Back to school time in New England is celebrated and feared by millions of people. Kids are excited for a new start and the next adventure, while parents are thrilled to get the kids out of the house. Some kids are afraid of what is coming up, while parents can be terrified of the cost associated with the season. Here are four ways a pawn shop can help:

School Supplies

Kindergarten and grade school now comes with a shopping list that goes beyond just new sneakers. In Massachusetts and Rhode Island, school systems are asking students to bring in their own crayons, glue sticks, notebooks and even paper towels and boxes of tissues to start the year. All of this comes on top of the new back to school clothes, backpacks and winter clothing that the new school year requires. At any of Empire Loans 8 New England locations, a pawn loan for a gold chain, laptop computer or flat screen TV can help get parents the cash they need to handle these expected, but necessary expenses.

Activity Fees

As kids grow through high school, these expenses don’t go away, they just keep rising. Teens still need new clothes and school supplies but communities in Massachusetts and Rhode Island now ask that students pay “Activity Fees” for clubs, sports and other extracurricular activities. In many cities and towns like Lynn, New Bedford, Stoughton and other areas these fees have grown from a few dollars to hundreds of dollars. Parents can now find the money they need with a pawn loan from their local pawn shop to help cover the expense.

College Textbooks

College tuition is on the rise and the cost of textbooks can be hundreds of dollars each, making it almost impossible to make ends meet. Colleges in Lowell, Worcester and Boston have seen their students heading out for a pawn loan to get everything a student needs to make college achievable. A pawn loan for some of these necessities of college life can be the difference between a college degree and just dreaming of one.

Bargain Hunting

While you’re getting your loan at Empire Loan in Providence or New Bedford to pay for all of these back to school expenses, take a minute to shop for items the kids may need. Laptops and tablets can be real bargains and help with homework and assignments and where better to find deals on musical instruments like trumpets, saxophones and clarinets for budding musicians in the school band. Empire Loans pawn shops are a great place to get real bargains, helping cut the cost of back to school season.

You get an A+ for choosing a pawn shop to help with back to school!