Step one when it comes to all stuff you need for back to school is to get out there and shop for it. But if you put a little effort into how you shop, you'll come out with better stuff and more money in the end.

We talked to Dr. Denis Cauvier and Alan Lysaght, the authors of The ABC Guide to Making Money for Teens," about the basics. Their strategy includes advice to:

1. Always shop at home first. See what's left over from last year or what you can find in a parent's office before you buy more stuff you may already have on hand.

2. Bargains! Pay attention to the tax-free weeks in your community and try to avoid buying anything that's not on sale. Visit dollar stores for extra savings, and hit warehouse stores with a friend to buy in bulk and split costs, or stock up for the whole year.

3. Don't be afraid of coupons. Newspapers often have coupons for extra savings (yes, you may have to actually go offlline!) and of course, especially if you're shopping for clothes, you can often do a web search for the store you want and 'discount code' and at the very least get a deal on shipping.

Finally, for expensive items like graphing calculators, don't be afraid to use craigslist or ebay (don't give out more personal information than necessary, and always get a parent's permission) to score deals. Often items are brand new or barely used and you can get great prices.