We have been sharing back to school deals for the past month, but school is starting in the next few weeks so school shopping is really ramping up! We know that back to school shopping can be tough on the family budget, so we are starting 2 weeks of a Back to School Shopping on a Budget Series here at Thrifty NW Mom.
We wanted to feature a variety of ways to save on school supplies, clothing, shoes & much more! We’ll be sharing our own shopping trips to give you ideas of ways to save in the stores, as well as finding the best deals online. We also have a lot of fun giveaways planned to help ease the burden of back to school shopping for families.
Giveaway –$50 Staples Gift Card
Staples is giving 1 Thrifty NW Mom reader the chance to save on some back to school deals with a $50 Staples gift card for our giveaway! They have had some awesome back to school sales going on this month & this week is no exception, so a $50 gift card could definitely make a good dent in your school shopping lists. Composition books are just 10 cents/each, a 7 pack of Zebra ballpoint pens are free after rebate and there are a number of great deals for copy paper, photo paper & more after Easy Rebates. Make sure to check out all the back to school deals available at Staples this week.
This giveaway will end on Tuesday August 21st at 9pm pst.
The winners will be drawn using “And the Winner Is” plugin and announced on the blog. I will also email the winners. The winners will have 48 hours to contact me, otherwise a new winner will be drawn. US residents only & you must be 18 yrs or older to enter the giveaway. This giveaway is not affiliated with Facebook in any way.
Here’s how to enter this giveaway::
1st Entry (required entry): Tell us your favorite tip for saving money on back to school shopping
Extra Entries : (make sure these are all separate comments, with a comment for each entry)
2) Subscribe to the Thrifty NW Mom feed via a reader of your choice or email (must be verified)
Disclosure: A $50 Staples gift card will be given to a Thrifty NW Mom winner randomly chosen. No compensation was given to us. All opinions are 100% ours. See our disclosure policy for more details.
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We always stock up on the super cheap supplies to have on hand throughout the year.
We shop with friends to take advantage of supply sales on multiple items like folders, etc.
Tip…be patient be willing to watch the adds and stock up on one item every week as the sales get better and better before school starts. I start in June and get them all summer long as the ads come out!!
:)
I match coupons with supplies needed to deepen the discount.
I watch for super cheap and free items and stalk up! What we don’t end up needing I like to donate to a school supply drive : )
I buy a little at a time as things go on sale.
I subscribe to your feed via email.
I watch the sale ads starting in July for the penny, nickel, dime, and quarter deals and stock up like crazy!
I subscribe via e-mail.
Keep patient and buy as they go on sale. Also price match at Walmart so I don’t have to worry about them being out!
I find some of the best deals can be the last week of July and 1st week of August on the supplies I need anyway. When staples had the $5 off $30 coupon, I took advantage of that two weeks in a row. Plus both weeks they had the deal where you buy two reams of paper and get a $11.98 rebate back. Plus I had some coupons. I got so many supplies for just a few dollars.
Many times there are not coupons for more expensive items such as three-ring binders, Goodwill and other thrift stores have gently used school supplies. I usually find the large binders 1″-3″ for just a dollar or less.
I search yard sales all summer for unopened school supplies
I subscribed to the Thrifty NW Mom feed via email
I use coupons, watch for all the super good deals you post, and stock up on items throughout the year.
I have two kids in school now and this year I am trying buying items in bulk. I ordered 96 pencils from Amazon and a box of 36 glue sticks. Any extra I’ll save for home use or for when the school runs out half way through the year!
Read your blog and get whatever is cheapest that week.
Shopping sales and clearance sales!
This is my first year having to buy supplies so I am a newbie. I know I have been reading your blog to get the best deals!
subscribe via email!
I watch your blog for the best deals!
I subscribe via e-mail.
my favorite tip is to start early and only buy when on SUPER sale. Oh… and know what the best price you might expect to find is so that you’re not spending more than you have to!
I stock up on the essentials throughout the year so by August I only have a few items to get.
I am an email subscriber. :)
Watch the ads and buy a little each paycheck.
I save a ton of money by stocking up on school supplies throughout the year when they are cheap or free. I store them in my “free after rebate” file box I bought at Staples. I also shop clearance sales off season to save money on clothes.
I check your page frequently to see where the best deals are!! Thank you!
We re-use items from previous years. Like scissors, rulers, pencil sharpeners, calculator, backpacks and anything else that’s still in great shape.
I save on back to school clothes by waiting for them to be clearanced to 75% or greater the year before and match that with coupons.
I subscribe to your e-mail and liked you on facebook.
i wait to the clearence of back to school supplies at the end of the season mid to late sept. and I buy the next grade supplies and stock up. Often the folders get even cheaper.
I am an email subscriber.
My savings over the years has been collecting items throughout the school year, especially after school starts. I just hold it for next year.
I like to go garage saling for supplies and I go to Office Max and Office Depot every Sunday morning in August to get their super great deals!
I already subscribe to your feed!
I save barely used items from previous years and buy off season when they are sale
I love to go to thrift stores. I’ve found whole packs of paper, scissors, pens and more!! The price is so much cheaper that you are really able to stock up. Also, no coupons needed! It’s a great way for a coupon newbie to get into the game. I have found great clothing items too, such as Eddie Bauer jeans for only $7! It is a great way to get items that you may not be able to afford at full price and be ready for back to school!
I watch for weekly sales and buy what’s on sale each week. i really appreciated the lists you’ve been doing each week, as it saves me time of searching myself. I buy for my classroom, too, which saves the kids in my classes money.
been subscribing to the feed by email for a while now – love it!!
I think these days, you really need to factor in the price of gas and try to do as much in one trip as possible. If you’re making a bunch of extra trips, is the $0.01 notebook really worth it? of course, also to stock up as much as possible. if you don’t use it this year, surely you will use it next! (if it’s a steal).
i subscribe by email
My kids go to charter school, so uniforms are required. I shopped during Old navy’s sale, and go through ebates….With 2 in school, a $50 gift card could go far. Thanks.-great giveaway.
My favorite tip for back to school is keeping on eye on sites like this. As a teacher, I end up purchasing a lot of school supplies for my classroom. I keep a close eye on sales and stock up like I do on my household items when things are below $.10. I would use the Staples gift card to help furnish more school supplies for my students who cannot otherwise afford to buy pens and markers when their “back to school” runs out.
I subscribe via email and I also liked you on FB. I think your posts are wonderful!
Shop when the school supplies are super cheap!
I subscribe with google reader.
defiantly check ads for different stores and buy on sale when its the lowest price!
following via GFC and email
Following your posts, watching for coupons and buying throughout the year, makes the impact of school shopping eaiser come fall.
Shop early and watch the weekly sales.
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