I don’t know how it is where you live, but here in Texas, we buy our kids’ school supplies every year based on a list provided by the school and specified by grade level. Every school in a district’s list is a little different and every grade within that school has a different list. That is why in the month of August you see those big stands full of papers in the entrances of department stores like Target and Wal-Mart. You will also see frustrated parents holding one of said papers, walking through the seasonally expanded school supplies section like that paper is a treasure map, no wait, a ransom note, and they must meet all of the demands exactly so they avoid any impending doom when it’s time for kids to go back to school.
Every year I get the option to purchase the supplies in a package from a supply company. For $130. Each. I started with two in school and this year I will have four going to school (that’s a sob story for another post…). Let’s just say I never went for the $130 packages. I always think I can buy better stuff than the packages provide and pay less money. So far I have saved money and been able to lower my costs every year. This year I am planning to be able to purchase all four boys’ school supplies for about $300. Let me share a few things I have learned along the way. I hope these help you in your school supply shopping trips!
1-Don’t wait until Tax Free Weekend to buy everything.
Trust me. If your list requires specific colors and types of folders (plastic three-prong for example), you will be scouring the disorganized mess of folders till you are blue in the face and never find the ones you need. And if by some miracle you do? You’ve only saved about 4 cents. In my experience, I am better off buying those specific folders in the specific colors ASAP, while you can still buy the store brands (both Wal-Mart and Target sell their own brands of these folders for 1/4 the price of the Mead Five Star folders). Think about it: buy the store brand early and spend 4 cents more, or wait until Tax Free Weekend and buy the name-brand folders and pay four times the price. Just buy the darn folders.
Some things won’t be tax free anyway. Like bleach wipes and hand sanitizer and disinfectant spray. Buy those when you can. I keep a box for school supplies and add things to it sometimes during the year if I find something on sale.
2-Sometimes generic is the way to go. Sometimes it isn’t.
Disinfectant spray, copy paper, bleach wipes, construction paper, tissues, folders, highlighters, paper towels, plastic storage bags, rulers, filler paper, spiral notebooks, pencil sharpeners, and index cards are all things I am willing to buy generic. If there is a noticeable difference in quality, I think it is irrelevant in these supplies when used in a classroom. Kids who waste tissues are going to grab 10 whether they are the Puffs with lotion or the Sam’s Choice. I’ve seen it in my classroom enough to know that quality does not beat quantity when providing tissues to kids.
Crayola crayons, Expo dry erase markers, Ticonderoga pencils, and Elmer’s glue sticks are specific brands I am not willing to scrimp on. Fortunately, these items are heavily discounted at back-to-school times and if you look carefully, you will find them for the same price as–if not cheaper than–the generic versions. These products are non-negotiable for me.
3-Don’t wait until the last minute.
I know this goes a long with #1, but I can’t stress this enough. Every year when I am wrapping up my school supply shopping I hear an angry parent say something like, “Well, they don’t have any more _________, so you’ll just have to take _______________!” It’s frustrating and mind-numbing all at the same time if you wait until the last minute to try to find the supplies you need. Start early.
4-Dedicate a space in your home for school supplies that you are gathering.
If you don’t, you will be searching frantically later saying, “I know I bought that! Where is it??” only to find it two weeks later on top of your dryer or in your closet. Just decide now that you will keep all of your school supplies in one location (a dining room table/a desk in a corner/a corner in your living room) and stick to it. ONLY check the items off of your list when you purchased them AND placed them in your designated place.
5-Make a list.Check it twice.
I get lists for all my kids, then I create a document that includes all of the things on the lists, combining similar items, so I am sure to buy the right amount the first time. Once the document is complete (I’ve added everything from all lists plus checked all of the supplies I already have on hand), I send it to my phone and then I send the collaboration invitation to my husband. I share the list with my husband, so he can grab things from a store if he is out, too. If you use Apple or Google, I highly recommend using the “collaborate” setting on your document, so you and your spouse can update the list and keep it current. If you are buying for one child, you might want to reach out to a mom-friend or two and collaborate on your school supply shopping. That way, you could make a Target run and she could make a Costco run and you could both get things for each other.
Where to Shop
These are my store recommendations for a few of the items on our school supply lists. These are based on my experiences shopping for more than one child. I have never purchased school supplies for only one, so I can’t guarantee that these strategies work best in those situations, but they have worked well for me over the past 5 years of school supply purchasing for my own kids, plus several years of buying school supplies when I was a teacher.
Bleach Wipes—Costco (The Kirkland brand of bleach wipes are less expensive and the wipes themselves are bigger and stronger than the Clorox brand. It’s a win all around. As a teacher, I bought these all the time because they will easily clean pencil, pen, and marker off of desktops. I LOVE them!)
Disinfectant Spray—Wal-Mart/Target (The Equate/Up&Up brand is much less expensive than the Lysol brand, but is basically the same formula and will satisfy the need of any classroom)
Tissues—Costco (The Kirkland brand comes in a case of 30 cartons. I bought a case last year and will use the same case to furnish tissues for my kids this year, for the same price I would have paid to buy last year’s supply of Kleenex.)
