the semester. This list will also ensure that you don’t miss anything that is required by the curriculum. Always stick to the list to save time, money, and effort while scouring through a maze of aisles and endless shelves stocked with back-to-school deals and trends.

    Be a smart shopper
    Compare prices, don’t just buy the first product that catches your eye. Make the most of coupons and rewards programs that allow you to save money and earn points on your purchase. Stores will have different pricing and purchase policies regarding coupons and discount prices. So, make sure that you go through their terms and conditions in advance.

    Shop online
    Shopping for school supplies online is a smart move as you not only save time and money but also avoid the crowds and the long queues at the checkout counter. These e-commerce websites also allow you to use coupon codes and earn cash back on purchases. Popular school and office supplies websites like Best Buy, JC Penny, Kmart, Office Depot, Kohl’s, and Macy’s feature trending back-to-school shopping supplies.

    Keep the receipts
    Never throw away the receipts as it is impossible to exchange or claim a rebate on any of your purchases. Just use the purchase receipt to exchange the product or return it for a full refund. Remember that all stores and websites have different exchange and refund policies.

    Note that a branded purchase does not necessarily guarantee quality. You must always inspect the product and check its utility before buying it, irrespective of the brand or price tag.

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  • Five back-to-school tips for parents

    Going back to school can be hectic and exciting at the same time, for both children and parents. Things may get chaotic sometimes, especially if you’re trying to complete tasks according to a schedule. However, with the right planning, anything is possible. Below are five back-to-school tips for parents that will help them set a regular schedule for their children.

    • Have a designated study area
      It is vital to set up a special place at home to do all the school work including studying, assignments, and homework. Ensure that this place has no distractions nearby. Also, as a family, it is necessary to make education a high priority. It is also important to appreciate your child’s efforts and praise the work that he/she completes.
    • Getting everyone to bed on time
      It is understandable that children are not always on a schedule, especially during the summers. However, proper rest is essential for a productive and healthy school year. You can ensure that your children get back on their sleeping schedule in advance before the school starts. You only need to make sure that they go to bed early and wake up on time.
    • Going for a checkup
      Before the school starts, it is a good idea to take your child for a physical examination along with an eye exam. Most schools need an up-to-date immunization record, and you may also have to submit the necessary paperwork indicating that your child has taken all the essential vaccines and shots. Hence, it is crucial to check the immunization requirement according to your state of residence and maintain a comprehensive medical record for your child.
    • Prioritizing homework
      Your child will have a lot of things on track if you help him/her complete their homework on time rather than at the last minute. Having fixed times for studying and completing homework will help your child become consistent and disciplined about his/her studies. If your child is facing any difficulties with his/her homework, you must book an appointment with the teacher to discuss the issue and find some solutions.
    • Prepare healthy meals
      Various studies have shown that children who eat healthy and balanced meals do better in school as compared to those who don’t. It is essential that your child gets all the necessary nutrients and is not hungry all the time as hunger can make it difficult for a child to concentrate in class. Hence, it is imperative to prepare meals that nourish your child and make him/her feel full at the same time.
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  • 5 useful tips to save on back-to-school supplies

    Back-to-school shopping can be overwhelming. One might end up spending more than they initially planned because of the various supplies needed by a child to get through the academic year. Although one can easily purchase stationary such as pens and pencils with affordable school supplies deals, they cannot skimp on other items like shoes and backpacks. Also, the rising costs of most items might make it difficult to save on school supplies. However, there are a few ways to limit the expenses of school supplies without compromising on the quality of the items. Here are a few tips to save on back-to-school supplies.

