Back to school time is just around the corner, which means it’s time to stock up on pencils, markers, notebooks, and everything else your child will need.
School supplies shopping can be daunting and expensive, but here to lessen the blow are five stores that offer great selection and great prices.
Your source for one-stop shopping boasts a huge school supplies section with great prices and lots of sales.
Target is also known for having trendy items, such as notebooks and binders created by well-known designers without the designer price tag.
Check your newspaper, mailbox, and the Target website for coupons on many products. The Target Cartwheel app also allows customers to download instant savings on a large number of school supplies. Simply search in the app or scan an item’s barcode to see if it is eligible.
Aside from the typical pens and paper, Target also boasts back to school sales on clothes, shoes, and tech gadgets.
Forget shopping here only for your professional needs. Office Depot—Office Max also has great deals on school supplies. The store has a good selection, though it tends to be more spread out than other stores.
Check your newspaper every Sunday towards the end of summer, as Office Depot-Office Max tends to include weekly coupons for items starting as low at five cents.
They also offer rebates on a variety of items and occasionally offer even more discounted prices if you buy in bulk or purchase a certain amount of merchandise.
Although the selection at Dollar General isn’t always consistent, you can score some great deals on smaller items like pens and pencils, crayons and markers, notebooks, and more.
Dollar General puts some items on sale around back to school time, but not as many items as other stores because its prices are already so low. However, Dollar General does frequently offer coupons for $5 off a purchase of $25 or more (usually released on Saturdays), which can help make a greater dent in your savings.
There are also store-specific coupons available online, in some newspaper circulars, or through the Dollar General app.
This store is known for having cheap prices on everything, and school supplies are no exception. Walmart tends to stock its shelves earlier than other stores and has a huge selection of supplies.
Many items are on sale, but even if they aren’t, Walmart’s low prices are very competitive. Plus, Walmart offers price matching on most products, meaning you can get a competitor’s price if you find the same item for cheaper somewhere else.
You can also take advantage of the Savings Catcher app, which will refund you the difference if it finds items on your receipt for better prices at other stores.
Aside from the basic school supplies, you can also get other essentials like new school clothes, electronics, and food to pack the perfect lunch.
While the selection at Staples is top-notch, the prices might not be as low as other stores on the list.
What sets Staples apart is the 110 percent back to school price match guarantee, which means they will match a competitor’s lower price and refund a 10 percent difference, even up to 14 days after your purchase.
Aside from the guarantee, Staples also offers rotating weekly specials with deep discounts throughout the school-shopping season. There are also great deals on smaller filler items, like rulers, pencils, and erasers.
