With just a few weeks until school starts, you know it’s coming. You can run, but you sure can’t hide. The time has come to face the school-shopping feeding-frenzy yet again.

And of course, just in time for all of the last- minute shoppers out there, all the stores conveniently have a wide array of flashy options your middle-schooler will be “in love” with and decide they MUST have to not be a “loser” this fall.

After going through a few different stores she found a few styles that would be “awesome Mom!” But with the cost of all the binders, pens, new jeans, etc. your wallet isn’t exactly agreeing.

Well, thankfully we’ve found a few stylish alternatives that won’t leave your budget in shambles. For your little skater-chick there’s the Roxy Rosarito, with its edgy take on old-school plaid. For the sports-princess there’s always the Adidas Caine Sling which breaks the mold with a one-shoulder design and a splash of bright pink.

And for the girl looking for sleek style with a feminine touch, there’s always the Columbia Precious Cargo Backpack.

Shopping for your growing “young man” as he heads into high school? Give the snowboarder-style inspired Quiksilver Schoolie a try.

Or maybe your student was having some issues with back pain thanks to textbook-enthusiast teachers? The Columbia Shield Titanium Cyberpack is ready to help balance out their load with additional support straps at the shoulders and the hips. And for the athlete who’s always on-the-go the Nike Team Training XL will keep up with him as he jets between class and practice.

The retro rectangular lunchbox offers smush-protection to sandwiches but still leaves you high and dry in terms of cooling power. And you don’t even want to think about the color-battle when it comes to the basic versus Hannah Montana discussion. I mean sure Little Lindsey loves her now, but come September you’ll probably be hearing, “But Moo-oomm NOBODY likes Hannah, I NEEEED the Wizards of Waverly!!!!”

Why not circumvent the problem and go with something a little less dated, something colorful, playful and different? How about a lunch box that’s both sweet and sassy? Thanks to the folks at Built NY your kiddo can choose from four different Munchler Lunch Bag designs that range from a peppy pup to a fierce tiger.

And the fact that it zips to turn into a placemat? Just icing on the cake.

Seems like just yesterday she was wearing flowery dresses that you picked out yourself from the toddler section. Now she’s in elementary school and asking for more fashionable clothing and accessories, but you just can’t justify spending a ton of money on some of those kids clothing brands not to mention getting her an expensive kids’ bag. What to do?!

Well, here’s a great solution - Roxy Girl. Whether you’re looking to get her a small handbag to be just like mom or a cute backpack that’ll make her the talk of the playground, Roxy Girl has just what she will like at affordable prices.

Roxy Girl is the younger version of Roxy which is the original girl’s surf brand. The brand offers fashion and accessories with a West Coast casual style. Whether it’s a pool tote like the Into The Sea bag, a unique lunch bag like the Enie Menie Minie Mo, or a cute school backpack like the Fabuloso, you’re sure to find something she’ll love at a great price (these bags mentioned are all under $45).

Miquelrius is known for their uniquely designed bags and backpacks - from the distinctive look of Jordi Labanda bags to the colorful Agatha Ruiz de la Prada collection. This tradition continues in their new Joshua Davis line which features the art of New York based artist Joshua Davis. Perfect for the school kid who doesn’t want your average school bag, the patterns on these backpacks and messenger bags can be described as traditional organic forms randomized into contemporary compositions. The best part is that they also come with a matching notebook.

Sure, you might think about bringing your lunch to work in reusable lunch bags, but what about your kids. Lunch pails are almost a thing of the past and brown bags are certainly not environmentally-friendly (not to mention, wallet-friendly). Here are some great ideas that’ll have you sending your kids back to school in 2009 in style.

Built NY Munchlers	Lego Minifigure	Wildkin Ballerina	Emilie Sloan Gabrielle
Fleurville Lunch Buddy	Wildkin Dinosaur	Built NY Tortuga	Kipling Lunch Bag

Have you seen the Fleurville Kid’s Messenger Bag? If not, you’re in for a surprise. This messenger bag is designed for kids 5-10 years old and is a great alternative to the classic childrens backpack. But if your child still prefers backpacks, this bag has backpack straps that stow away when not in use. So this is a backpack and messenger in one! This bag also features: Four pen slots Reflective tape accents for safety Multiple interior and exterior pockets Matching insulated lunch bag inside This bag makes a great gift.

The week is almost over, but you still have today and tomorrow to enjoy fantastic deals on select childrens backpacks. Many of these bags feature popular characters including Spongebob Squarepants, Hannah Montana, Disney Princesses, Handy Manny, and Dora The Explorer.

Why buy childrens backpacks now? Sure, the school year has already started, but here are some reasons why you may want to take a second look at these deals.

• You recycled last year’s backpack and it’s falling apart
• Your child can alternate between bags
• You need an inexpensive gift for your child or someone else’s child
• You want to reward your child for good behavior
• Stock up for next year - you can’t beat out of season prices

Cars $9.99	Dora The Explorer $9.99	Spongebob $9.99	Handy Manny $9.99
Go Diego Go $9.99	High School Musical $9.99	Disney Princess $12.99	Hannah Montana $9.99

If you’ve got kids who love High School Musical then you know that High School Musical 3 opened in theaters today. Why not help them show their HSM spirit with cool new High School Musical Bags? They’re all available for under $20. Get an early start on holiday shopping this year! These make great gifts!

Handbag - $12.74	Backpack - $13.38
Messenger - $15.29	Overnighter - $15.93

What are Munchlers? Well, they are kids lunch bags from Built NY. The company set out to make a lunchbox that would captivate children. They collaborated with award-winning children’s book illustrator Stephen Savage and created a line of zoo animal inspired lunchboxes perfect for little hands.

The bags are available in sets of 2 or, if you can’t decide, there is a set of all 4. The animals included in the set of 4 are:

• Benny (Tiger)
• Boo (Panda)
• Lefty (Dog)
• Meadow (Bunny)

All bags are insulated to keep food and beverages at the right temperature. The bags are also tested lead and food safe.

One unique feature is that these lunch boxes unzip flat for use as a placement or for easy storage.

National Geographic is now offering a line of animal backpacks for kids. Unlike the cartoonish animal-themed backpacks out there, these bags feature pictures, patterns, and colors of real animals like poison dart frogs, greater flamingos, bengal tigers, loggerhead sea turtles, and more.

The National Geographic kids backpacks are sized for children’s bodies and feature:

• Padded straps and back for comfort
• Reflective binding for visibility at night
• Organizer pocket with pocket for ID card
• Reinforced daisy chain for attaching personal accessories

Find all of these cool backpacks for under $30 at eBags.com

Giraffe

Sea Turtle

Monarch Butterfly

Flamingo