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

[missym]

I feel like the deals are ok but not great. Some of the things I usually stock up on just haven't seemed worth it this year.

[KpbS]

Yes, ITA. We start in 2 weeks and I haven't seen any super sale prices. Strange

[KDsMommy]

:yeahthat: I ended up just getting everything at Target so I didn't have to run around all over looking for the best deals. I'm sure I could've saved a little bit of $$$ but it wasn't worth the time or effort (or gas!) to worry about it.

[94bruin]

Yes. And we don't even need to buy school supplies. I like to stock up on an few things for home use.

[carolinacool]

I agree. DS is entering Pre-K at his day care this year, so I'm not doing any BTS shopping. Last year, though, we stocked up at TRU on Crayola supplies for our house (buy 1 get 2 free) and got a couple of Funtainers (buy 1 get 1 free). The year, it's only buy 1 get 1 free and buy 1 get 1 half off, respectively. And considering how TRU marks everything up anyway, it's definitely not a deal anymore.

[hellokitty]

I agree, nothing great this yr, just OK. Luckily, I still had enough of a stash that I hardly had to buy anything.

[Corie]

Missy, I totally agree with you!!! I have always loved back to school shopping and it has been very
disappointing this year.

[rlu]

I ended up buying several items at Target just to finish. I haven't totalled up my purchases yet, but I suspect I've gone well over the $30 I expected to spend. I'm holding out for the Walgreens 10/$1 ticonderoga sharpened pencils and then calling it done for now. Luckily we had several reams of printer paper left from a box we bought last year so that helps. I'll wait to get the facial tissue (2 boxes) and antibacterial wipes later on this fall since the teacher won't need all of those the first day.

[div_0305]

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.

[Indianamom2]

I haven't been impressed this year either. Granted, I have a lot of supplies already from other years' sales, but there are always new things that one child or the other "must" have for their class. But frankly, as I am somewhat incapacitated by my back right now and may be facing another surgery at any point (leaving me even more incapacitated...or lame, as my family lovingly calls me!), I'm just going to buy it where I find it and not worry about hunting for the best deals. Desperate times call for desperate measures!

[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.

[zukeypur]

I bought everything for DD2 at walmart the week before surgery, and I'm so glad I did. I thought we would be preparing to go home at this point and we are not even to the halfway point. I hate WM with a passion and I NEVER shop there, but there's no way I could go shopping around for sales now. However, there is a Staples in the shopping center next to the hospital, so I could pop over there for a break. Is there anything worth going to staples for this week? I'm finished with DD2, but DD1 will need spiral notebooks and pens for sure when she goes back to school. That will be months though, so no huge hurry there.

[Mermanaid]

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 have the opposite problem. I'd prefer to buy the school pack but DD wants to be different. She's going into 4th.

[vonfirmath]

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.

The 25-cent Crayola seem to be gone. Probably inflation. 3 for $1 is the best I'm seeing this year.

I got my son's school supplies at Wal-mart last night after he made it clear he didn't want to go shopping with me for them. I spent $29 and change last night. And I bought good brands for most stuff (not store brand) And 2 copies of stuff to keep stuff at home for take home projects (We ended up not having enough at home last year). Plus some for my daughter. ANd it was still less than the $35 they were charging for the supplies through the school.

(Yes I should have waited for next weekend and the sales tax free holiday. I was afraid of not finding the *6* poly folders with prongs at a decent price after looking 3 stores for them... I should have just gotten those for 50 cents each and waited on the rest I guess)

[gummibear]

(Yes I should have waited for next weekend and the sales tax free holiday. I was afraid of not finding the *6* poly folders with prongs at a decent price after looking 3 stores for them... I should have just gotten those for 50 cents each and waited on the rest I guess)

I'm really glad we didn't wait. Target's school supply area was demolished on Sunday, and while I'm sure they will restock, I don't want to stress about finding items on the list. I just asked for price adjustments for the stuff that went on sale (Expo markers). I can't get the $5 gift card offer from this week, but I don't mind passing on it. I think our total out of pocket was about $20.