New Video: How to Score FREE School Supplies & Office Supplies All Year Long

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Today’s video is all about how to score FREE and very inexpensive school supplies and office supplies all year long with the OfficeMax MaxPerks Rewards Program. Come along with me as I head out to my local OfficeMax to snag some great MaxPerks Bonus Rewards deals and more…

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AS9FvIxfM2Q]
* Go here if you can’t see the video.

OfficeMax Max Perks Rewards Program Details

* Head over here to join the Max Perks Rewards Program for FREE (or if you prefer, you can sign up at your local store or by calling 1-866-MAXPERKS. Anyone can join (this program is not just for business folks and teachers).

* Earn a $25 reward in your MaxPerks account every time you spend a minimum of $500 on qualified purchases between January 1st — December 31st. Note that the following items do NOT qualify: computers, tablets, eReaders, US Postal Stamps, gift cards, general use prepaid cards, phone cards, purchases with Retail ConnectSM pricing, and all products sold by RadioShack Mobile™ including mobile phones, mobile phone accessories and service plans.

* Earn a $2 MaxPerks reward for each qualifying visibly undamaged, originally manufactured, ink or toner cartridges of any brand by bringing them to any OfficeMax retail store location – up to 10 ink/toner cartridges ($20 in rewards) per calendar month per member.

* At the end of each month, your account will be reviewed and any rewards that you have earned will be issued by the end of the following month. You can just log in to your account, print your card, and visit any OfficeMax location near you to redeem your rewards (or redeem them online or by phone).

* You CAN use your MaxPerks Rewards Card in conjunction with in-ad coupons and manufacturer’s coupons

* You CAN “roll” your MaxPerks Rewards. This means that you can use existing MaxPerks Rewards to purchase Bonus Rewards items that in turn will generate more MaxPerks Rewards.

* If you forget to have the cashier scan your Rewards Card at the time of checkout or forget to enter it online, do NOT fret! If this happens, just log in to your account, click on “My Rewards” and then in the detailed transaction area, click on Add a Receipt and follow the instructions. Note that there is a limit of seven adjustments per calendar month. Please keep in mind that you must present your MaxPerks ID Card at the time of purchase to earn Bonus Rewards–no adjustments will be made if you forget.

* Reward Cards expire 90 days from date of issuance, except in Florida where they expire one year from date of issuance. The expiration date is printed on the front of every Reward Card issued and is also displayed in your MaxPerks account. Rewards cannot be reissued if they have expired.

* MaxPerk Rewards can be redeemed for almost everything that OfficeMax sells except gift cards, general use pre-paid cards, phone cards, or for OfficeMax brand gift cards.

* You may combine and use up to three Reward Cards in-store or on the phone from the same member ID# in a single transaction. You can only use one Reward Card online. Rewards from different MaxPerks accounts may not be combined.

Click here to check out all the current OfficeMax Deals available.

Join The Discussion

Comments 71

  1. Melanie

    Love Love Love Office Max! So far have not had to spend money on school supplies this year.

  2. Tina

    I bought my stuff for July and used a $6 reward for turning in 3 used ink cartridges and used $5off $25 coupon I got from doing the survey at the bottom of my last receipt. Well they took off the $5 from the paper that was $6.29 ( was supposed to get like 6.28 back) so I’m only getting $1.29 back (they did not take it off my other stuff). Just wanted to share that info about that coupon. Thanks Collin for all u do…. You inspired me to go school shopping early which is helping my school budget for my 2 teens and 2nd grader. Luv da video 🙂

    • Steph

      Tina, maybe this is why?….. although I don’t quite understand it myself.

      Recycling program rewards are: calculated monthly, earned and issued in $2 increments, and are issued in the form of a Reward Card that will be issued to you electronically through your MaxPerks account, by the end of the following month, along with any other rewards you may have earned that month. Total recycling reward dollars issued for recycling may not exceed your total MaxPerks program qualified purchase balance. For example, if you bring in 10 cartridges throughout Month 1 and spend $14 on qualified purchases, your Month 1 Recycling rewards earned will be $20 but the rewards that will be issued to you will be $14 (which is $2 for each of 7 cartridges). The remaining $6 for the last 3 cartridges will be held in your account in a “pending” status until you make additional qualified purchases in at least $2 increments in subsequent months or until January 1 of the following year, when the account balance will be reset to $0.

