Back to school time is almost upon us! That means it’s time to shop for school supplies. Those little things like pencils, erasers, and crayons can really add up. So take some time to plan before your shopping trip to make the most of your money.
How to Save Money on School Supplies
Here are our ultimate tips when it comes to saving money on school supplies.
Clip Coupons
This is the time of year where stores are hoping to move their school supplies. They’ll be offering lots of deals and offering lots of coupons. Look for the coupons in the newspaper, store websites, and your favorite couponing websites like The Krazy Coupon Lady.
Shop Multiple Stores
After you research the deals, you might need to head to a few different stores (or order online from a few different stores) to get all the best prices.
Don’t Forget The Dollar Store
The dollar store has great deals on school supplies. Why buy a $7 pencil case, when you can buy one for a dollar plus tax. The dollar store is a great place to stock up on three-hole punch paper, notebooks, folders, glue sticks, kid scissors, fun erasers, pencil sharpeners, stickers, scotch tape, rulers, bins to organize school supplies at home and more.
There are a few items that you’ll want to stay away from because the quality just isn’t that great. Plan on heading to another store to pick up pencils, crayons, and markers.
Invest in Quality
Spending money on quality school supplies will save you money in the long run. Instead of buying $15 backpack for your child that might not even last one year, make the extra investment in a high-quality bag. I am speaking from experience here.
One year my daughter went through 3 cheap backpacks – that added up to $45! The next year I bought her a $50 bookbag and it’s still going strong 3 years later! You’ll also invest in quality pencils, crayons, markers, and tissues and wipes for the classroom. Trust me, your teacher will thank you!
Buy School Supplies in Bulk
If your child needs one pack of pencils, but there is a sale for buy 2 packs and get the third free, that’s a no brainer. Your child will need pencils again next year. So go ahead and take advantage of the bulk sales on school supplies.
Then pack the extra supplies away for next year or for when your child’s teacher sends home that letter halfway through the year because they need more glue sticks!
Don’t Buy Things They Won’t Need
Every year my son gets a “suggested” list of school supplies. Typically there are things on there that he never ends up needing, like binders and index cards. After a few years of buying index cards and never using them, I decided to hold off and only buy what he really needs. That saves me money and room in my junk drawer.
Shop Throughout The Year
One of our favorite tips is to shop for school supplies through out the year. The basics are pretty standard, and you’ll need things like paper, notebooks, pens, crayons and pencils no matter what. Through out the year, try to grab a pack of something when it is on sale.
You’ll have a nice stockpile to choose from, and this method also helps to spread out the cost of school supplies throughout the year, so you aren’t so overwhelmed with how much you have to spend before school starts.
Hopefully, these tips will help you get organized and make a plan before heading out to buy this year’s school supplies.
