Saving Money on School Supplies

Back To School Supply Sales For Home Office Needs

Now is a perfect time to take advantage of some really great sales bargains, not just for back to school supplies for your children, but also for your own home office needs. This time of year is when I stock up on anything from printer paper, note pads, post it notes, pens and pencils, to items such as scotch tape, staples, and glue. Comparison shop at assorted stores and you'll be surprised that you can easily purchase a year worth of supplies for up to 75% off.

By Deeli from Richland, WA

Reuse Backpack and School Supplies

In most areas of the US, school will be over soon. The last thing on everyone's mind right now is the next school year. But this is a relatively painless tip that doesn't take much time and will surely save you money.

When the kids come home on the last day of school, don't just put the backpacks in the closet. Go ahead and empty them out; tossing out the short pencils, used workbooks, etc. If there are usable art or other school supplies, put them in a safe place for next year. At my son's school, he had to purchase his own art class supplies and I reused the same paint colors and magic markers because of their light use. If you have a supply list for next year, put that in a safe place as well so you will have it when the back to school sales start.

Finally, inspect the backpacks. Can they be used again another year? I'm not sure where the practice of a new backpack every year started but if you start out with a sturdy one they can be used for many years. Toss it in the washer and give it a good cleaning. When dry, hang it back up and it will be ready and waiting for you at the end of summer.

By wendiesioux from Edwardsport, IN

Stocking Up on School Supplies

Stock up now on school supplies. The supplies won't be this cheap until a full year later. You can use school supplies as really good stocking stuffers or you can give them out in gift bags at birthday parties!

By luckylange from Chicago, IL

Using Last Year's School Supplies

We asked other families if they had some good school things from the year before, then gave them 1/4 their cost. This saves and helped the other family too.

By rain200 from Chilliwack BC, Canada

Shopping For School Supplies

Here are several tips for saving money on school supplies.

First: Do not bring the kids, if possible.

Second: Look for basic items on the bottom shelves. The further up to eye level is where all the specialty items are - meaning more money.

Lastly: Purchase extra packs of pencils, pocket folders, and loose-leaf paper while the price is down. Usually mid-year is when you need to replenish those items.

By Colleen from Waterford, NY

Pool Resources on School Supplies

My sister used to live in a town where the school bought the supplies and split the cost among the parents. They were able to save money, because they bought in bulk. Another advantage being that every child had the same items.

When she moved to a different district, she got quite a sticker shock especially since it was all Crayola this, Bic that. Between her two children, it was now $300 whereas the year before it was $60.

I was thinking that pooling your resources with other parents perhaps from your church and work, as well as your friends/family, and buying in bulk might be quite a savings.

By joycrazy from CA

Use the School Supplies You Have

Instead of going out to buy new coloring utensils for the school year, grab that big box of crayons from under the bed. You can find a crayon sharpener just laying about and sharpen some of the main colors needed. They will be perfect for school and much better than spending money on new utensils.

Instead of a new pencil box, paint and decorate a pasta box instead. It works just as well and can look very pretty. I remember I had my kids go to school with old sharpened crayons and a glittery pasta box and my daughter came home saying, "My friends love my pencil box and are wondering if you could make some for them!" I did, and her friends loved them. I was the "cool mom" (wink, wink) for a year!

I guess my tip is when school comes around, just get out an old pasta box and some used crayons, they'll work just as fine.

By Claire Bear from Columbus, OH

School Supply Shopping Tips

Whatever happened to my FREE public education? Honestly, between "renting" the required text book; the locker, sports fees and equipment; yearbooks; required school agenda (which never gets used because of its inefficient format; necessitating the purchase of one that actually gets the job done!); and boxes of sanitizing wipes, paper towels, tissues and hand sanitizer required for the classrooms; composition notebooks, loose-leaf paper, graph paper, binders, pencils, TI-83 calculators and the like I am out more than $400 before I buy the first pair of new shoes (we'll not go THERE in this post).

So, how is a frugal mom supposed to save some cold hard cash this time of year? Glad you asked! And, BTW--you are going to spend much more than you save this time of year, so take an aspirin before proceeding:

1. First, you must have a plan which includes knowing what you are required to provide for your student. Thankfully, our school makes back to school packets available in mid-July before the back to school sales begin in earnest. Don't buy a lot of stuff that is not on the list because it may not get used!

2. Stock up - this is a must for the frugal mom. Peruse the Sunday ads, making plans to shop around and only purchase the best deals at a variety of stores.