      • Tina

        Actually I just looked at my receipt for the 19.99 backpack plus a ruler bracelet + candy= 25.00, I am only getting 14.99 back in rewards because I used a $5 off $25.00 coupon. So the coupon does attach to the reward item because it happened to me twice (I didnt pay with any rewards in that transaction). Total was $69.79 for 3 transactions then used $6 rewards + $5 coupon + $5 coupon = $53.79 spent OOP, rewards should have been 6.29,6.29 comp paper, 16.99 batteries, 19.99 backpack….. total should have equaled $49.56 in Rewards. But because I used $10 in coupons I am only getting $39.56 Rewards $69.79 total value of stuff for $14.23 still a good deal I am still learning the program thanks for the response all these comments really help 🙂

        • kaozmaster

          I called and complained due to this because my batteries were reduced by $5. The officemax respondent informed me the discount is not to work that way. The employees manually override a discount to the highest valued item. The discount should be applied gradually to each item on the percentage it makes up to to total..

          For Ex:

          19.99 backpack is 80% of $25. So only $4 should be deducted off the backpack and the $1 of another item.

          The Officemax respondent apologized to me and sent me a $5 gift card to my house for my trouble.

          That was my experience.

  3. Megan

    All the cute book bags are sold out 🙁 can you get the .01 deals online?

  4. VP

    I love your videos collin!!! keep them comming!!!

    • Collin (Mrs. Hip)

      Thanks! 🙂

  5. Anthony

    do the max perk rewards expire like walgreens does? it always makes me buy things i don’t really need cause i’m forgetful and they expire 🙁

    • Collin (Mrs. Hip)

      Reward Cards expire 90 days from date of issuance, except in Florida where they expire one year from date of issuance.

  6. maria

    I did the backpack deal on sunday, and surprisingly they had a LOT in stock! i even am convincing my dad to sign up so he can take advantage of it as well. on a side note, you look GREAT! whatever you are doing, keep doing it, you seriously look amazing! take care, and thank you so, so, so much for all you do! lots of love from houston, texas 🙂

  7. maria

    also, i forgot to my card (of course) when i went to the store, and the cashier just looked it up under my email and all my information came up, so that is good too if you forget your card or maybe just dont like a huge bulky purse

  8. Rae

    If you have to get new shoes for school it may be worth the trip to Payless Shoes. I bought my toddler son a pair of clearance shoes for $7 and the recepit printed with a $10/$40 Office Max coupon! It includes regular, clearance, and sale items but it says valid only in store. I am not sure if it prints for everyone or by region but it may be worth checking out. I have also been hearing that some are getting Payless coupons printing on their receipts from Office Max!
    I am going to get a ‘free’ office chair out of this deal and if it prints a coupon for Payless when I get it then that will be even better!

    • Rae

      With all the .01 deals this could be a money maker!

      • Rae

        Or not… Now that I read the above posts… I don’t know I will have to see if it works. Unless someone knows for sure and could tell me.

  9. shoppingqueen007

    Well I’m usually pretty loyal to Staples but I might just give OfficeMax a try now. I know this sounds lame, but I just didn’t feel like learning how to manage another rewards program. After watching your video it doesn’t seem difficult at all!

    • Ashley57

      I have been staples loyal as well – their discount system seemed easier. This is like CVS, but I would have a whole year to use the rewards. Maybe I will look into it.

  10. Rei

    I went earlier today to get the freebies plus a dora backpack that came with a bonus lunch bag – all for a penny (+ tax) after reward!!!

    • Nicole

      Wow! I would love to get one of those for my daughter. Did they have a lot of character backbacks in store?

      • Rei

        At the store I went to they had a few dora, cars & spongebob left (all of them come with the bonus lunch bag). I did see a tag for princesses but it was out of stock at the store I went to 🙁 Reg price is $19.99

  11. Axel

    Just something I wanted to share. If you use shop at home you will get cash back when using your rewards card as well. It makes it last longer and you get some cash back 🙂

    • Rae

      Shopathome was offering 7% back for Office Max until the 5th.

