Now that I’ve paid attention this year and see what school supplies cost, I’ll know to budget $25 per child next year. Plus more for shoes. We can split it up over the year and put $10 a month into an envelope tucked away in the safe. Or we can choose to fund the whole thing in July. I’ll let Darren decide, but usually we do the little bit a month method.
I’ve found Wal-mart to have the best prices overall for school supplies. Target’s stuff is cuter, but a tiny bit more. If you have a few dollars extra in your budget, it’s nice over there. And occasionally you can find a great deal at an office supply store or a corner drug store, such as fill paper for 25 cents a package, limit 2. Usually though the rest of their supplies are over priced to compensate for that low price to get you in the door. You’ll pay more overall just to get that deal, unless you only grab the low price items and are willing to go to more than one store to get everything you need.
Dollar Tree has school supplies too and some of them are a great deal. Others are cheaper at Walmart–such as rulers; composition notebooks, and stretchy text book covers. Know your prices so you aren’t fooled.
Here’s the best money saving tip I have:
At the end of the year, collect all the school supplies they bring home and sort them into “trash” and “reusable” piles. I keep them in a plastic tub tucked away for next year. We “shop” there first when the school supply lists come out. I cleaned up everything with a soft cloth and spray cleanser until it looked like new. We were able to reuse scissors, rulers; pens; pencils; highlighters, backpacks; binders etc and keep our costs down for new items to $20 per child.
School supply items are cheapest this time of year. Crayons will likely double in price after labor day, as will brad folders, fill paper and spiral notebooks. I usually buy a few extra so we have them to use the rest of the year in emergencies. And for gifts–like to pair with a handmade crayon apron and a cute Dollar Tree coloring book.
Cute skirt! Btw I am on the downward slope of five kids. Our third moves into his dorm in about two wks. After a few yrs of the “I need a backpack” deal (simply bc they didn’t last. Granted, I have 4 boys, they tend to be rougher than my dghtr) anywho… we splurged and bought L.L.Bean back packs. Those are the last backpacks we have purchased & this will be their 7th yr being used.
Also, we found Sam’s club had the cheapest price on boxes of 1″ binders. Plain, white w/clear pocket in front to slip a sheet of paper to label. Our experience is that school supplies get more and more expensive as the kids get older. Sounds like you are heading the a good direction with you reuse tote. I can not count how many supplies we have bought that were never used…Boggles the mind. 🙂
Rachell, Good idea to buy in bulk and high quality. Raising kids goes by so fast! It’s hard to believe my Heidi will be off to college in just 5 short years. And by then our little Grant will be in 2nd grade….
With this sort of thing, I try to do it in one or maybe two stores. If I go all over town to save a few quarters, we end up spending the difference in gas or on lunch or something. Plus, we live in the country, almost an hour from big town. That said, I have found that Walmart consistently has the lowest prices on school supplies, which is good because it is about 15 miles closer than the other stores 😉
I’d like to switch from my current “oh shoot it’s July better budget a chunk for school supplies” to “I have a chunk to spend on school supplies because I have saved a little at a time all year.” I am always afraid I’ll spend it if we get low in another area of the budget. Is it just a matter of self-discipline or is there a trick that you use to keep yourself from raiding a stash like this?
Good tips, Leah. Thanks!
Like the skirt! SO cute! Your daughter is adorable. Thank you for sharing!
That’s such a cute idea! Your daughter is beautiful; she looks just like you. 🙂
Thanks, Karen. Even though she is older now than she was in this picture, she is still beautiful to me. As is her big sister, Heidi. It’s amazing having daughters (and sons are awesome too :).)
Sonething I like to do if my budget allows is to purchase items in September or October for next school year(and just to have extras on hand) when Walmart puts school supplies on clearance….composition books for a .10, etc. When Walgreens has items like poster board on sake I go ahead and buy for the entire year…it helps us when one of our children have a last minute project to complete.
I have a friend who has three kids. She has a tote in her basement for school supplies and throughout the year she buys the basics. Watching for sale items. Then when it’s time to buy supplies, she only has a few things to buy and she always has stuff on hand when needed.