By Don Tagala, ABS-CBN NEWS – North America Bureau

Jackson Heights, NY. - Back-to-school shopping can be draining, not just physically, but financially as well.

Association of Filipino Teachers of America’s Ramil Buenaventura is a father of two school kids. He said parents should start shopping as early as the first week of August to take advantage of sales.

“Buy bulk, but before you do, be sure it’s an item you really need,” said Buenaventura.

Score affordable school wear at local ethnic neighborhoods—where generic discount stores and small clothing stores abound.  These holes-in-the-wall are a bargain hunters’ paradise–with clothes ranging from 99 cents to $10 dollars, and shoes for less than 15 dollars.

“Parents should worry more about winter wear more than summer wear for their kids, because it’s going to be cold for the most part of the school year, so winter clothes is more important,” noted Eugene Reyes.

Another important back-to-school ritual: weaning your kids away from TV and video games. Train them to sleep and wake up early weeks before the first day of school.

Reyes noted that Filipino parents play an important role in their children’s school success. “The quality of public schooling in the U.S. is beyond compare, but we can’t let public school teachers be totally responsible for our kids to learn,” Reyes said. “As parents, we too have the responsibility to make sure our kids make the most of their schooling by checking on our kids if they are really studying, that they do their home works everyday and that they have a well- balanced life as a student.”