Do you feel like the BTS deals just aren't as good this year?

[WatchingThemGrow]

Is it because office max/Office Depot merged and staples is the only competitor? I've only gotten a manageable amount of stuff so far. Most everything we needed, I pulled from old stock anyway.

[AlbrightRC]

I spent a little less then $30 at target and have almost everything my son needs. I just need to pick up a composition notebook (they didn't have the primary ruled ones) and some baby wipes. Pencils my mom was given a ton of so we probable have enough to get him through elementary school. I'm not counting the money spent on a new lunchbox because he can still use the one from last year just not sure it would make it the whole year. I was planning to buy a new backpack for him but he decided he wanted mine so i bought myself a new one. A win for both of us

[hellokitty]

Is it because office max/Office Depot merged and staples is the only competitor? I've only gotten a manageable amount of stuff so far. Most everything we needed, I pulled from old stock anyway.

IMO, it started to get not as good when they (office max) made you spend a minimum to get their sale pricing. I pretty much no longer do any bts at office max. I feel like staples has better deals and I shop there for work too, because they seem to have better cs.

[WatchingThemGrow]

Yes I feel the same way about staples- I end up going in there for 3-5 items every week.


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[twowhat?]

I caved finally and just sent in money for the supply packs our school's PTA offers. It's a bit more $$ but it's a fundraiser and 99% of the families at our school buy these packs. Now I only care to find some deals for home supplies.

Haha I wonder if I'll end up doing this if I find that most families just buy the packs. Our PTA tells us the packs are purchased at value and that they make no profit on it....but "at value" at epi supplies is way marked up!! Packs cost $52 for Kindy. I spent $70 for both kids without really shopping sales (got everything I needed at 2 stores: Walmart and Target - I respected brand preferences but didn't kill myself over details like bullet tip EXPO markers (which can only be purchased at Amazon for a hefty price, so I just got chisel tip) and 16-count Crayons (I just got 24...who buys a box of 16??) but even though this is my first year to do this, I wonder where the super sales are...doesn't everyone usually talk about 25-cent boxes of 24-count Crayola? LOL.

I've been keeping an eye out and with the exception of a couple of things (which went on sale for cheaper at Target), Walmart's prices were BY FAR the best. I hate Walmart. But I'm gonna go there for school supplies.

[div_0305]

Haha I wonder if I'll end up doing this if I find that most families just buy the packs. Our PTA tells us the packs are purchased at value and that they make no profit on it....but "at value" at epi supplies is way marked up!! Packs cost $52 for Kindy. I spent $70 for both kids without really shopping sales (got everything I needed at 2 stores: Walmart and Target - I respected brand preferences but didn't kill myself over details like bullet tip EXPO markers (which can only be purchased at Amazon for a hefty price, so I just got chisel tip) and 16-count Crayons (I just got 24...who buys a box of 16??) but even though this is my first year to do this, I wonder where the super sales are...doesn't everyone usually talk about 25-cent boxes of 24-count Crayola? LOL.

I've been keeping an eye out and with the exception of a couple of things (which went on sale for cheaper at Target), Walmart's prices were BY FAR the best. I hate Walmart. But I'm gonna go there for school supplies.

Our school switched for next year's supplies from Epi to SchoolKidz, a Staples Company. I checked the prices, and think even with the best deals, I'dve saved $10 max buying on my own. So then I factored in the hassle and time of waiting out sales and driving around a few times and then caved. I guess I was just slow to reach this conclusion over all the other seasoned parents at our school! I have so much extra leftover from previous years, that I'm not even looking to restock our home supplies this year.

[chlobo]

Our school switched for next year's supplies from Epi to SchoolKidz, a Staples Company. I checked the prices, and think even with the best deals, I'dve saved $10 max buying on my own. So then I factored in the hassle and time of waiting out sales and driving around a few times and then caved. I guess I was just slow to reach this conclusion over all the other seasoned parents at our school! I have so much extra leftover from previous years, that I'm not even looking to restock our home supplies this year.

My daughter's kit from SchoolKidz was really, really expensive. I think it was $70. No calculator or anything. I think I've spent half. So I guess it depends how much they mark it up.

[twowhat?]

Our school switched for next year's supplies from Epi to SchoolKidz, a Staples Company. I checked the prices, and think even with the best deals, I'dve saved $10 max buying on my own. So then I factored in the hassle and time of waiting out sales and driving around a few times and then caved. I guess I was just slow to reach this conclusion over all the other seasoned parents at our school! I have so much extra leftover from previous years, that I'm not even looking to restock our home supplies this year.

One thing I'm starting to wonder is if kids start preferring that you buy the packs, just so they have the exact same supplies as everyone else. I wonder if things like calculators get to stay with the kid who brought it, or if they go into the community stash to be handed out at random?

[div_0305]

One thing I'm starting to wonder is if kids start preferring that you buy the packs, just so they have the exact same supplies as everyone else. I wonder if things like calculators get to stay with the kid who brought it, or if they go into the community stash to be handed out at random?

Funny you mentioned that! I forgot that DS said something like that to me last year. I don't think he noticed in prior years because it was easy to buy the exact same brand of everything requested. Oh, and apart from Kindergarten, we got everything back at the end of the year that was surplus--unused folders, comp books, markers, crayons, colored pencils and scissors. I was at Costco recently in the office supplies aisle and felt relief telling DH we had no school supplies to buy. I can't put a price on that relief with everything else on my plate.

[Staraglimmer]

I'm getting kind of bummed. I really wanted to stick up on things. I'm not seeing any great deals so I guess I will wait for Target to clearance come of their school supplies.