Local moms know how to shop for back-to-school bargains (source: Chicago Sun Times)

Discount-blogging mom Jill Cataldo of Huntley cherry-picks drugstore and grocery-store deals — 9-cent notebooks, 5-cent rulers and a pack of 20 pencils for 19 cents — as she aims to keep her back-to-school shopping budget to no more than $10. “It’s not hard to do. Last year, I did it with $5 and change, but my daughter is in middle school this year and she needs protractors. Now, I’m at $8,” said Cataldo, mother of Angelica, 13, Ben, 4, and Will, 2. Cataldo, featured in the Sun-Times as a super-frugal mom when the recession was first developing, blogs about her couponing tips at JillCataldo.com. She keeps her daughter’s school supply list with her at all times so she can check off an item the minute she spots a bargain. Click her for full story.