The Haves and The Have Nots: Sears Makes It Possible for Both to Have Back To School Fun

For the record, I am a member of the Collective Bias® Social Fabric® Community. This shop has been compensated as part of a social shopper insights study for Collective Bias and Sears. As always, all opinions, ideas, and photos are entirely my own.

My Bug is a "Have". My older girls were "Have Nots". I've seen both sides, I've been on both sides, and it still stings to think about it. With back to school right around the corner (seriously...where did the summer go?), I'm reminded of the Have Nots as I feel the pain of not being able to buy my older girls the abundance of school clothes and supplies back then that I do for Bug now. I try to ensure that she knows how lucky she is to have so much. I hope she knows. But sometimes I like to remind her by involving her in missions to help others who do not have what she has. Sears helped me accomplish that this year with their affordable fashion. 

My life is good now and we are able to afford the things we need, including school clothes and supplies, but that doesn't mean I enjoy spending a ton of money. I'm not frugal by any means, but I'm not stupid either. When shopping for school uniforms, a denim jacket and new jeans for casual days, plus a backpack, the first place I thought to shop was Sears. I know they offer affordable, quality fashion, at a price that will please my checkbook. And I get additional discounts for being a Shop Your Way Reward Member. Obviously I took advantage of that since they were having a Secret Members Only Sale that day. 

I was able to snag 4 uniforms for my Bug at amazing prices (seriously the skorts were only $13 each!) and I found her size! She's super thin and it's hard to find uniforms in a size 6. If you need them, GO TO SEARS NOW, they've got them. Last year we had a horrible time trying to find her uniforms and I washed constantly. If I'd only known then that Sears carried uniforms, I wouldn't have stressed so much.

But for the real fun, we got to go all out. Bug has "freestyle" days at school for field trips and special events. Those are the days she shines. She loves to have a special outfit for those special days and she found exactly what she wanted at Sears at prices that pleased me. This light blue denim jacket is adorable and she can wear it year round here. Uniforms are a must to even out the Have/Have Not thing and I'm glad for that, but I'm also glad my Bug can let her colors shine. Sears has over 2000 denim styles in store for men, women, and children. You'll certainly find something to suit your personal style like Bug.

And although Bubby won't start school until next year, he needed clothes too. I couldn't refuse the prices on the boy's 2-piece outfits so he got a couple. He's a good boy, he deserves to look good too!

You might be asking yourself what these crazy kids are doing. Are they practicing their favorite dance moves?

Nope. They're practicing their synchronized falling skills. My kids are rough and tumble. That's why I shop at Sears often. The babies are rough on their clothes and the quality items that Sears carries at fabulous prices stand up to my babies' rough sides. 

And since I was able to save so much on my purchases (far more than I had anticipated but hey, those monokinis for $15 each for me were adorable and B needed clothes too), I decided to teach my Bug one of those lessons I mentioned above. The Hello Kitty Backpack Bug picked out was regularly $30, on sale for $15, and it had a detachable lunch bag. I planned on $30, we spend that every year on a new backpack. So I bought 2 for the price of one plus a Hello Kitty screened t-shirt that she picked out with the money I saved on the other items. No child should be without the necessities in life. No child should go to school feeling less fabulous than another. No little girl should ever wish that she sparkled but not have the means to sparkle on the outside the way she does on the inside. When my big girls were younger, we were fortunate to have "angels" that helped us through the tough times and I'm happy to pay that back. 

When I go to buy Bug's school supplies this week, I'll be putting half of the supplies I buy in this other backpack with the screened t-shirt (and the tiara...Bug threw that in). Then I'll be heading back to the Resource and Crisis Center of Galveston County to donate our backpack full of BTS fun to a child that has lived through an abusive relationship and a mother that was brave enough to escape. This non-profit does amazing things in my community and helping a child feel better about themselves as they heal, while relieving the burden from their mother as she heals, feels really good. I've been there. As a mom, there's nothing worse than the feeling that comes with not being able to provide for your children.

My Bug has everything she needs and then some and she's always excited and appreciative when we take the time to give to those who have not. I encourage you to do the same this year. There's still time. Sears can help. You'll save enough to get what your child needs, plus help another, without breaking your initial budget. All children deserve to have a fun Back to School experience. Your one donation could be the difference between an A+ and a D kind of year. Your choice! We're shooting for A+'s across the board again this year!

Follow along with Sears on Facebook and Twitter to stay up to date on all of the back to school fashion and deals. And if you save enough (which you will), be sure to stop back by and let me know how you decided to brighten a little life this year for back to school with your savings.

You can get inspiration for your own summer style by flipping through the Live SoFab Summer Digital Magazine below. Sears is featured of course!