It’s almost that time again – kids are dreaming of the shoes and jeans they want to start school with, while parents are crunching the numbers on the shoes and jeans the kids are actually going to be wearing.

Shopping for back to school items is definitely daunting, but according to mother of three and popular parenting blogger Ali Martell, “it’s not necessary to break the bank on the key items your kids need.”

“Spend some time evaluating your kids’ inventory of school supplies – really question what can be used again, and don’t let your kids convince you otherwise!” says Ali, who has written for such sites as UrbanMoms.ca and her own blog, Cheaper Than Therapy.

In order to save money and time while shopping for school supplies, Ali recommends waiting until after the school year begins, meaning sales will begin and giving kids the chance to “get a sense for what they’ll need, and what they want – of course it’s all about being cool and fitting in!”

So how do busy parents like Ali get their back to school shopping done while maintaining their own and their kids’ sanity?

For one, Ali recommends getting kids involved by making a shopping list together – not only getting kids excited about going back to school, but also cutting down on the potential for impulse buys with already agreed-upon purchases.

More than that, Ali stresses the importance of time management and budgeting.

“As a busy mom of three, it’s really helpful when I can find all of my key back to school necessities—from notebooks and pencils to new shoes and clothing—at one shopping destination.”

Practicing what she preaches, take a peek at Ali’s on-trend and budget-friendly choices for back to school purchases for her kids available at Zellers

More back-to-school reading click here.