Wal-Mart Seeks Best Back to School Money-Saving Stories

Retailer's Back to School Savings Challenge to 'Reimburse' $600 Average Back
to School Spend

BENTONVILLE, Ark., July 31 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- On the heels of
recent research that on average families could spend nearly $600* this year
getting ready for back to school, Wal-Mart is asking parents to share their
money-saving ideas for an opportunity to get that $600 in spending back!
Beginning today on its MakeYourDollarStretch.com site, Wal-Mart is seeking
the most creative, true stories from shoppers who are excited about ways they
have learned to save money on back to school spending. Submissions will be
accepted on the site over the coming weeks. Three top stories will be
selected by Ellie Kay, financial expert, author and Web site tips contributor,
and their authors rewarded $600 each in Wal-Mart gift cards. An additional
$600 will also be rewarded to the finalist receiving the most votes from
visitors on the site.
Since the Web site's inception this spring, MakeYourDollarStretch.com has
provided money saving tips from financial experts and savvy shoppers. Site
visitors also share ways they are making simple changes in light of today's
economy. For example, according to its current poll, 75 percent of site
visitors report they are saving money for back to school this year by shopping
earlier.
"Considering today's inflation pressures and the rising need families have
to better manage their spending, it is becoming more important than ever for
parents to think about shopping smart and looking for resources to save
money," said Ellie Kay, also a mother of seven who understands the yearly
requirements around back to school. "We all have ideas to share, and I expect
this challenge will generate even more."
Through August 25, shoppers can submit their original, creative
money-saving back to school ideas in a 350-word story entered on the site. A
selection of story submissions will be shown during the challenge period,
until the August 25 deadline, when Ellie Kay, a.k.a. America's Family
Financial Expert(R), will pick the top three finalists to receive $600 in
Wal-Mart gift cards. Visitors will be able to vote for their favorite story
during the week of September 5, selecting the top story.
To help shoppers save more across the store, this summer Wal-Mart
continues to announce new Rollbacks and unbeatable values on select back to
school items. Examples include $100 savings on notebook computers, a week's
worth of children's outfits for $60, backpack assortments for $10, and school
supplies starting at just five cents.
About Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. (NYSE: WMT)
Every week, millions of customers visit Wal-Mart Stores, Supercenters,
Neighborhood Markets, and Sam's Club locations across America or log on to its
online store at http://www.walmart.com. The company and its Foundation are
committed to a philosophy of giving back locally. Wal-Mart (NYSE: WMT) is
proud to support the causes that are important to customers and associates
right in their own neighborhoods, and last year gave more than $296 million to
local communities in the United States. More information about Wal-Mart can
be found by visiting http://www.walmartstores.com. Online merchandise sales
are available at http://www.walmart.com.
About the Back to School Savings Challenge
Submit your entries to MakeYourDollarStretch.com. Entries will be subject
to review prior to appearing on the Web site. Submissions will typically be
reviewed within 48 hours of submission, and may not be included for reasons
such as, but not limited to, profanity, ad hominem attacks, spam, or off topic
submissions.
Users must submit complete entries and agree to contest rules, which
include submitting a true story of how they saved more money this year getting
ready for, or during, the back to school shopping season. Stories must be
kept to 350 words or less in order to be eligible to become a contest finalist
and grand prize winner. Entries to determine contest finalists will be judged
by America's Family Financial Expert Ellie Kay. Finalists' stories will be
made available on the site, and winner determined by receipt of the most
votes. Judging is subjective based on quality and originality. All results
are final.
* Based on 2008 findings by BIGresearch on expected back to school
shopping, as reported by the National Retail Federation.
SOURCE Wal-Mart

Melissa O'Brien of Wal-Mart, 1-800-331-0085