School Supplies Strategy

As you and your family prepare for the new school year, consider using a little strategy when it comes to buying school supplies. Many students don't have a plan when they start shopping; they just go in and grab what looks good at the moment. Heck, that's the fun of shopping--finding out what new designs and themes you can find.

But you can still buy things that reflect your personal style and use a smart strategy too. I have mentioned many times that it's smart to use color-coded supplies: blue supplies for history and red supplies for science, and so forth.

If that sounds boring to you, you can use the same strategy with a twist. If you love a certain TV show or character, you can buy supplies devoted to that TV theme for a specific topic. For instance:

• Buy Homer Simpson folders and matching yellow pens and sticky notes for history class.
• Come up with folders and other supplies for your favorite anime genres and themes.
• Get Harry Potter supplies with matching black accessories.

Use your imagination to come up with a different theme for each of your courses this year. This is a great strategy for keeping your papers and notes organized.