  12. Holly

    Just joined. I usually go to Staples for work, but I’ll try Office Max! 🙂 Thanks.

  13. Nicole

    I just signed up to get the backpacks but I’m confused about rolling the rewards. On comment boards I can’t figure out if you have to use all your rewards at one time or not.
    If I accumulate $100 in rewards the first month, and the next month I only use $20 towards other deals that give me $20 in rewards back – do I need to know the expiration of the $80 and the new $20???

    • Jen

      Each time the rewards are issued they are issued in whats called a “Max Perks Reward Card” which is for all essential purposes like a gift card. So you can use the Reward Card until the total reaches 0. However, each month you are issued a new reward card for the previous months rewards. So in your scenario the new $20 would have a new expiration date. All the rewards are lined up in your MaxPerks account in order of expiration date.

      One downfall I want to point out is that you can only use one Rewards card per transaction when ordering online. So even if you have multiple rewards cards you can only use one per online transaction. But in store you can use multiple.

      Make sense? Hope that helps!

      • Nicole

        Thanks!!! I guess I was missing the whole thing about them issuing an actual card with your balance. This makes so much more sense to me now!

      • Jean

        Jen – If I ever need to use more than one “Rewards Card” I just call the phone number instead of doing it online. The phone reps are more than happy to help you use more than one card!!

    • kaozmaster

      Actually I have done several orders. And I have received several rewards. The reward gets issued 30 days after purchase so you do not return.

      For Example:
      I buy something on June 20th and something on June 28.

      I will get my first reward July 20th and my Second Rewards July 28th.

      That is how I have gotten it. It could be if they are within the same week that they may combine it. I am unsure.

      • Jen

        I have also done many orders. In fact, I have been rolling rewards for about 2 years now. The experience I have always had is that the rewards go into your account somewhere between the 15th and 20th (sometimes a little earlier and sometimes a little later) of every month and they are a combination of all the rewards purchases you made from the previous month.

  14. dr_beanz

    Went to sign up and teachers get $10 for every $75 spent — yay

  15. Jessica

    Are your rewards available the following month, or do they only deposit them quarterly? Thanks!

    • Holly

      In her video she says the following month. I didn’t look it up yet though, I’m just going to believe her! 🙂

    • Collin (Mrs. Hip)

      Hi Jessica!

      At the end of each month, your account will be reviewed and any rewards that you have earned will be issued by the end of the following month. You can just log in to your account, print your card, and visit any OfficeMax location near you to redeem your rewards (or redeem them online or by phone).

      Hope that helps! 🙂

      • Jessica

        Thanks! I realized I was looking at the teacher rewards, since my husband and I are both teachers. They only issue those quarterly, good to know!

  16. Renee

    PTA membership card had a $10 off $50 coupon after online activation.

  17. Erin

    Also she mentioned Starbucks on a side note…dont forget to register those gift cards on starbucks.com and then you get ANY free drink every 15 drinks and ANY free drink on your birthday!! Also to get to 15 drink you can purchase any drink which means you can buy a tall coffee 15 times and then get like a venti whipped frap coffee concotion (the most expensive thing) for free! And they send you a fun gold card with your name on it after you get to 30 drinks 🙂

    • Collin (Mrs. Hip)

      Great reminder! 🙂

  18. Michelle

    Collin, thank you for the video, I did learn a lot. I am one of those people who often don’t have the money up front initially for big purchases. I have always been nervous to do ANY of the rewards programs. Your video was very helpful. You mentioned that Staples gives cash back? I would LOVE to see a how-to about Staples! I have four children, and would love to learn the Staples ropes! Thanks for all you do each day, I have been able to give my children things they never would have gotten, all because of the hard work you put into your site each day. (((hugs))) to you!

