Ah, back to school. Three words that fill moms with equal amounts of euphoria and dread. They're finally going back! But it's going to cost you a bundle!

Or not. All those adorable back-to-school fashions can put a hurting on your wallet if you just run out to the mall and go crazy. Trust me. My little fashionista wants EVERYTHING, and when you tell her "but it's $80," I get a "so what?" look. To her $80 is the same as $8!

But a little planning, and you can actually afford to make your kid look too cool for school. Here's how I've managed to satisfy the fashionista and my fiscally-smart side:

I absolutely adore back-to-school time. No -- I myself am not heading back to an educational setting nor do I have kids I'm sending to class, either. But who cares!? I adore everything about office supplies and jump at the chance to sneak into those major stock-up stores for their back-to-school sales. Even more than the scent of fresh paper and No. 2 pencils, I absolutely adore back-to-school shopping.

All the stores have sales. Boots are back, long sleeves are in, and holy moly do the sight of leggings and fall colors make me weak in the knees.

Check out these fall trends teens are rockin' this back-to-school season:

Can you believe it's already time to think about back to school shopping? I have to admit -- I'm not sure that I'm quite ready to trade in my son's flip-flops and swim trunks for the boots and jeans, but considering how fast summer has blown by, fall will be here before we know it.

But shopping for back to school duds can be pretty overwhelming and also a bit boring, especially if you have a 6-year-old who could care less about trying on clothes and finding the perfect fit for the coming school year.

The following is a sponsored post from Levi's.

Back-to-school shopping shouldn’t just be for the kids! Treat everyone in your family to a few new pairs of jeans this fall. From skinny and sleek to comfortable and relaxed, Levi’s has a fit for everyone. We’ve chosen our favorite fall styles in the slideshow below.

Which style of jeans do you prefer?

Image via Kohl's

It's almost time to pack up the swimsuits and bust out the khakis, mom and dad. While it might seem like a good idea to just pull out your laptop and take care of your kid's back-to-school shopping needs online, kids grow. Also, sizes can vary so you really have to bring along the whole crew when you head out to the stores.

Don't panic! You can make a fun day out of the experience without blowing your budget, or your top. Follow these 10 back-to-school shopping survival tips and your child will be dressed sharply and you'll be back home enjoying those last days of summer in a flash.

Fall catalogs are stacking up, making us all feel inadequate, so it's time to do something meaningful with the misery and make our fall wardrobes wonderful. So you didn't lose the ten extra pounds over the summer like you'd hoped. Me neither. But that's no excuse NOT to shop for great-looking clothes this season. In fact, the only answer to the extra-ten-pounds woe is buying clothes that fit your ten-pounds-heavier body, which actually makes you look and feel thinner. I swear it's true!

Plus, this fall there are many slimming trends and styles that can help camouflage problem areas, from tummies to thighs to waists that are shorter than the length of my index finger (shut up I was born this way, and no I don't have an extra long index finger). They won't all work for everyone -- because we're all perfectly imperfect in different ways -- but I promise you'll find a few that will make you feel fabulous!

Let's take a peek at 5 fall styles with a magical slimming effect!

Calling all back-to-school shoppers! You may think you're wrapping up your shopping, but wait, do you have all the things that will make your kid the coolest in the class?

Just in case you're not sure what's happening here in 2011, we've found what's hot in the hallways this school year.

Here are 10 must-haves for your young hipster, just in time for back-to-school.

Ever notice how back-to-school shopping gets all the hype this time of year? It's pencils this and calculators that. You'd think kids invented fall shopping. And you'd be wrong. The first crunch of leaves underfoot, and I know it's time to hit the mall for fall ... for you.

The beauty of fall isn't just in the colors on the trees (and the ground). Fall fashion and beauty must-haves will make you feel all warm and cozy even as the temperature takes a dive. Don't want to overhaul your whole closet and medicine cabinet? At least make sure you hit the basics: