Back to school clearance

[Adriana]

Hey everyone,
So I noticed Walmart has started selling back to school items. I'm looking to get quite a few things, like a new awesome coupon binder, index boxes, and quite a few supplies for the house (pens, pencils, staples, etc.). Now I'm not in a hurry for these things, and I'm wondering if anyone knows if all the back to school stuff goes on clearance in September? As everyone knows these items can get quite pricey, and I can't seem to remember if they even go on clearance once school starts. Advice and tips please!!

[young-one19]

Some things will definitely go on clearance, while others that are standard product that wal-mart carries year-round won't. Others will be cheapest right before school starts (kind of like Halloween candy gets cheaper closer to Halloween). If I have one tip it's definitely to check the sales! 10+ packs of decent pens/penicls (usually with bonuses) look for at around $2, pencils usually less. Pencils I always find you need to buy a little better quality because the cheaper usually breaks, and requires so much more sharpening. Ruled paper wait for at least a 25 cent sale per 250-400 sheets (patience, it will come!). Binders, depending on the size and ring type, $2-5. Getting a good binder is worth it, but I wouldn't spend anymore than $5, the price will drop below that. I hope that helps!

Index boxes however - dollar store!!!

[Adriana]

Some things will definitely go on clearance, while others that are standard product that wal-mart carries year-round won't. Others will be cheapest right before school starts (kind of like Halloween candy gets cheaper closer to Halloween). If I have one tip it's definitely to check the sales! 10+ packs of decent pens/penicls (usually with bonuses) look for at around $2, pencils usually less. Pencils I always find you need to buy a little better quality because the cheaper usually breaks, and requires so much more sharpening. Ruled paper wait for at least a 25 cent sale per 250-400 sheets (patience, it will come!). Binders, depending on the size and ring type, $2-5. Getting a good binder is worth it, but I wouldn't spend anymore than $5, the price will drop below that. I hope that helps!

Index boxes however - dollar store!!!

Awesome thanks for the great tips!! I will definitely wait until school begins and keep checking out the prices. My main item is a really great zipper binder with compartments, Walmart put them out at $12.00-$20.00 and I would love to find one for $5.00 on clearance like you mentioned! Thanks young one.

[Minou]

Yeah, August is the time the loss-leader school supply sales happen. Not sure if the zipper binders will go that low, but there will probably be some good sales. Superstore/Loblaws will probably clearance whatever's left in September, but the binders likely won't be name brands at that point. If you happen to be going to the US in August, check the local flyers. You can get some really great deals on school supplies there. Last year, K-mart had boxes of 24 Crayola crayons for $0.25 each, no limit. Boxes of 10 Crayola markers are typically $0.97 at Walmart in the US. They also had small Elmer's Glue sticks on for $0.10 each this week.

[avoncallingu]

Adriana, are you a student and in need of these things before school? I always check out second-hand stores and garage sales and church sales for binders, etc. I got a lovely zippered, leather binder for $4.50 at Value Village. The little packages of misc. stationary they have often contain recipe cards, pens,etc.

[Shwa Girl]

Hey everyone,
So I noticed Walmart has started selling back to school items. I'm looking to get quite a few things, like a new awesome coupon binder, index boxes, and quite a few supplies for the house (pens, pencils, staples, etc.). Now I'm not in a hurry for these things, and I'm wondering if anyone knows if all the back to school stuff goes on clearance in September? As everyone knows these items can get quite pricey, and I can't seem to remember if they even go on clearance once school starts. Advice and tips please!!

Link from last year.
Here's how low the back to school clearance items can be.
http://forum.smartcanucks.ca/238154-...binder-canada/

[snowballbelland]

check staples. the have 75% off the lowest ticketed price at this moment. stuff is dirt cheap. crazy the stuff i got for pennies.

[hok2]

Yeah! Usually, you find that as you advance up in the school years, you do not need that many supplies at all.

[momgoneawol]

Last year canadian tire had the packs of blank/copy paper for 1.50 a pack. I picked up a case of 10 and we are set for a couple more years. Seen the same paper in another store for $6 a pack. I only pick up what I KNOW the kids will need, not necessarily what the school sends home on that supply list as most years half of it the teachers never used. I also learned to send in the cheap duotangs if they are going to be just lumped together in the classroom and handed out by the teacher. No need to spend $1-2 on a nice plastic duotang to NOT have your kid get to use it. I also dislike the notes about sending in white board markers and other things that should be classroom budget, NOT mine. I don't mind the box of kleenex per kid, better than that stuff in the bathroom for noses. Last year got at Walmart, crayons for .25 and pencil crayons for $1.00 or ? .97 wait for sales, lined paper at walmart .25 still have lots from last year.

