4 days ago
How to Save on School Supplies
The best way to save on basic school supplies is not buying at all, which may be more possible than many parents think. Start with a little research into your school's policies to avoid any unnecessary purchases, advises Kalee Thompson, Wirecutter's editor of baby and kid coverage.
'Honestly, my kids' schools supply pretty much all the school supplies, which is typical with a lot of public schools these days,' she says. In the three different school districts her family has lived, 'the school provides the pencils/paper/basic school supplies, but in some cases [will ask] parents to buy stuff in bulk for the classroom. That could include everything from tape and paper to tissues and snacks! Hello, Costco, or other big-box store.'
But what if you have to buy essentials? The best times to save on the basics happen earlier and more often than you may think. Amazon and competing retailers now offer big sales on household essentials, school supplies among them, at predictable points throughout the year. The most fruitful time is Amazon's July Prime Day, which sees competing sales from the likes of Target and Walmart and can be a great time to pick up pens, pencils, and paper products such as notebooks and planners. The competing sales often allow you to buy from the retailer you most prefer.
Historically, the Wirecutter Deals team has observed a higher number of deals on basics during this July time frame than in most other periods. And that tracks beyond Wirecutter picks: We looked at the price histories of several of the top-selling products on Amazon in commonly requested school-supply categories, including pencils, glue, markers, dry-erase markers, tissues, crayons, colored pencils, highlighters, folders, lined paper, scissors, erasers, and notebooks, and found that July was a top time to buy for nearly two-thirds of them. (This July, we even saw a three-pack of our longtime favorite ballpoint pen drop to the lowest price we've seen, at just $1 per pen.)
Of course, during the school year, essential school supplies can get depleted or lost. Thankfully, any stock sold out during the back-to-school rush is usually replenished by the time Amazon's October Prime Day sale and other competing events roll around. Black Friday and Cyber Week also bring notable sales on our school-supplies picks, offering you a great opportunity to stock up for the following semester.
