Here is a little list of some projected stock up prices for Back to School items.
I just wanted to give you a rough idea of what good deals are for school supplies. It is really hard to anticipate exactly what deals and what coupons will pop up so this is just a general guideline to give you an idea.
I did not factor in the penny deals. These are often available at the office supply stores however most of the time they require a $5.00 purchase.
Typically we see coupons for Crayola items (they post them weekly on the Facebook page), Bic items and Scotch items. In the past Bic Wite Out, Highlighters and ballpoint pens have been free with these coupons. Target has released Papermate coupons that make those ballpoint pens free as well.
::Art Supplies.
- Crayola Crayons 24ct $.25-.50
- *Usually Toys R Us will offer Crayola 4/$1 a few times. Roseart crayons are typically .25 per box or even less.
- Crayola 10ct Markers $.99
- Crayola Washable Markers $1.50
- Crayola 12ct Colored Pencils $.99
- Crayola Washable Crayons 24ct $1.50
- Watercolors 8ct $.99
- School Glue $.15-.50
- Glue Sticks $.50
::Pens, pencils and highlighters.
- 12ct Pencils (generic brand) $.25
- *Some schools require Ticonderoga and those are considerably more expensive.
- 5pk Mechanical Pencils $.50
- Sharpie Highlighters $.50
- Sharpie Markers- singles $.50
- Sharpie 8pks $3.99
- Sharpie Black 2pk Markers $.50
- Dry Erase Markers 4pk $.50
- Bic Ballpoint Pens $.50
::Other Supplies.
- Two Pocket Folders $.01-.15
- Scissors $.49
- Rulers $.25
- Composition Books $.25
- Spiral Notebooks $.10
- Binders- 1″ Economy $1.00
- Filler Paper 150 sheets $.75
- Pencil Sharpeners $.39
- Scotch Tape $.50
- Index Cards $.50-1.00
- Construction Paper $1.50-1.75
- Sheet Protectors $.50
As far as backpacks, we typically see a free after rewards offer on these from the office supply stores. For a nicer backpack, about $13-$15 is a good price. Usually Target will offer backpacks around $6-9 and lunchsacks as low as $3.00. For small children, Toys R Us will usually offer an ongoing deal to get a free lunchsack with purchase of a backpack.
Remember school supplies are not just for your little ones. We often see items for just $.01 and those are great stocking stuffers, donation items, Operation Christmas Child boxes and you can always stock up on a lot of supplies to use in a gift basket for teachers.
I will be posting weekly roundups of the best Back to School deals in the coming weeks. You can just check the right sidebar of the blog under “Looking for Something” and then select Back to School. That will take you to the most current Back to School deals posted.
Update: I added a one page reference sheet with all the prices listed above here. You can print this out and have it with you when you shop!
Right now, Staples (at least mine in Mt. Pleasant, MI) has the packs of crayons, and packs of plain jane pens for $0.01 each, limit of 2. You have to spend I think $5 in the store to get the deal.
My Walmart in Northen California had the Crayloa Markers and Colored Pencils for .50cents a pack and Elmer Glue sticks for .10cents. It could vary depended on store but that was definitely a stock up price for me.
Wendy, you are exactly right. I did mention that I didn’t include the penny deals at the top of the post :). If you only need a box of crayons why not spend $.25 and get them is my thought. I don’t want to have to spend $5 I wouldn’t have otherwise spent to get them for a penny. That was just my thinking though.
Absolutely Charlene! I stopped there today for other items so I was already spending the $5 anyway. I was pretty excited for some cheap crayons lol 🙂
I love your blog/Facebook! Thanks for finding all of the deals!
Love this! Do you have a range for binder dividers? Thank you for your awesome research!
I always get the reams of paper that are usually around $7 that have a staples easy rebate. It covers the $5 minimum but you get your $6.75 back and only spend a .25 per ream of paper. you can do 2 paper rebates a week per household. This works out really great having 3 kids who always need 3+reams of paper each for school, and you also get the penny items without spending on frivilous stuff you don’t need. (they mail you a check back in a couple weeks)
Chrissy, that is a good solution if the rebates and such are something you like. I noticed my store has gift cards to various places. I don’t know if those would count to hit the minimum but I was thinking it would be worth trying.
Yaaaaay!!!!! I was hoping you would do this! Thank you!
LOL, I was going to do it a few weeks back but I wanted to give people 5 minutes to enjoy summer before going into Back to School :P. I am going to put this into a pdf to print out too so check back for that. I will get it linked in the next day or two.
Staples has changed their Teacher purchasing limits this year. Previously, teachers could expand the stated limits to a total of 25 items. This year, you can only purchase the stated limit at the quoted price. You can then purchase up to 25 total but you will pay full price for those items and have the difference refunded to you later on a Staples Rewards card.
As a school counselor, a wife of a teacher and mother of 4….I LOVE your website! I check it 4x a day at a minimum! You have saved me so much money over the past year as a family and now as a school counselor! Thank you, Thank you! Thank you!!!
Bonnie, this is partially true at least at my store. My local Staples stated you could purchase 25 at the special pricing and then purchase in a separate transaction another 25 at the special pricing. Maybe this varies by store?