Starting at the beginning of the school year (we started this in grade school), I let my children know that any school supplies that could be re-used the next year would be eligible for $1.00 per item. Example: dictionary - $1.00, geometry kit - $1.00, calculator - $1.00, etc. The items I bought were good quality and I would only pay $1.00 per item to the children if they brought them home in good condition.
Knowing this before the school year started, my children did very well and made some much needed vacation money from me at the end of the school year. Each year they look forward to this recycling money. My school supply costs went way down!
This yr our kids are reusing backpacks and lunch pails. We also had them search their rooms for any pencils,crayons etc.. and we put them in an empty baby-wipes container. So they can use them for homework.
My grandsons school supply list consist of things like post it notes, (boys bring certain size, and girls bring different size), CRAYOLA crayons, they can't bring Rose Art brand, 4 boxes of kleenex, 48, YES 48 PENCILS, baggies in different sizes. It is ridiculous what the teachers are asking for, especially considering my son has 3 to get into school, and he has missed a week of work without pay due to gall bladder surgery. Alot of the items don't really seem like school supplies for my grandchildren, but for the teacher instead. Now I know my taxes are paying for some of these things the teacher asks for, so I am a little bothered by the items they are having to purchase. I realize teachers do spend some of their own money on stuff for the class, but surely they get an allowance to use each year that is state paid don't they? I live in Arkansas if someone wants to enlighten me about this.
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Tip: Recycling School Supplies
Archived on 07/24/2006
I redecorate my son's discarded binders and barely used notebooks. Then, I use them for journals, collecting recipes, etc. It's fun to decorate the books by gluing on flower photos from gardening catalogs, ribbon, paint, and stickers.
By Kay from Tamarac, FL
Feedback:
RE: Recycling School Supplies
I know when my kids were in school I'd keep their notebooks and just rip the used pages out and used it for extra paper when they wanted to make notes or pics, but your idea sounds like fun will pass these on to step-daughter (she has 2 in school). Thanks. (07/24/2006)
What an AWESOME idea! Where were you when my 28 year old and 19 year olds were going to school and I bought new notebooks every year!
Thanks for the tip! (07/24/2006)
By Sheila in Florida
RE: Recycling School Supplies
Our kids always put away their old colored pencils, scissors, markers, etc. that were still good and used them first the next year before getting new ones out. They always had stuff they hadn't used much from the year before. (07/24/2006)
I ripped out the written on pages from the used notebooks and then use the rest for grocery lists and making up weekly menus and such.
Where does it say that school supplies have to be brand new each year? I would think that if you had supplies leftover from the previous year that were still good and usable, that they could be sent.
My son is in Spec Ed. and I have to sent all sorts of things including hand towel, wash cloth, toothpaste, toothbrush, snacks, drink mixes... and on and on. Anything that can be used again I send again. (08/20/2006)
