Michelle Buteau and her twins go back-to-school shopping on Amazon
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Back-to-school shopping used to mean piling all your kids in the car and hauling them to Staples to buy all the binders, notebooks, textbook protectors, and pencils that were on the shelves. It was exhausting for everyone involved, and expensive. Actress and comedian Michelle Buteau teamed up with Amazon to show people that back-to-school shopping can actually be super easy, convenient, and affordable. The New Jersey native stars in the 30-second Amazon commercial directed by Golden Globe-winning actor Ramy Youssef after recently starring in the film Babes alongside comedian Ilana Glazer and filming her upcoming Netflix comedy special A Buteau-ful Mind at Radio City Music Hall in New York City in June.
Buteau is prepping to send her five-year-old twins to school for the first time this fall and she's not about to do all the work herself. While back-to-school shopping with Amazon Prime, she wants her twins to feel invested in the school supplies they're selecting and buying, while simultaneously teaching them about the importance of budgeting.
“I used to buy things for them but now we shop together,” she explains. “They know how to scroll on the tablet and add things to the basket. Then they’ll want to check the delivery status, so they’re on top of it.” Buteau makes it a point to explain how much certain items cost and what you get so her little ones learn the value of what they’re buying. “I’m trying to teach them what it’s like to actually go shopping. Do they have chores? Sure. Do they do them? No, because they’re five.”
Buteau's son Otis is really into Barbie right now, and has very specific requests in terms of the story he wants to tell within his diverse Barbie community. “He loves the brown Barbies and he wants them to play soccer. So, we’ve got the whole Brazilian soccer team,” she says. Thankfully, online shopping makes it easy to find the exact types of Barbie dolls and accessories that Otis is after to achieve his creative vision. "It’s so nice. Especially as a twin mom, packing my kids up to go to a store just to see if the store even has what we want? It’s a whole lot. Then we have a conversation about disappointment, which we usually have in the airport anyway if a plane is delayed, but still.”
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While Otis is in BarbieLand, Buteau's daughter Hazel is an aspiring artist with a new favorite color every month. “We'll run out of a pink and now she knows what a mauve is, and now she's really into Oxblood, and my favorite color is purple, but she's more into lavender and I like eggplant. So sometimes we have to find a specific marker or pencil and going on Amazon, it's like, I wish I had all these choices growing up!” Buteau remembers back-to-school shopping when she was little saying, "It used to be like, choose from the three things you see in K-Mart and that's it."
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The convenience of shopping on Amazon is unmatched. One feature that I recently started taking advantage of is Subscribe & Save for recurring deliveries of household essentials. “Subscribe & Save is next level adulting,” Buteau tells me. “I talk to Alexa and she hooks it up for me. I have two big, black, beautiful dogs. I need the dog food. I also need the toilet paper, especially with the potty training. It is like a paper mache installation in the bathroom every time.”
So, now that her twins are shopping like full grown adults in diapers, what is Michelle Buteau buying for herself? She’s got a few must-have items on her wishlist, including face serum, Stumptown coffee, and socks. “We need all the face serum with Vitamin C. It isn't about me looking tired, it's about me fake smiling all day telling them they're doing great," she says with a smile. "And we need the coffee. Just throw it at my face. And you know what? The big beans are great in my espresso martinis.” As a 'no shoes inside' household, Buteau loves to buy new socks for herself and her guests. “You don’t want to take your shoes off? I’ve got some socks for you.” With that, right before we sign off, Buteau remembers her latest shopping fixation has been peppermint patties. “The small ones,” she clarifies, adding, “I’m not a monster.”
Amazon back-to-school shopping essentials
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This article originally appeared on Reviewed: Michelle Buteau x Amazon: Back-to-school shopping tips and tricks
