The Best Ways To Take Advantage of Back-To-School Shopping As An Adult

This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Straight Talk Wireless. All opinions are 100% mine.
Back-to-school shopping has a pretty special place in my heart. Every year, my grandma would take me on a girl's only shopping spree to create a fresh new wardrobe for the new school year, followed by a lunch at one of our favorite spots. We always made a big day out of it, and it was such a special way to bond with her only granddaughter (at the time). I can still see myself so clearly standing in the fitting room buttoning each daisy-shaped button on a bright floral dress the year I started 5th grade. I remember thinking “oh, how retro, this is so cool.” Of course, today's outfit had to incorporate a little (yet, adult-sized) nod to that floral dress circa 1997.

Nowadays, the mom part of me dreads back-to-school shopping because it's a crazy rabbit-hole slash wild-goose-chase to find every correct color folder, 'special pencil' and every other *very specific* item on the list. I don't know why, but I can't for the life of me ever find an orange folder for the kid's school supply list. Why is orange so impossible to find? Why can't I just use black? And why do I need to buy 10? How many subjects are 3rd graders really taking? I hope it's not too obvious, but I'm already tired of looking at school lists and supplies, and we're just getting started...
So, today we're tossing the traditional back-to-school routine to the wind in favor of going back to that amazing time in my life when my grandma and I took advantage of all of the back-to-school sales without buying one single pencil...


For starters, did you know that back-to-school shopping is the second largest retail period of the year[1]? And, of course, if you're a smart shopper, you already know that the deals aren't just for traditional school supplies but also clothing and electronics too.


You know we're going to keep talking clothes, but first let's cover those new electronics. More specifically, a new phone. In this hyper connected world (when properly supervised and regulated) a smartphone can be a great asset. A wireless brand I trust is Straight Talk Wireless because it not only lets you save on the latest and greatest smartphones, but you'll also have nationwide coverage on America's largest and most dependable 4G LTE networks for up to half the cost when compared to major carriers.
After a little browsing I found some great deals on smartphones to kick off my back-to-school season (and yes, I might just be breaking down and letting Aiden go off to middle school with one). For a limited time, Straight Talk Wireless is offering a $200 discount on a Samsung Galaxy S9, or you can get an iPhone 6s for only $8 per month. Not only are the phone devices a steal during back-to-school season, the no-contract plans are always affordable. $45 for unlimited talk, text and 25GB of high-speed data is a win if you ask me...so, you can stay connected and put those extra funds toward your end of summer plans, like a last minute trip to the Florida Keys (and definitely not orange folders).


I opted for the sleek Samsung Galaxy S9 because I preferred the specs, but what you decide on is entirely up to you! Either way, it's a great way to test the waters of ditching your traditional carrier contract + adding a little more flexibility to your cell phone service – all while being affordable.
BRB, calling my NANA for a shopping date...

For more information on Straight Talk Wireless, visit StraightTalk.com
[1]Mintel, Back-to-School Shopping, 2019; NRF Annual Consumer Spending Survey


Additional 1 time upfront payment of $20 or $50 may be required based on payment history. Lease-to-own transaction. iPhone 6s (32GB) retail cost: $149. Total cost after 24 30-day payments of $8: $192 with excellent payment history; $212 with average payment history; $242 with poor payment history. Final payment more in NC. Taxes and applicable fees may apply. No ownership until all payments made. Early purchase options available. Customers exercising early purchase option will receive a credit in the amount of upfront payment. Straight Talk wireless service required and additional. Straight Talk is not a party to the lease transaction with SmartPay. Not available in CA, MN, NJ, WI, and WY. May end lease and return phone at any time.


*See Terms and Conditions at StraightTalk.com


“Up to half the cost” is based on a comparison of the monthly cost of the $45 Straight Talk Unlimited Plan and the monthly cost of a comparable no-contract, single line plan with unlimited talk, text and data on the top two carriers. Excludes taxes, fees, autopay discounts and limited time pricing. Source: Competitor websites, April 2019.


Actual availability, coverage and speed may vary. LTE is a trademark of ETSI.