Back to School Sales
It’s that time of year again! The superstores are clearing out their summer merchandise and making room for school supplies. For those of us whose kids got out of school in June, it seems like summer has just begun. But don’t avoid the sales for that reason! There are deals to be found!
Even though I don’t have a school supply list, because I’ll be homeschooling this year, I’ll be shopping the Back to School sales. In fact, I hit the first one on Sunday. I picked up two packs of copy paper from Staples that were 1 cent after rebate. And I’ve already filled out the rebate form, so I don’t forget. I also picked up pencils at 1 cent a pack, some highlighters, tape, and pens. I know this is all stuff that we’ll use throughout the year.
But the Back to School sales are good for more than just school supplies. Glue sticks and crayons make great stocking stuffers. Littler girls love to receive art supplies for their birthdays. I know, because my daughter received some art supplies for her 4th birthday, and it was her favorite gift!
If you participate in Operation Christmas Child, you can often find great stuff to include in the shoeboxes at Back to School sales. Markers, cute pads of paper, and stickers are all fun additions.
If you’re trying to get organized and want to make a Control Journal or other organizational binder, now is the time to start looking for an inexpensive binder, tabs, page protectors, and a pencil pouch!
Will you be shopping the back to school sales this year?
Photo by evelynishere.
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By Lynnae McCoy, on Jul 14, 2009
I'm Lynnae, wife of one and stay-at-home mom of two. I'm committed to getting out of debt by being frugal with my choices in life.
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What a great idea it is to buy things for the Christmas boxes at the back to school sales! I’ll be looking for stocking stuffers and goody bag supplies for my children’s birthdays as well.
Annie Kate
I need to really stock up this year. I save stuff too for the kids as stocking stuffers. I noticed CVS was running some great back-to-school specials this week. Thanks for the tightwad tip!!
School supplies are very handy for lots more than school. I use binders a lot in our home to organize, and paper, pencils and pens are always useful. Thanks for the reminder!
I totally could have written this – I do every one of those things, even Op Christmas Child. I LOVE having extra supplies on hand – I feel like I can host a little craft party for little ones and not break the budget if they use a lot of glue or whatever! Your simple tips are so needed in our economy… thanks!
I love school supply season espcially the craft supplies. I home school so it is a great time for me to stock up on writing paper, glue sticks, and poster board. I plan my year during the summer so I know what school supplies we will need. When I first started home schooling I stocked up. Now I find I still have some of those supplies. So now I go through my supplies and see what we need and use on a regular basis. In fact last year we only purchased composition books as a must have and had $$ left for science experiment supplies.
I was reading about your decision to homeschool. Congratulations! It is not easy or always fun. I guess you could say that about parenting too. I teach my two children Megan 10 and Devin 6. They are completely different people. So I was never able to save curriculm to pass down. I have made my local library my media center. Most of my curriculm has been borrowed from the library. I borrow a great book by Rebecca Rupp called “learning year by year”, that lets me know what I should cover each year. Last year was the first year I bought any curriculum brand new. Times Tales! This year I plan I buying another curriculum just because home schooling two such different learning styles and grades is hard. I find a great place and price is through Timerdoodle.com. If you think about it frugally I will spend less on curriculum then traditional schoolers spend on back to school clothes, shoes,back packs, lunches, and supplies.
Yes, Back to School Sales are terrific. Such a lot for not so much. Love it.
I hadn’t thought of this for Op Christmas Child! Good idea!
I’m lovin the school supplies too ! check mine out http://www.bargainfun.net/2009/07/staples.html
and http://www.bargainfun.net/2009.....stuff.html
I just found your site today. I was looking thru an older issue of All You and found one of your reviews. I’m always looking for new sites to get ideas and coupons from. As I read your post here on school supplies I got very excited to read that you mentioned Operation Christmas Child. I am an area coordinadtor on SE Florida and have been involved with this ministry for years. The school supplies are a wonderful idea for your shoeboxes. Some of these children are not allowed to go to school unless they have supplies, so you are giving them a chance to attend. Keep up all the great work to help us all save money.
Talking about Operation Christmas Child, (and trust me I could talk for hours, I love it so much) Wal Mart this week has a 5 pack of plastic shoeboxes for $3.50. That’s a great deal and the plastic boxes are agreat addition to your gift.
I am stocking up on all the freebies waiting to find out what my kids have to have. Then I will try to donate most of the left overs.
I actually did a piece about our adventures in school supplies! http://ipickuppennies.blogspot.....plies.html
But we had fun, since my mom gave us one of her rewards checks from Staples to use. We spent very little, will get a rebate check for half of that, and got some friends some nice supplies for their boys. Always nice!