Here are some back-to-school shopping tips

Pack your pencils and patience as the school year will soon begin.

Some of you may have started prepping months ago. Others might not have given back-to-school supply shopping a thought.

If you still have items to purchase, consumer experts stress you compare prices. While one-stop shopping saves you time, taking the time to research prices can save you money.

Experts say to compare prices and travel to different stores to buy cheaper items.

Consumer Reports Deals Editor Samantha Gordon also stresses that you don’t need to buy everything on your student’s list right now.

“There are a lot of things on that list that you might not need for the first week or a few months of the school year, so hold off buying them. Wait until October when the holiday sales start because they do start in October now, so if you can push anything off you may be able to save more money," Gordon said.

To prevent overspending and buying things you don’t need, make sure you make a thorough and thought-out shopping list before you head to the store.

Gordon also said to check to see if stores will price match.

“When you’re shopping, make sure you look at retailers’ policies. This is a great little way to save a little bit of extra money. A lot of retailers will match prices, so if you do want to shop all at Target, you may be able to get a better price if, let’s say, Best Buy has a better deal. You can go to Target’s customer service and say, ‘Hey this is available for this price over here, can you honor that?’ and a lot of times they will,” she said.

And don’t just immediately trash your receipts for the items you need to buy now.

“You can get a partial refund if something goes on sale after you buy it. This isn’t true for every retailer; you have to check the policies. But a lot of them will issue a refund if you find a lower price elsewhere before that return and exchange policy is over. Usually, that’s about 14 days. So, keep an eye on the things you bought, especially those big-ticket items and if the price gets a little bit better, you might be eligible to get a little money back,” Gordon said.

This week is also great to buy clothes and shoes. Most of these items under $100 are tax-free this week in Connecticut.

And does your student need technology supplies this year? Gordon suggests waiting to buy until there’s a sale or purchasing refurbished products.

Not buying brand new is a great way to save money, and the tech item can still do the job your student needs. But she said to make sure to research reputable sellers, warranties and money-back guarantees just in case there is a problem.