As any parent knows, the school tuition is not the end of your children's education expenses. You still have to pay for miscellaneous fees, field trip costs, allowances—the list goes on and on. It makes sense then to try and curb the school bills by saving wherever you can. School supplies, for one, don’t have to take a chunk out of your wallet. Check out how you can minimize your financial blow below:

1. Keep an eye out for warehouse sales.

Forget going to the mall. If you want real good bargains, go to warehouse sales. Most of these warehouses import directly from China, so their prices are not as steep. According to a report by ABS-CBNNews.com, notebooks with 80 leaves can cost as little as P11 while a fully equipped pencil case can be as cheap as P40.

2. Take advantage of promos that offer free items.

Take advantage of back-to-school promos in grocery stores. You’ll see products offering a free pencil case with every purchase, others a free bag. Don’t be bashful about relying on these promos for your kids’ school supplies. Just think that the money you almost spent on a new bag could be allocated somewhere else.

3. Be a discerning buyer.

If you’re trying to save money, you can’t just pick up the first item you see on the rack. You need to compare prices, do a little math, and decide which one is right for your children. You might have to be a little less brand-conscious, but you’ll thank yourself for it in the long run.

(Photo by Vancouver Film School via Flickr Creative Commons)