3. Purchase 2-3 times the number of items on the list (if 7 composition notebooks are required, purchase a minimum of 14-21 to assure mid-year replacements are available at a reasonable price). At 25 cents each 14 notebooks will cost you $3.50. Should you fail to purchase the necessary replacements for later in the year you'll be lucky to find these for a $1.00-so stocking up is critical and your net savings throughout the year is over $11.00. I also purchase crayons, glue sticks, colored pencils for arts and craft project, Christmas and Easter gifts and my Operation Shoebox at this time of the year and store them away. Apply the same strategy to folders, pencils, lose leaf notebook paper and 3 subject or 5 subject spiral notebooks and any other school supplies.

   For my college kid I employ the same strategy and even use this time of year to buy new toilet brushes (yes, they are on sale for $2 less than the normal price and I make a habit of replacing them every year at this time), wastebaskets, sheet sets, and small appliances are on sale too (for your personal use, as a replacement, Christmas gifts or wedding showers you know are coming up)

4. Develop a storage system - No one likes to use a bent or tattered notebook. After all, new supplies are the highlight of returning to school for some folks, me included. Therefore, storing your purchases in pristine condition until you need them is a requirement. I use a plastic drawer bin, but an under the bed box or any secure container which will keep out the dust is satisfactory! DON'T purchase a new storage system, that defeats the frugal part of this post - use what you already have!

5. Get Freebies - make sure you take advantage of any BOGO free offers, rebates, and don't forget to pickup any free samples (pencils, post it notes, hand sanitizer, chip clips, and caribiners seem to be popular items this year) at your local state fair or community event. Put these in your storage system as you accumulate them over the course of the year.

6. Keep your receipts and don't be afraid to return the UNUSED binder that was desired until DD saw what all the other 7th graders were carrying.

7. Shop early to assure the best selection (you can always return what you purchased but didn't actually need). Younger kids especially enjoy selecting their own supplies and this will insure they are actually used.

Happy Shopping!

Source: Posted on my blog: http://frugality-girl.blogspot.com/

By skibum1910 from Prospect, KY

Buy a Year's Worth of School Supplies in the Fall

We buy a years worth of school supplies once a year. Every year the stores such as Walmart, Target others put the school supplies on sale. Such as a box of crayons for 22 cents. Most families wait for the schools list to come out. It is the same supplies year after year. Pencils, markers, loose leaf paper, glues sticks so on. We have a huge tote that we keep with the supplies in them so as they need them we have them. Such as the lovely teenager tells you at 8:30pm that they need a new composition note book for school in the morning. We have them in the tote that we bought on sale for .50 cents verses $3.00 at 8:30pm at night or any other time of the day.

Getting Schools Supplies When School Gets Out

When school is out, it is a great time to stock up on folders, spiral bound paper or ring binders, if you don't mind dumpster diving. The last day of school a lot of kids don't want the burden of things to take home and all kinds of resusables go into the trash.

Why shouldn't you or I benefit from it?

Buy School Supplies from the List

I always wait until I have an exact list of needed items from the teachers themselves before I buy. In the upper grades, some teachers can be very specific about what they prefer; down to the color of the ink pen or size of the notebook. (We've even had one specify Bic pens, not clickable ones.) When my oldest child started middle school, I had purchased everything in advance and wound up making another trip to buy "the right stuff". A very expensive lesson learned.

By Christine from Dalton, GA

Look For Free School Supplies

Another way to save on school/home office supplies is to look for online freebie. I have gotten sample highlighters, photo and print paper, pens, and post-it notes! (I also pick up pencils, pens, stickers and notepads at every faire or similar event I go to, but you already know that!)

And if you work in an office, look around for office binders and surplus supplies that are being tossed (like old letterhead) so you can recycle them!

Stock Up on School Supplies

When each of my grandchildren were born, I started a tub where I purchase school supplies for them every year. I wait until school starts and Walmart and the other stores discount everything and I stock up. If I see something at a thrift store, I buy it: like rulers, pencils, folders, book covers, etc. When the child starts kindergarten, then I give it to the parents as a gift. It saves them tons of money and it's a great starter gift. I usually get a backpack to put stuff in for each child to present to them. I know it's not an immediate solution but if you're still having babies, do it now! Even pencils which were 1 penny when I was little are crazy to buy! Most items stay fresh, even glue, over time if not opened and kept in a cool even temperature place! The kids love it and the parents thank me over and over!