School supplies can be expensive, but there are plenty of ways to save money while shopping for supplies. Here are some tips:
- Buy in bulk. If you have multiple kids, buy paper products in bulk. You can buy cheap notebooks at discount stores and then reuse them for years. You can also buy pens in bulk or just go with pencils so you won’t have to worry about running out of ink. If your kids have multiple classes that require different types of paper — like notebook paper and loose leaf — then buying a box of each type can be cheaper than buying individual packages from the store every time one runs out.
- Buy used books from thrift stores or online sites like Amazon and eBay. You can find great deals on used books online and off-campus book stores like Half Price Books often have sales where you can get steep discounts on textbooks each semester.
- Buy used clothing at consignment shops or secondhand stores instead of buying new clothes at department stores or chain clothing retailers like Gap or Old Navy where new clothing is overpriced by design.
- Look for coupons before shopping (especially if you’re shopping online) so that you can save even more money than usual when buying school supplies!
- Shop at the right time of year. The best time of year to shop for school supplies is in June or July. That’s when you’ll find the best price on notebooks, pens and pencils, as well as other basic items like backpacks and lunchboxes. The selection may not be as vast as it is later in August or September, but at least you’ll avoid paying full price for these items.
- Look for sales. You can find all kinds of sales during this time of year. Stores like Target and Staples offer coupons on their websites that you can print out and use in store. If you don’t see any coupons, just wait until they are released. You can also check out the weekly ads in your local newspaper or online, which will list all the deals available at each store in your area.
