15 Top Places to Buy School Supplies Before the School Year Starts
Millions of American households are scurrying to transition from summer fun to serious school time. We’ve all been there, getting our bedtimes jerked back to eight or nine o’clock, hearing the alarm blare in our ears in the early morning, and suddenly summer seems a million miles away.
However, as prices remain high, getting all those back-to-school essentials becomes increasingly costly for most families. Every child wants the newest and coolest backpack, lunchbox, school folders, and clothes. This can put a tremendous burden on families with multiple children who are already feeling the stretch of inflation.
Thankfully, for classic school supplies like glue, pencils, filler paper, and crayons, there are several low-cost places to grab all the goodies your kids will need in those first critical weeks as school gets underway. We’ve got all the hottest spots to grab everything from cool clothes to new kicks and everything in between.
1. Dollar Tree
Dollar Tree should be your first stop if you’re looking to score bare school essentials like paper, pens, pencils, crayons, glue, folders, and those constant restocking items. With everything available for one $1, you’ll save a bundle by stopping here first.
Dollar Tree is a vital stop for anyone with children, particularly those with multiple children or those working with a tight budget. Back-to-school doesn’t have to break the bank if you know where to shop.
2. Amazon
Confession time: COVID turned me into an Amazon junkie. I make purchases on Amazon at least once a month, and school supplies are often on my list, mainly because I home-school my children.
Amazon is a great place to find school books, reading materials, and bulk-option buys for those back-to-school basics.
3. Target
If you’re not a fan of Walmart, Target is another great place to find popular brands of clothes. While your older children may want to visit the mall to shop for Under Armour, Nike, Coach, or Ralph Lauren, your younger children will enjoy a store like GAP Kids or Old Navy.
No matter where you shop, be sure to stay within your clothing budget. Malls can be pricey, and you may quickly outspend what you set aside. If needed, write down exactly what each child needs and purchase accordingly.
4. Staples
Welcome to tech-central. Staples and its competitor, Office Max, are more than ready to help you with all your upscale tech needs. From laptops to drafting tables and software to PC games, these stores are prepared for whatever you mightneed.
Suppose Staples is too pricey, or you need to shop for refurbished equipment. In that case, there are several online outlets like Amazon and Walmart where you can find usable electronics in great condition.
5. Dollar General
Like Dollar Tree and Family Dollar, Dollar General is a cheap and easy place to find all those back-to-school essentials. It’s especially nice when you can find crayons and packs of filler paper for $.50. Composition books for journaling and science classes are another quick and easy buy here.
Dollar General is a bit pricier than other “dollar” stores, but they almost always have what you need on short notice and are a great stop for anyone looking to fill up on necessities right before that first day of school.
6. DSW
If you’re in the market for shoes and bigger back-to-school purchases like backpacks and lunchboxes, visit the Designer Shoe Warehouse. They have thousands of shoe selections, so you can find the perfect pair for all your kiddos.
You won’t be able to get sports-specific footwear here, but athleisure and other types of footwear are readily available at affordable prices.
7. Facebook Marketplace
Facebook Marketplace is the perfect place to find furniture for study and dorm rooms. You can find desks, cabinets, bookshelves, decorative rugs, and room paraphernalia. No matter what you’re searching for, you can usually find a good, used version with the proper search criteria.
Facebook is also a great way to strike a bargain by bartering. If you have something of equal value or a particular trade, you can exploit it. It’s a fantastic way to get what you want without paying brand-new prices.
8. Sam’s Club/Costco
Buying in bulk is one of the easiest ways to stock up on all those items you must constantly replace for children in school. With a Sam’s Club or Costco membership, you can find reams of writing and printing paper, stacks of folders, a huge supply of crayons, markers, colored and regular pencils, pens, sharpies, highlighters, etc.
Whether it’s your first day of middle school or stepping foot on a college campus this fall, get everything you need to start the year in a bulk-box store.
9. Discount School Supply
This particular store is exceptional for elementary teachers and anyone looking to outfit a learning room for their children at home properly. With the click of a button, you can access rugs, organizational bins, child-sized seating options, and desks.
Find everything you need for your little learners fast and easily. This site offers all-in-one kits that are ready for all your little ones. They are expensive and may need clearance from a supervisor if you’d like to purchase one for your classroom. I love the site’s free STEM activities for every learner at almost any age.
10. School Specialty
This school supply center is perfect for schools and families looking to buff up on a specific topic. Whether you have a child into science or a STEM-centered academy, you’ll find everything you need to help your students thrive at School Specialty.
Several learning/teaching models are available for inclusive and adapted learning, STEM education, etc.
11. Wholesale School Supplies
Wholesale School Supplies is where you want to shop if you’re looking to buy the school basics like crayons, paper, and pencils in bulk. They cover many items you’ll go through, like water, from now until May 2025.
Let’s face it: we’re all in for multiple trips to buy glue sticks, sharpeners, pencils, paper, crayons, and erasers. Imagine paying for one order and having all the supplies you need for the entire year. A word to the wise: WSS sells off-brand selections, so check carefully before placing an order so you don’t have to return anything you aren’t entirely sure you want.
12. Family Dollar
Family Dollar is another fantastic stop for budget-conscious parents, teachers, and caregivers looking to get a little. When you take treats to school for your child’s classmates, you’ll find everything from school supplies to those all-important birthday celebrations.
Before bringing treats to school, confirm that your school district still allows birthday goodies. If not, check out these non-treat party ideas.
13. Really Good Stuff
I love that this site allows you to shop by subject. If you have a student struggling in one particular area, Really Good Stuff can focus on that trouble spot. You can also shop for curriculum kits, which are particularly helpful for parents home-schooling their children.
Whether you want to reorganize your space, shop for desktop helpers, or just grab some basics, RGS has a little bit of everything for the classroom or at-home learner.
14. Lakeshore
One aspect of Lakeshore that I love is that you can shop by age. Choose from infants up to 18 months through 11 years. You can find activities to keep screen time to a minimum or shop their five-star favorites. Their kits are reasonably priced and offer everything from reading readiness to money matters and sensory toys.
They also offer gift cards, an excellent gift for returning students to offer their new teachers.
15. Oriental Trading
In fourth grade, an excellent teacher taught me how to focus on my reading by offering an incentive to any child in his class who could read a section of text without making a mistake. His incentive of choice was the rootbeer barrel, my favorite candy.
While candy might not be a great incentive nowadays, small trinkets and other small toys can be a great way to encourage children to pay attention and focus on learning. Oriental Trading is an awesome and affordable shop for picking up everything from bulletin board supplies to grade and curriculum-specific shopping. If you’re looking for “done for you” kits, this is the place to go.
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