There’s nothing like the smell of freshly sharpened pencils or the look of a child dressed in a crisp pair of new chinos. But the costs associated with equipping your children for a new school year is a major stressor for working moms, according to our survey of more than 300 working moms sponsored by Chase Slate. Of the career moms surveyed, 41 percent expect to spend more this year than last year on back-to-school supplies. Nearly half of working moms surveyed expect that clothing or school uniforms will be their biggest back-to-school expense this year. Career moms were also more likely to name extracurricular activities as a sizable portion of their spending, compared to back-to-school shoppers overall. But don’t take a willingness to open their wallets as a sign these moms think the economy is picking up: The overwhelming reason that moms believe they’ll shell out more at the cash register compared to last year is because they feel supplies are more expensive. To help working moms make the most of their back-to-school budget, we’ve rounded up these smart ways to save:

Separate needs and wants. Half of working mothers in our survey plan to re-use items from previous years. Despite what retailers might tell you, not everything for school has to be brand new or top-of-the-line. “We should be careful not to get carried away because of our emotional reactions to a new school year,” says Working Mother senior editor Krista Carothers. “Most little boys, like my son, Jack, won’t need a new full wardrobe for 3^rd grade.” Let your child choose a few new or brand-name items, then round out your list with less expensive swaps or hand-me-downs that get the job done without shattering your finances.

Resist impulse buys. A quarter of working moms surveyed expect extracurricular activities to be their biggest back-to-school expense. It’s easy to walk the aisles of stores, spot a tennis racquet, think ‘I really want Jane to play tennis this year,’ and throw the racquet into your cart. “We impulse shop to soothe sudden and irrational yearnings,” says Amanda Steinberg, founder and CEO of DailyWorth, and mom to Dylan, 6, and Maya, 4. Make a list of what your children need, and don’t stray from it.

Become a “member.” Eighty-six percent of working mothers surveyed plan to save money with sales and special offers on back-to-school expenses, while 61 percent intend to use coupons. It pays to sign up for rewards programs at your favorite stores—they’ll often mail and/or e-mail exclusive coupons to their members.

Boost savings by going online. Nearly 70 percent of working moms in our survey plan to do most of their back-to-school shopping in-person. That makes sense for some purchases, such as clothing or shoes, where fit is important. But working moms should be careful not to overlook the time- and money-saving benefits of online shopping. For back-to-school deals, Steinberg likes deep-discount sites such as Totsy.com and Zulily.com. “Thanks to their business models, they will only work with suppliers that give them major discounts, so take advantage,” says Steinberg.

During this hectic season, it’s also helpful to remember that we’re all in this together, says Melissa Gonville, senior marketing director at Chase. The mother of Kamryn, 15, and Keagan, 12, says, “I’ve found reaching out to classmates’ parents to bundle online orders is a good way to save on shipping costs.”

Don’t have time to scope out the best discounts? One solution is a site like FancyHands.com, which employs virtual assistants to accomplish computer-based tasks. Keep in mind, before ordering anything online—especially back-to-school clothes—check out the site’s return policy. “Zappos.com and Target.com are two sites with very friendly return policies,” says Steinberg. 

Video: Money-Saving Tips

For more ways to shop smart this back-to-school season, watch our two-part video series featuring working moms Krista Carothers, Amanda Steinberg and Melissa Gonville. Plus, be sure to enter our Facebook sweepstakes by visiting facebook.com/workingmother. When you send in a snapshot of your best back-to-school moment, you’ll be automatically entered to win a $500 Chase Visa gift card.

To find out if you are one of four lucky winners of our Back-to-School Moment sweepstakes, don’t miss our last post in the Working Mother/Chase Slate back-to-school series at workingmother.com/chaseslatebacktoschool

Kim Schworm Acosta is a freelance writer and working mom of two in Overland Park, Kansas.