Over the weekend I saw an article (that I can no longer find – otherwise I’d link it!) about how the new tariffs will be impacting everything from back-to-school shopping to holiday gift buying. It mentioned that many major retailers had initially boosted their orders while tariffs were being discussed – even before the election. But now that they’ve gone into effect, there’s been a noticeable slowdown. In fact, within 6-7 weeks, we might start seeing some empty shelves.
Cue the toilet paper flashbacks of 2020.
Maybe I fell into the trap a bit – but I did some preemptive purchasing of my own. Nothing I wouldn’t have bought anyway, just a little earlier than usual: school supplies!
Even though my kids won’t need them until August, I visited their school’s website and downloaded the supply list for 8th grade (their upcoming year). I went ahead and bought everything on the list. Based on my budget from last year, I probably spent a little more than usual – likely because I typically benefit from back-to-school sales – but it wasn’t unreasonable either. And frankly, I’m willing to pay a little bit of a premium just to ensure we have what we need. If shelves really are bare by late summer, I’ll be glad I got ahead of it. And if not? No harm done. We’ve got a box of supplies stored away, ready to go.
Aside from school supplies, I’m not rushing to purchase much else. Some news sources are suggesting there could be shortages on tech-products, toys, and clothes/shoes. If things haven’t resolved in time for stores to stock up for holiday purchasing, then choices might be slim pickings. But I figure we’ll just wait it out and see how things unfold.
Ultimately, we are very fortunate to already have everything we need. The girls are still growing, but not at the same rate as when they were super young. We no longer need an entirely new wardrobe every year to fit their growing bodies. If it gets tough to find shoes or other essentials, we’ll manage. It’s not like anyone’s going barefoot.
Honestly, I’ve been leaning more into anti-consumerism lately. Maybe it’s due to the spring cleaning I’ve been doing around the house, or maybe it’s just a shift in mindset. It just feels like we have so much stuff. When my husband’s grandpa passed away, we were offered many of his kitchen gadgets – several things that were name brand (like Pampered Chef) and still new in the boxes! We kindly declined. Do we really need a dedicated tomato slicer or sandwich cutter? No. They’d just add to the clutter. Instead, we chose a handmade ceramic chip-and-dip set. It felt more meaningful – and we didn’t already have one – so it was the perfect blend of sentimental and practical.
How are you all handling the tariff news? Are you giving into panic buying? Or stocking up on things before prices spike? Or are you a “wait and see” type and hoping the whole thing will come to a resolution and prices will stabilize soon? Let me know!
The post Tariffs on School Supplies: Why I Bought Early appeared first on Blogging Away Debt.
