UpromiseLogo-1Through Sallie Mae, the national leader in specialized financial education, a new website has been developed to help parents save a few bucks this school year.  The site, Upromise.com, is an online one-stop shop for parents when purchasing school-related items for their children. The website will host over 950 popular merchants such as Macy’s, Target.com, Sears.com, Apple.com, Staples.com, etc. It is here that parents can buy clothing, school supplies, book bags, shoes, and any other items and save 5% on all purchases.  Sallie Mae will also offer a Upromise World Master Card in which parents can open an account and instantly double their savings.

 

Sallie Mae also offers the following tips for parents and students before the school year begins:

 

  • Plan ahead – before you begin shopping for back to school, gather your school supply lists and take an inventory of items you already have.
  • Create a budget – monitor your spending and involve your  children so they know the boundaries and benefits of budgeting.
  • Research sales and deals – scope out online sales and deals to get the best bang for your buck. Download RewardU, a free toolbar that reminds you of cash back opportunities from Upromise and alerts you to additional coupons and deals.
  • Create a family calendar – post a calendar in the kitchen or  family room to keep track of extracurricular activities and school project deadlines.
  • Reach out to new roommates – as the approximately two thirds of the high school class of 2013 become college freshmen, they can save by coordinating with their new roommates before heading off to campus. There is no need for two dorm refrigerators, microwaves or televisions in a tight space.

 

 

The website is free to join. As of this year, members have earned over $750 million through Upromise. For more information on saving and planning for college, visit Upromise.com  and CollegeAnswer.com, or visit them at Facebook.com/Upromise.