[Adriana]

Awesome! Thanks everyone for all the amazing and helpful tips and advice!!

[addismom]

For those who dont mind a drive over the border, school supplies are much cheaper.. Crayola markers are .99c pack, Crayola crayons 50c, Crayola pencil crayons 99c, the brand Roseart markers are 52c pack, crayons 25c,pencil crayons 50c.. Packs of hb2 pencils 12 pack 99c, packs of erasers 50c,, This is just some of the great deals, I bought many other supplies for school if you want to know the costs.. For me the difference alone on the crayola markers,pencil crayons etc saved me so much that I decided to buy several more sets of school supplies to give to other single moms that I know for their children.

[Poirot]

For those who dont mind a drive over the border, school supplies are much cheaper.. Crayola markers are .99c pack, Crayola crayons 50c, Crayola pencil crayons 99c, the brand Roseart markers are 52c pack, crayons 25c,pencil crayons 50c.. Packs of hb2 pencils 12 pack 99c, packs of erasers 50c,, This is just some of the great deals, I bought many other supplies for school if you want to know the costs.. For me the difference alone on the crayola markers,pencil crayons etc saved me so much that I decided to buy several more sets of school supplies to give to other single moms that I know for their children.

I got Papermate 24HB#2 pencils for $0.99 at Value Drug Mart a drugstore in AB and BC last week.Donating them to charity.

[Minou]

While I'd never ask for whiteboard markers or anything like that, he last few years I taught Grade 6, we included a request for $10 toward art supplies, and it really helped what we were able to do during the year in art. The school just didn't/wouldn't buy much in the way of art supplies (I think we had pucks of tempera paint, construction paper, copy paper, and white glue), and it would have cost much more than $10 per child for parents to be asked to send individual art supplies with their kids. With that money, each kid got their own sketchbook that we used regularly during the year, and we had classroom supplies of different drawing pencils,brushes, watercolours, acrylic paint, fineline Sharpies, craft supplies, oil and chalk pastels, markers, watercolour paper, poster board, tissue paper, supplies for Paper Mache, clay, etc. I'd buy on sale whenever I could. Whatever supplies didn't get used up could be used the following year, making our classroom art program better and better. It was wonderful to be able to have the kids work with all kinds of different media. Before we did this, I'd have to purchase art supplies out of my own pocket (we didn't usually have a classroom budget), and with buying lots of other teaching materials, classroom supplies, and books for the classroom library, I was kind of limited in what I could do each year... especially when I was a beginning teacher with a beginning teacher salary.

Last year canadian tire had the packs of blank/copy paper for 1.50 a pack. I picked up a case of 10 and we are set for a couple more years. Seen the same paper in another store for $6 a pack. I only pick up what I KNOW the kids will need, not necessarily what the school sends home on that supply list as most years half of it the teachers never used. I also learned to send in the cheap duotangs if they are going to be just lumped together in the classroom and handed out by the teacher. No need to spend $1-2 on a nice plastic duotang to NOT have your kid get to use it. I also dislike the notes about sending in white board markers and other things that should be classroom budget, NOT mine. I don't mind the box of kleenex per kid, better than that stuff in the bathroom for noses. Last year got at Walmart, crayons for .25 and pencil crayons for $1.00 or ? .97 wait for sales, lined paper at walmart .25 still have lots from last year.

[ChristieJ]

Or you can just go to Dollarama now and get a Five Star zipper binder for $3 and not have to wait until September and pick through the picked overs.

[thjelmeland]

Hey everyone,
So I noticed Walmart has started selling back to school items. I'm looking to get quite a few things, like a new awesome coupon binder, index boxes, and quite a few supplies for the house (pens, pencils, staples, etc.). Now I'm not in a hurry for these things, and I'm wondering if anyone knows if all the back to school stuff goes on clearance in September? As everyone knows these items can get quite pricey, and I can't seem to remember if they even go on clearance once school starts. Advice and tips please!!

I know walmart clears out all their loose leaf, notebooks, etc. in september so you can get these things for just pennies sometimes. I'm not sure about binders but I'm sure they will be cheaper at least.