Best Place for School Supplies?

Updated on August 05, 2012
K.W. asks from Evansville, IN
15 answers

My first baby is going to be in kindergarten and so I'm new to this whole thing. Where is the best and cheapest place to get all of her school supplies?

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J.F.

answers from Bloomington on

Walmart for almost everything. But, you need to keep going back for the really cheap stuff because they keep running out. I got glue sticks for 10 cents, Crayola crayons (24) for 50 cents. Crayola markers for $1.97. Spiral notebooks for 17 cents.

Staples, Office Max and Office Depot are great for a few items, too. I got cheapy folders for 1 cent each, composition notebooks for $.25.

Buy extra while the prices are low. Great for around the home, and for when supplies run low at school.

(My oldest is going into K this year, too. Sniff!)

ETA: Dollar store for hand sanitizer, baggies, paper plates, etc.

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S.R.

answers from Washington DC on

Walmart usually has good prices right when school starts. Also, big lots does too. I usually check walmart first and then go to big lots second. Walmart sometimes costs more, so compare.

Also, I don't always buy top of the line stuff. At our school, the supplies are shared. So what I buy may be used by anyone, not my kid. I've always thought that was a little unfair.

3 moms found this helpful
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T.M.

answers from Tampa on

Wal-Mart has the best prices on school supplies hands down...

2 moms found this helpful
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B..

answers from Dallas on

I was in Wal-mart yesterday, and they seem to be the very cheapest. They had the good brands and the bit lesser brands, both inexpensive.

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C.O.

answers from Minneapolis on

I got most of my stuff between Wal-Mart & Target. Just whenever I was there I would bring my list and buy it on sale. I'm almost done. My baby is going to Kindergarten too. My other one is going into 3rd grade.

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K.P.

answers from Seattle on

I agree, Walmart has everything. I also got a few things just for the house. Cant beat the prices.

1 mom found this helpful
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B.C.

answers from Los Angeles on

Walmart is the least expensive AND they match prices. Home depot matches prices too and they give you an additional 10% back, but Wal- Mart has better selection.

I always buy an entire year's worth of supplies during the back to school sales. I also buy stocking stuffers (Christmas presents) during the back to school sales.

Good luck to you and yours.

1 mom found this helpful
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N.W.

answers from Eugene on

Walmart. I stock up on school supplies for the year. We go through tons of those 17 cent spiral notebooks. For art supplies like crayons and colored pencils, I pay a little more and get the name brands. The quality is noticeably better and the prices are still low during the back to school sales.

During the back to school sales I also stock up on supplies for those Christmas shoe boxes.

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L.M.

answers from New York on

I much as I hate the store, I beleive overall Walmart is probably your best choice. Personally, I usually shop at Target and Staples. Staples has excellent sales, but their everyday prices are high. Check the flyers that come in the Sunday paper.

Also, at that age, my child needed very little. The school supplied 90% of what was needed. However, make sure you have a supply at home - crayons, glue, and sissors are a must.

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D.B.

answers from Chicago on

Not a fan of Walmart but they truly have the best deals and the best selection of school supplies.. Also, you can bring In your ads from any other store and if that price is lower, they will match it. One stop shopping.

T.F.

answers from Dallas on

Most PTA's have a package that is presold or sometimes you can buy them just before school. They have everything needed. I did that through elementary school.

Other than that, I get everything at Staples. You can't beat the price for the quality (name brand) and believe me, as a teacher, there is a difference in some off brands of markers, etc.

Most supplies are pooled together and distributed during the year, FYI.

I am anti-Walmart so I have no idea what they have because I would walk in the 110 heat to avoid that place.

Enjoy!! I hope your little one has a great year!

T.S.

answers from San Francisco on

WAIT until you get the list from school before you start shopping, because every school asks for different things.
Some schools' parent's clubs offer supplies by grade already packed and ready to go, for a pretty reasonable price (ours did.)
Also our Office Depot gives 10% back to our local school so we usually shop there for everything else :)

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L.L.

answers from Topeka on

If you have ads you can ad match but really when I just bought for my kindergartner there wasn't anything cheaper for her I go with Crayola but their off brand CrazArt was cheaper too,unsure on your list but scissors Fiskar are always cheap at Walgreens with instore coupon 49cents stock up on those...Good Luck

F.H.

answers from Phoenix on

If money is an issue, wait until after school has been going for about 3 weeks and the stores start to mark everything down 75% off. I did this one year when money was really tight for us (we have 3 kids) and they need even more supplies the older they get. Anyway, during open house, after they handed us the list of supplies, I privately asked the teacher if I could give them ours in a couple weeks after they go on sale. They all said OF COURSE! There will be TONS of supplies by other parents those first days and they all share anyway. So, I hope this helps. One year I got Crayola brand crayons for .10 per box and bought a TON of them, told the teachers to let me know anytime they needed anything because I had my own supply at home! I also bought those HUGE hand sanitzers that are normally $10 for $2.50. Oh, and they had a 30 pack of mechanical pencils that were normally $8 on sale for $2. So this is my advice if money is an issue. Good luck!

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N.V.

answers from Chicago on

Toys R Us has everything Crayola buy 1 get 1 free this week. Also check the Walgreens sale flyer. When their coupon sale is going on they have great deals, but wait for the sale otherwise it is priced too high.

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