    • Reuse instead of buying: One of the best ways to save on school supplies is to reuse instead of buying new things. Backpacks and lunchboxes from the previous academic year can be used again if these are still in good condition. The best school supplies deals can be found in late October or early November when a lot of back-to-school supplies go in for clearance. The prices go very low during these sales, and shoppers can find everything at this time, right from cute back-to-school supplies to simple, functional ones. Past years’ supplies can be easily used for a couple of months until such clearance sales come on. One can also check their craft drawers, file cabinets, or closet shelves to look for last year’s leftover and unused school supplies.
    • Buy from the list: A lot of times teachers give back-to-school supplies list to students. These lists mention all the items required by children during a semester or school year along with their exact quantities. It is best to shop for school supplies after the list is received. This way one saves money on extra stuff that will not be required or used. Using a list also helps to stay within the allocated budget and prevent overspending on things that will be used only for a year.
    • Buy long-lasting back-to-school supplies: School stuff such as backpacks and sneakers go through some extreme use. One should buy these things from major brands and manufacturers, preferably with a lifetime warranty. School supplies that have to go through rough wear and tear should be sturdy and long-lasting. In this way, one does not have to shell out a lot to replace these items again and again in the middle of the school year.
    • Buy online: One of the best ways to find good and cheap school supplies is through online retailers such as Target, Amazon, Best Buy, and Boxed. Shoppers can find affordable school supplies coupons through these retailers for buying in bulk and at inexpensive prices as well. These retailers often have a school supplies sale before the school season begins. Through these e-commerce websites, shoppers can buy school supplies online, right from stationary to gadgets required for school or college.
    • Label everything: Many parents and students often have to buy new school supplies in the middle of the school year due to misplacing or losing these items. The lost-and-found box of a school is filled with unclaimed school supplies. To prevent school supplies from getting lost in the heap of unclaimed items, label everything using address labels or stickers. Write down the entire name on each of the school items. Labeling school supplies will help to avoid replacing these items later.
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  • 5 popular online stores to find back-to-school supplies

    As soon as summer ends, the back-to-school season begins. Students, as well as parents, throng stores with long back-to-school supplies list. After all, it is better to stock up on pencils and notebooks before school begins, rather than run around for them later. Due to their ease-of-use and convenience, many shoppers are opting to buy school supplies online. Apart from the convenience factor, online retailers also offer affordable deals on school supplies that can help one save some extra money while stocking up on a whole year’s worth of school supplies. Here are some popular online stores preferred by many shoppers.

    • Amazon: One of the biggest online retailers for everything from clothes to computers, Amazon has all the things one might have in their back-to-school supplies list. Shoppers can get hold of school supplies coupons and deals for Amazon’s most popular sale days known as Prime Day. With a Prime membership, one can get discounts of nearly 50%. College students can save money by renting textbooks instead of buying them. Or they can even buy used books at far cheaper prices. Many colleges have Amazon lockers located within or near the campus. So students can conveniently pick up their school supplies from these lockers.
    • Target: Every year Target brings out a new range of back-to-school supplies. Whether shoppers are looking for cute back-to-school supplies or functional and cheap school supplies, Target offers an affordable and stylish range. Target has made online shopping for schools supplies easier with services such as School List Assist, On to College, School & Office Supplies, and Drive Up. Target also offers some of the best school supply deals such as school supply boxes that are available for sale at 99 cents only, and backpacks for just $15.
    • Best Buy: Students who are looking to buy gadgets and devices can avail of great discounts and deals at Best Buy. Whether one is looking for tablets, printers, or home appliances, Best Buy offers exclusive discounts and offers to students. If students want to upgrade to the latest technology or device, they can trade in their older devices at Best Buy to get great discounts ranging from $50 to $150 approximately.
    • Staples: This is another popular store to buy school supplies online. Shoppers can place their order and pick up the items from their local store after an hour. If one is planning to stock up on stationary, Staples is an excellent choice to buy back-to-school stuff. One can buy notebooks at prices as low as 50 cents. Trendy and stylish backpacks are available for about $20.
    • Boxed: Those who want to buy school supplies in bulk, Boxed is a good option. It is a membership-free site. Shoppers can shop from Boxed to stock on school supplies such as pencils, pens, and Wite-Outs. This online site offers competitive prices, and orders ship within one to three days. Apart from school supplies, Boxed also stocks dorm essentials such as cleaning products, bath and body products, and grocery items.
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  • 4 mediums to find out about school closings list

    Doesn’t a sudden holiday just brighten your mood? Well, for grown-ups it indicates more piling up of work; whereas, children would definitely like to spend their day doing what they like the most- playing. When a list of school closings is issued, it might even prove to be one of the best days of their lives, since who gets to stay back home on school days, unless you are sick?

