return to school

[Bear]

My score from last year (what I can remember):

Walmart:
20¢ crayons, 20¢ glue sticks, 10¢ paper

CVS:
33¢ mechanical pencils 5 pack

Wags:
9¢ erasers, Free highlighters

Staples:
9¢ filler paper, Free Elmers glue

I also have been finding clearance school supples at Wags which I have been using as fillers: index cards, pens, mechanical pencils)

[Child0fGod]

check CVS 7/5-7/11 flier! lots of school stuff on sale AND some with ECB's included.

[mrod]

i got crayons 24 pack at office max for a penny last year 3 limit per visit. not crayola but they get the job done. i took my sister w/ me to double up on the great buy and revisited store by home and work everyday that week.

[scifree]

I know here we should have deals coming up quickly as kids start Aug 10th. They finish around Memorial day in May. I only have one I have to buy for yet, but we have a teacher DH too. Good luck.

[lucyrevenge]

Originally Posted by couponlouie

When is it time to start buying school supplies? I have 3 kids and we live in an area that has schools that are low income. Last year my youngest had 6 boxes of crayons on her list. I don't mind helping out other students, but give me a break. With 3 kids that adds up. I do have some left over stuff from last year and so far have seen occas. clearance. Lunch boxes are still $15. Last years bill for school supplies alone was $300.00.

I like to get my school shopping supplies list(s) asap, so I will ask for them from the teachers if they are not posted online yet, and then just start shopping early. All stores are going to have certain items they put out that are super cheap or free. The week before school I take inventory and see what I am missing and then do once last shop for any missing items. I paid $2 OOP last year for everything for all three of my school age children(4, 5, & 12)and I do mean everything.

This year, the only difference will be I need to get my eldest a fancy dancy calculator so that might put a kink in the budget but otherwise I've already seen that I will be getting free pens, notebooks, paper, pencils, sharpners, erasers, & that is just from one store.

The Office Max by me already has boxes of crayons marked to $.33 each.

Originally Posted by mrod

i got crayons 24 pack at office max for a penny last year 3 limit per visit. not crayola but they get the job done. i took my sister w/ me to double up on the great buy and revisited store by home and work everyday that week.

I did the same thing. They a penny item every week for the month of ?August?.

[kimberlydiam]

Something I do too, is I ask my family and friends to donate their empty ink cart.to us and I take them in at Staples and get a rebate check in the mail for up to $30.00 so it doesn't cost us anything for the supplies. With the Staples rewards program.

[lucyrevenge]

Originally Posted by kimberlydiam

Something I do too, is I ask my family and friends to donate their empty ink cart.to us and I take them in at Staples and get a rebate check in the mail for up to $30.00 so it doesn't cost us anything for the supplies. With the Staples rewards program.

Office Max has the same program. Can turn in 10 cartridges a week with their Rewards program. If you have something to redeem you can do 30 days after online by printing off a certificate(works like a gift card) to use in-store for anything. Each certificate shows the amount you have earned and you can combine several together if you want. You also have three months to use your certs before they expire. I currently have $240 in certs that I can use.

[love4qs]

I saw today that toys r us has buy 1 get 2 free on crayola crayons. Do you think that is a good deal, or will something better probably come along? I know toys r us is usually higher on these items. I am a teacher and usually just buy in mass what ever I can find the cheapest, but my own child is now old enough to request his supplies, and he is right - Crayola just colors better than the other brands Thanks!

[karen113478]

My walmart has them for $0.30 for a 24 box of crayola.

[angela2678]

Originally Posted by love4qs

I saw today that toys r us has buy 1 get 2 free on crayola crayons. Do you think that is a good deal, or will something better probably come along? I know toys r us is usually higher on these items. I am a teacher and usually just buy in mass what ever I can find the cheapest, but my own child is now old enough to request his supplies, and he is right - Crayola just colors better than the other brands Thanks!

It's hard to say...I guess it depends on what the regular price is that you'll have to pay for the first box. TRU is always so high-priced; it's hard to imagine it being a good deal. Walmart always puts the Crayolas out for 20 cents or so each year, but it isn't the washable ones, and I'm picky about that.