Back to School is right around the corner so parents are checking those school supply lists twice!
As a stay at home mom the budget is pretty darn tight, so it’s imperative that I stretch EVERY single dollar as far as it will go! It also means I’ve had to get creative about where I shop, how many trips I make, and learn to take advantage of the baiting tactics many stores use to get you in the door and trick you into spending more!
These are the TOP places my family shops so your list can look like:
Glue Sticks – Check
Highlighters – Check
30 Pencils my child will lose in the first month – Check
Awesome savings – Check Check Check!
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The Dollar Store
The local dollar store is a GREAT place to find steeply discounted school supplies!
You can find everything from scientific calculators to name brand crayons and colored pencils to tupperware to pack lunches in all for ONE dollar!
For this reason the dollar store is normally one of my family’s FIRST stops once the school supply lists are posted.
Craft Stores
As a young teen I remember literally drooling over the gigantic sets of every color of sharpie and gel pen imaginable. Unfortunately those wants were often expensive and lets be real I didn’t NEED them even though I really really wanted them.
While I wouldn’t recommend shopping at your local Hobby Lobby and Michaels for ALL your school supplies if your son or daughter is like me and has their heart set on a gigantic sharpie or pen set, craft stores can be a great place to buy some of your kid’s more expensive wants.
Typically the sets cost around the same as at Target or Walmart BUT you can use the weekly coupons to save 40%!
Amazon
I won’t lie A LOT of my child’s school supplies come from Amazon.
Partially because it’s super convenient to find the random items of specific sizes that are often hard to find in store, partially because of the convenience of delivery, and partially because if it’s items you need A LOT of like pencils or pens buying in bulk on Amazon can be a GREAT cost-saving option.
Big Box Stores
The big box stores like Sam’s and Costco are a bit less helpful if you are only shopping for one child, however in families with a whole crew headed back to school buying school basics in bulk can equal BIG savings.
From Mega Mechanical pencil sets for under 10 dollar to bundles of composition notebooks for a great deal, these big box stores have you covered! Also be on the lookout for the seasonal “back to school sets” that big box stores get in stock because often you can get almost the entire list knocked out for $10!
Off- Campus College Bookstores
Almost all college campuses have an off-campus bookstore where used books are sold. However there is a specific reason I am including these stores on the list for younger school-aged kids!
Typically you can find used graphing calculators at these stores for a fraction of the price of a new one!
Garage Sales / Online Neighborhood Sale Pages
I know you are probably thinking why would my child need USED school supplies?!
But sometimes amongst the clutter you can find barely used backpacks, lunchboxes, clothes, and SO much more for a fraction of the price in stores!
Our school district has a dress code and this time of year we can always find used polos and khakis for next to nothing on our neighborhood sale page!
Walmart / Target
I know this is probably where most of us shop for school supplies anyway BUT there are times where it is actually cheaper!
Target normally has KILLER deals on their off brand / store brand school supplies, which are often half the cost of the name brands! Plus this time of year back to school sales abound and some of these deals can rival normally cheaper stores however be sure to watch for the full priced items which will blow your budget!
Hopefully you find all the school supplies you need well within your budget, then you can put all the extra into a Starbucks fund for those first early school days!
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