Saving Money On School Supplies

Check Grocery Or Drug Stores

By Becki in Indiana

Buy Throughout The Year

Susan

Stickers on Pencils

Jela

Shopping for Deals

Another thing that I do is stock up on EXTRA glue, glue sticks, scissors, tape, crayons, construction paper, very cheap backpacks or tote bags, etc. When Christmas or a birthday party comes that my child is invited to, I just throw together an activity bag. The kids love to get craft stuff and I don't have to run around wondering what I should buy for this other kid that I hardly know, and it is usually at a time when I have no money, so it works out great.

Hope this helps!

By Joy

Thrifty Tips For School

Firstly, establish the family ethic that function, not fashion, will determine the choices. The only way any item with Lisa Frank's artwork comes into this house is if I find it in a clearance bin at a discount of 40% or more, AND it is not extreme. The same goes for items with any currently or recently sought-after pictures or patterns. In other words, it has to cost less than the generic-looking ones, and it has to be something we would have liked regardless of hype. Also, we feel we have the privilege of setting our own fashions when we choose. So, when time allows, we might use some stickers or adhesive-back shelf paper from my stash. For instance, when I got my daughter a bicycle helmet that was a boring blue, I gave her some flower stickers to jazz it up. My son preferred the bug stickers. All the stuff in my stash, by the way, has been bought second hand or on sale.

We do not pay for top quality in items that are soon to be lost or damaged. We have just one giant set of Crayola's at at time, and that lives in my craft dresser. When the occasion warrants, I allow the children to use these, but only if they use them at the dining room table, and put them away as soon as they are done. For all other uses, we buy a cheap kind, like RoseArt. And last Christmas, I found eight boxes of 64 RoseArt crayons, in a special set that was discontinued, on a clearance cart. I bought up all eight, and tucked them away until needed. The back to school sales in all the department and discount stores are the last resort for me. I shop ahead for things I know will be needed year after year. Many of the most basic supplies are also used in offices; #2 pencils, pens, highlighters, 3-ring binders, etc. So, it is often possible to find them in bulk from business supply stores and catalogs. It is not that difficult to figure what basic supplies are appropriate to the age of your children. Buy them in quantity, because most of them are suitable for several years of school.

For instance, you know that by second grade, they will need a constant supply of #2 pencils. By about fourth grade, they will need looseleaf note book paper and binders to keep it in, and pens. The high school student may have discovered the advantages of a legal pads for taking notes during lectures. Steno pads are also handy by about middle school, to tuck inside a looseleaf binder, and use for personal and homework reminders, correspondence, doodles, and other things that don't belong in the notes of a particular class. The best bargain I've found yet on pencils is the gross of left-overs from custom printers. You get all kinds of things, like misprinted promotional ones from businesses you never heard of, and cutesy ones with other people's names stamped on them, but children lose pencils so fast it does not matter.

Some items I simply do not buy. Pencil boxes get lost or broken, as do pocket-size pencil sharpeners. *Anything* made of brittle plastic will be broken, if not by your child, then by some other child. *Anything* that is not convenient to carry will be set down and forgotten, or willl slide out of hands at the worst moment. The sturdiest book covers are made from plain brown grocery bags or mailing paper; as an added benefit, they can be personalized, or homework notes can be written on them. Other items are kept at home and rationed out as needed, like erasers, pencils, and extra packs of looseleaf paper.

Rose B, mother of three, in NC