MANCHESTER MISSION "SUPPLIES" HELP

Adrienne Lautenbach is on a mission. More specifically..she is spearheading a drive to get school supplies to needy families. She works with Worldwide Lighthouse Mission in Manchester and her goal is to help families near and far. On Saturday, August 29th, she will be coordinating a school supply drive in Manchester. All items gathered will be distributed to local international families in need. She is collecting all the basics..notebooks,pens,pencils..but she says they are especially in need of backpacks. More than ever, in these trying economic times, she says families are desperately looking for a break. School supplies, even the basics, aren't cheap and she is hoping that the public can step up and donate items that will help further the education of less fortunate kids.

SHOP EARLY..SHOP EVERYWHERE

The myth is that if you wait until after school starts....you will get a better deal. Retailers and shoppers say that is simply not true. The logic here is that once school starts...the old pricing policies are back. Very few "clearance sales" exist with school supplies so grab a deal now before they are gone. Adrienne says shop everywhere. Each chain has their own niche for bargains..so plan your trip to hit them all. And don't forget about drugstore chains like Walgreens or CVS. With frugality in fashion again..dollar stores are seeing spike in sales. And for back to school basics, they can provide bargains galore. Off brand, no-name notebooks, pens,pencils and backpacks go for a fraction of other retailers. That said, she advises not to brush off the big boys like Wal-mart,Staples, and Target. Those stores are banking on a big shopping season and in many cases you can grab items for as little as a penny.

"COOL FOR SCHOOL" SAVINGS

School fashions can empty your bank account quickly. So poke around yard sales and garage sales in upscale communties. You might be surprised over the quality of the used gear. Check out consignment stores as well. They are one of the hottest retailing segments and with demand rising for nearly new clothes..they are stocking their shelves at the right time. Parents can fill a closet for a fraction of buying new. Or, you can go the other way and SELL some of your unwanted clothes and get cash on the spot to use for other back to school items. And finally, get online. Scour the countless web stores for bargains. Hit all the main stream sites, but veer off the beaten path and you may uncover hidden gems.

RESOURCES

I strongly urge all shoppers to read Korky Vann's excellent article on Courant.com. It's packed with practical nuggets on getting back to school with leftover cash in the bank. Check it out at courant.com

Also check out World-Wide Lighthouse Missions at www.wwlm.org. Adrienne Lautenbach and Sarah Beckman are doing amazing work getting school supplies to those in need. Please support their drive if you can. The date is August 29th from 10am to 1pm at 723 Main Street in Manchester