Composition Notebooks—Wal-Mart or Staples (You can typically find these for 50 cents each at back-to-school sales. If you need specific colors, start looking early. If not, be sure to pay attention to whether you need wide ruled or college ruled. Often one of the two will be in shorter supply as the month of August rolls on. Sometimes Target will sell the plastic-covered Mead composition notebooks for 75 cents. We haven’t had any trouble with durability with the chipboard covers, but if you want to spring for the plastic covers, keep your eye out for the lower price.)
Spiral Notebooks—Wal-Mart or Staples (Wal-Mart is selling their one-subject, 70-page spiral notebooks for 25 cents. But typically office supply stores like Staples and Office Max will run a special back-to-school sale and sell them for half that price. You have to watch carefully for these sales. One other caution here is that they typically limit how many you can buy at that price. If you are buying multiple children’s school supplies, you may not be able to purchase all of your spirals at once for 12 cents each.)
Glue Sticks—Amazon (It’s tempting, I know. Those prices look so good for those tiny packs of glue sticks in the center aisle at Wal-Mart. But our kindergarten list requires 20 glue sticks. All-in-all this year, I have purchased 64 glue sticks: 32 6oz. & 32 “Jumbo”. Buy them in bulk on Amazon and you will save.)
Dry Erase Markers—Wal-Mart/Target (As a former teacher, I can testify that there is a BIG difference between Expo markers and many of the off-brand markers. The other markers stain whiteboards and ruin them. I’ve seen it a zillion times. These are best to buy in a local store with a back-to-school sale. Pay attention to whether your list requests you to buy all black markers or not.)
Construction Paper—Target (Most of the colors and sizes needed for construction paper will be found at Target in their Up&Up brand for a reasonable price. If you can’t find a particular size, look on Amazon. I have found that some of the bigger sizes of construction paper do not go on sale at back-to-school times, so search around for the best price. If you find these on sale during the year, it would be wise to buy them in advance.)
Crayola Crayons—Target/Wal-Mart/Staples (Jump on these when they sell for 50 cents. In fact, you may want to buy a few extra for Christmas stockings—I do. A few years ago, stores sold these for 25 cents each. It was amazing. But for the past couple of years they have been 50 cents. Sometimes if you are early enough in your shopping, you can find a bulk box in some Wal-Mart stores that will sell 8, 24-packs for under $4. I have done this a few times in the past, but don’t search too hard nowadays. 50 cents is great and I will not complain. P.S. Please buy the Crayola crayons. If it has been a while since you’ve colored, maybe you’ve forgotten, but there is a BIG difference between Crayola and the other brands. Whether your child’s school pools all the supplies together or your child will use what you send, everybody wants to use the Crayola crayons. Just buy them while they’re 50 cents!)
Reams of Copy Paper—Costco (A ream of paper is 500 sheets of paper. I get so frustrated when Wal-Mart offers 400-sheet packs of copy paper as their sale paper for back-to-school. They are short-changing schools because many parents will say, “Eh, close enough,” and buy the 400 sheets instead. Grrr… Instead, I buy a case of paper from Costco. They typically have a case on sale during August when their coupons come out. If you do this far enough in advance, you can take advantage of case sales at office supply stores like Staples and Office Max. It is smart to be on the lookout in case one of these office supply stores decides to offer a sale before your school begins.)
Headphones—Amazon (These look good, but I also found these at a great price. We sent earbuds with our twins their first years. After 1st grade, they earbuds broke. My boys sweetly requested some over-the-ears headphones for the future. Label them well and you can reuse the same headphones year after year.)
Backpacks–Costco (Look, this is a very personal choice for a lot of people. If you and your child really care about what character or design is on your child’s backpack, Costco is probably not the place to go. Search Amazon and Target and ignore my recommendation. But if your child isn’t too picky and you are looking for a reasonable price on a high-quality backpack that will last for more than one semester–or school year–Costco’s High Sierra Everyday Backpacks are the way to go. They are the perfect size, contain a protective sleeve inside for electronics, just the right size & amount of pockets, ample cushioning in the adjustable straps, and they are very durable. If you buy this backpack now, you will probably not need to buy another one next year. And it’s only $20. Yeah. You just can’t beat it, except when they go on sale every summer.)
Lunch Boxes–Costco (The same idea as the backpacks: If you are super concerned with the character or design on your child’s lunch box, this is not the solution for you. Search Amazon and Target quick before all the cute ones are gone. But if quality and price matter more to you than fashion, the lunch boxes from Costco (California Innovations Expandable Lunch Pack) are what you need. They are durable, include two “Ice Walls” and a bento container (sectioned into 4 sections) with a lid. The lunch kit also includes an attachable shoulder strap. All for the same price as a smaller, more flimsy lunch box from somewhere else that doesn’t include any ice packs or container.)