    Though children view it as something trivial, a school closing list has some serious implications. School authorities won’t simply issue a school closing abruptly; there are various reasons when your child’s school’s name turns up on the school closings list for the day. At times, extreme weather conditions demand that the school be closed; whereas, when the safety of the students and the staff is compromised, or certain maintenance issues pop up, your child’s school might show up on the school closing list.

    If you wish to be alert about such sudden school closings, there are various methods through which one can keep a track on school closing lists. Here’s how.

    • Emails- One of the easiest methods to remain informed about sudden schools is through emails. The school might keep a record of the student’s parents contact information. And, in such urgent scenarios, the school will send out emails to the student’s parents informing them about school closing for the day. If your child’s school doesn’t follow this method, ensure that you can ask the authorities to implement it.
    • Local news channels- If you had a hard snowfall throughout the night or a storm has been raging in the neighborhood; you need to keep an eye out for school closings list on the local news channels. Local news channels will feature a list of school closings in all the nearby areas, and you can check if your kid’s school is on the list.
    • Online portals- If your kid’s school has a website dedicated to itself, it will have a notice about school closings. Also, there are various online portals which display a list of school closings in the nearby areas. Ensure that you keep checking these portals when the weather becomes susceptible.
    • Phone messages- In case your kid’s school isn’t quite tech-friendly, they might still inform you about sudden school closings via a text message. The school authorities maintain student records where the parent’s contact information is updated as well. The school will inform the parents about a school closing well in advance through a text message.
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  • 5 situations when school closing lists are issued

    Not every kid likes going to school, and when for some reason the school is closed suddenly for the day, children are the happiest lot you will ever come across. However, there are some serious causes behind the declaration of school closing list, which kids often tend to overlook. Mostly the school closings list is circulated for keeping these kids from harm’s way.

    There are plenty of reasons why school closing lists are declared on the news channel, and this is done with an intention to inform their parents to keep their children from going to school. Here are some reasons for which schools can be closed after issuing a notice.

    • Usually, the schools are declared closed when the institution is short of staff. In the absence of the required number of staff, it becomes quite difficult to manage the students and attend to the various on-goings in the school. The school closings list is often declared due to the insufficient staff to look after the students.
    • Extreme weather conditions too are responsible for the schools abrupt closing for the day. It is hazardous for the students as well the teachers to come to school under such extreme weather conditions. Thunderstorms and incessant snowfall might prompt the school to declare a school closing that day, to keep everyone safe.
    • One of the major reasons why schools are closed and school closings list is declared due to maintenance work. For instance, if the heating system fails to function properly during winter, the school might declare a closing since the children’s health is at risk here. In the absence of proper amenities in the school, especially the crucial ones, a school closing list does rounds of the local news.
    • One of the primary reasons why a school can be closed is when there’s a security threat. This is one of the most extreme cases where a close is abruptly closed. Bomb threats or threats from anti-social elements can put the lives of the students and staff at risk. Thus, the school authorities declare a school closing till the threat is averted.
    • At times, this school closing can become a permanent deal when the authorities decide to close it for good. Insufficient funds, or health and safety concerns can govern this decision to close the school permanently. The parents are notified by the school authorities, and the prospective students are informed via a school closing list in such cases.

    This school closing list is circulated on local news channels or via emails or even the newspapers.

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