Tips for Back to School Shopping with Your Smartphone

The back-to-school shopping season is in full swing. That means parents are looking for discounts on school supplies, clothes and more.  Great deals could be waiting in your purse or pocket.

Heading back to school usually means heading to the mall. And with the economy still a little wobbly — parents and teens will be keeping spending in check.

The best discounts and coupons this season probably won’t require clipping, But clicking, scrolling and maybe even some friending on the go.  

“You can probably find your favorite retailers and get some good scoop on what they’re planning for back-to-school this year,” says Ellen Davis of the National Retail Federation.  “You might even be able to find coupons, or other information on other types of promotions.”

A back-to-school survey from the financial consulting firm, Deloitte, found that 61 percent of shoppers with web-enabled smartphones will use them to look up price information and comparison shop.

43 percent will be downloading coupons and discounts.

More than one-third of shoppers plan to tap into Facebook, Twitter and other social networking sites.

Most will be looking for deals, others to browse products, and others to read product reviews.

Among the retailers who’ve seized on the trend Aeropostale and its Facebook store,  which also lets users share what’s in their shopping bag with friends.

J-C Penney’s push encourages teens to upload their style photos to the store’s Facebook page for a chance to win prizes.

And for those headed back to campus, Target’s “1,000 likes” promotion runs through August 31st on Facebook.

(Karin Caifa for CNN)

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4 Tips to Keep Your Teen Safe on Facebook

According to a 2010 Pew Internet Project study, nearly three fourths of American teenagers use social networking sites, with Facebook being the most popular by far. But some parents are still skeptical of the site; 55 percent of parents discourage their kids from making a social media profile, according to a recent study by Common Sense Media, a nonprofit that analyzes digital and traditional media.

But parents can set reasonable guidelines with their teens to keep them safe online, says Caroline Knorr, parenting editor of Common Sense Media. “Our position is that parents shouldn’t fear social media,” she says. “Kids are embracing these technologies. As a parent, it’s part of your responsibility to engage with them.” Here are some of her hints to help your child safely use Facebook.

[See how social media sites impact high school students in the classroom.]

1. Be aware: Parents should know whether their child has a Facebook page or not. “They should have a good understanding of what types of things their kids are posting publicly,” she says.

2. Help your child manage privacy settings: Knorr recommends that parents sit down with their child as they choose privacy settings on the site. Make sure your child’s profile isn’t publicly searchable on Google, that settings showing your child’s location are turned off, and that photos are private or visible by friends only.

“Parents should learn what those privacy settings mean and discuss why it’s important to keep some things private.” Facebook often changes its privacy rules, so check in frequently, she says.

[Learn whether it is safe to share photos.]

3. Don’t embarrass them: “Parents need to understand that social networking in today’s world is how kids experiment with their own identity. It’s a normal developmental stage,” she says. “I think parents should try to refrain from commenting, because you may set up a dynamic where your kid will block you [on Facebook], and you might not know about it.”

4. Speak up: If you do see something on your teen’s Facebook page that could damage his or her reputation or put them in danger, talk to them about it—face to face. “We’re so used to communicating electronically,” she says. “But there are a lot of conversations that are important to have in person.”

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