School supply prices

[Regina]

If you are like me, you try to think ahead and get the best deal on supplies. Obviously, we have a lot of supplies to buy (I have 4 in school this year and then we do craft projects at home). I found this list of how much school supplies should cost when they have good deals, and I thought I would share. Last year, single notebooks were on sale for 5 cents at Walmart, and we stockpiled so that they could draw and things too. Anyway, if you see an ad for school supplies somewhere else, just take the ad to walmart, and they will price match. That will help avoid running around all over the place. Walgreens typically has good prices, and they offer rainchecks or item substitutions. Oh, and I am buying a bunch of extra glue sticks this year because I would have notes sent home constantly throughout the year that the kids needed good glue sticks. School sales start after July 4th, typically. Anyway, here is the price list taken from another site on good prices:

Continue to page 2 for current deals

[Brenda]

Regina, you are Johnnie on the spot! lol. I was just talking to my gfriend yesterday about art supplies. What I've done the past 2 yrs is order frrom the PTA and they will have a box ready mid summer with all their supplies. Sure, it costs a bit more, especially with all the sales they have during this time of year, but it was worth the hassle of not fighting the crowds.
This year, I am all for saving money anywhere I can! I always try and buy towards the end of the yr notebooks and pads to keep on hand too!

[Regina]

Walgreens 7/19-7/25

FREE items:
Pilot G2 pens, 2 pk, FREE after RR ($1)

19c items:

papermate mechanical pencils, 5 pack
papermate pens 10 pk
papermate prism pens 10 pk
ruler
box of paperclips

29c items:

pink eraser 2 pk
pencil top erasers, 12 pk
wooden pencils, 10 pk

39c items:

transparent scotch tape
white glue

49c items:

pencil box
crayons (can't tell brand/count)
bic highlighters (looks like 8 ct)

59c items:

pencil sharpener
scotch mailers (can't tell size/type)

99c items:

crayola color pencils 12 pk
120 pg, 3 subject spiral notebook
book cover

[Regina]

Brenda,

Oh, sometimes I hate the crowd thing too (especially because we typically shop with everybody with us!). I guess I just try to stick to Walgreens and Walmart. If I am at Target (after school begins), I pick up a few of their clearance things for throughout the year (the fancy folders and things). I think I might even have some folders that we didn't use yet! This year, I am just going to price match with ads at Walmart and also go to Walgreens (they are right next to each other), but that will be the extent of my shopping. When Walmart has their deals, especially glue sticks, crayons, 5 cent notebooks, I will definitely just buy high volume and keep it in the garage...not the crayons, since they melt. But, as you can see with my last post, Walgreens has some great deals too. I hate to take the kids in the same aisle when I do school shopping because I always tend to give into what they want (folders and such).

Oh, this year I have to buy photo boxes instead of pencil boxes, so if anyone sees them out there for a good deal, please let me know! Right now, I am looking at 4.99 to 9.99 per box. They have them at Michael's, and on Sunday's, there are typically coupons for 40 percent off, so I am looking at that as being my best deal, but I hate to go all the way over to Michael's....it would defeat my goal of just walmart and walgreens.

[Hokuspocus]

Wow Thanks for sharing they do have some great deals!

[AnnaRose]

Thanks Regina. That list is really helpful for the teachers too! We usually spend a lot of money on supplies as well.

[Regina]

In the next few weeks, CVS has a bunch of school supplies that are free after your ecb's. The sales are only 3 day sales (Sunday through Tuesday), but if you are already near a CVS, it is worth stopping to see what they have. For instance, this week, they had free tape, pencils, and a couple of things not school related. The next couple of weeks, they have free after ecb's on scissors, notebooks, glue, pens, pencils, etc. Oh, and also a free photo book next week and the following week is a free picture dvd.

Walmart has started putting their supplies out, but they are NOT on sale yet. Wait for the sales, with 2 exceptions. 15 cents for single notebooks are a good deal, but they did bring them down to about 5 cents last year. The crayola 24 pack of crayons are a good deal right now too...I think they are 25 cents right now.

Hope this helps someone!

[madlibs]

Hey Regina... glad you brought up that price-matching thing at Walmart. I was just there a couple days ago and saw little signs in the aisle stating their willingness to do just that. I made a mental note to try and remember to try it, but then started to wonder if it was a hassle at the checkout. Have you done it before? Is it a pretty smooth process?
Recently, I saw some really good deals on beef tenderloin in an ad for the grocery store Kroger. I thought of this while at Walmart and wondered if they'd match the price.
If it's pretty smooth, I'm going to have to start doing that for sure. What a time saver!

[Regina]

Yes, it is very easy to price match at our walmart. I will have to say that I bet each walmart's customer service is different. At our walmart, even if you forget the ad, they have a little customer service place where a supervisor stands and all sunday ads are placed there (meaning, if you forget your ad, just ask them if they have copies). Anyway, at the checkout, just leave the price matched items for last. Then, tell the cashier that you would like to pricematch that item. She/he will call the supervisor over, look at the ad, and okay it. Very easy... I have not priced food though. I usually do school items or big items. Even if it takes a couple of extra minutes for the supervisor, it is less time and gas than traveling to that other store AND it will save money. I am not sure if they will offer the bogo deals; I think it is just basically price matching.

Oh, and another thing, if you are ever buying anything at Walmart (or most places), if you see even a little flaw, just ask the cashier if they can take a percentage off since it is flawed. Again, a supervisor will come over and typically approve it. My son wanted some shoes at Walmart the other day, but it had a scuff on it. Now, we would probably have that same scuff on it later that day, but we asked for a discount anyway, and they gave us 10 percent off. Some people are better with haggling; I am not one of those people.

Does Kroger price match? We haven't had a kroger in almost 5 years (since we moved South), but I thought they price matched too. I also thought they have coupons online that load on your kroger card.

Hope this helps!

[Regina]

crayola 12 pack of colored pencils were marked to 30 cents at walmart today.