  19. Marissa

    love this video. had no idea that they had deals all year round. thought they were like staples that did great deals just during the summer!
    THANK YOU

    • Collin (Mrs. Hip)

      You are most welcome! 🙂

  20. Mo

    I’m so jealous… b/c I’m just too chicken to do these deals! I’m *beyond* worried that at some point they will stop offering these kinds of rewards – and then – there would be nothing left to roll the ones you have accrued on… My husband works for a big corp & I stay at home full time, and while we do use *some* office stuff around the house, most of what I get at Staples we use for the kiddos for school, or I donate to their teachers. I guess I feel like if *maybe* we really *needed* the supplies, like if we had a small business of our own, and we ended up with rewards we were gonna be forced to burn, that we could find some deals to use them on, but if that happened to us now, we’d probably be searching high and low for anything we’d really use, that would be a good deal (as not to waste the rewards we’d have to burn) and I would feel like we wasted money. Anyone else agree? Am I looking at it all wrong? For now I stick with Staples for their true-get-a-check-in-the-mail rebates (and reward items that are fairly low dollar amounts, rarely offered anyways, and that I can then use to buy rebated items which they seem to have ALL the time [if not, then I’m out maybe $9.99 – and I can find *something* we need, like labeler tape or something weird for a decent deal to use the rewards on before they expire]), and then the penny deals, etc. that they, Office Max and Office Depot offer this time of year. I often get a lot of freebies just from Target, Walmart and the like with the odd manufacturer coupons and matching sales throughout the year too.

    • christi

      Ive used my rewards for trash bags, paper towels, toilet paper, even candy for class room parties. Since u can use it online there is soooo much you can take advantage of. I would definitely encourage you to try it!

  21. Pamela

    This is very similar to the Office DEPOT store’s rewards except Office Depot’s points (money) does NOT roll.
    Also with office Depot you can get money for your used ink containers but ONLY if you spend so much money per quarter.

    Does anyone know where I can take my used ink cartridges and get money for them? ? ? Thanks!

    • Mo

      Staples gives $2 I think per cartridge? But it comes in the form of rewards that you print and then use in their store towards merchandise.

  22. rose

    wow. This video makes me want to sign up. Funny thing is that I live down the block from office max and only went inside once. I was like the only customer there. But, from watching this video, I think I will drop by today to grab a backpack and sign up for a card.

  23. michelle

    Can you use shop runner to get free shipping without having to spend the $50?

    • lmwynn

      I did not see office max on the list of shoprunner stores 🙁 that would have been awesome though!

  24. Carrie

    FYI, the yearly reward (spend $500, get $25 in rewards) is calculated after Maxperks. For example, for the backpack, you would get 1 cent toward the $500 you need to spend in the year. I have done this a few years in a row and I usually get it by buying ink and we bought a printer last year.

  25. Carrie

    I wish they had a coupon code right now. I usually get them in the mail, but there’s been a dry spell lately. :/

    • Rae

      If have a Payless Shoe Source close and you need/want new shoes you may get a $10/$40 OfficeMax, I did when I bought my son some clearance shoes yesterday.

  26. Lena

    I’ve been to 2 OfficeMax stores this week and I was told at each of them that you can not “roll” your MaxPerks Rewards. So I am confused now. Can you really “roll” them?

    • Jean

      I’ve been doing it for years!!! I can’t tell you how many Avery labels and highlighters I have simply because I was able to get them for FREEEE and still get my rewards back! Is it possible that the employees do not know what you mean by “rolling”??

  27. Judy

    I have a question I hope it doesn’t sound dumb, but i watched the staples video as well and you know how they have 1 cent items, can I get multiple penny items as long as I spend 5 dollars, or is it like 1 cent item, for every five dollars. I know.. but I’m wrecking my brain trying to figure it out =p

  28. Julie

    I am curious. When everyone is saying free or one cent- you do have to pay some money up front right? I mean if I buy that 19.99 backpack, I am giving Office Max my 19.99 and will never see it again right? I am not complaining and I understand the rolling aspect, but I just want to make sure I have this right. I will have to spend some money up front right? Thanks for your help! : )

    • Suzana

      yes you will have to spend $19.99 (+tax) up front but if you roll your rewards onto another item that is free or nearly free then you will always have the $19.99, it has essentially become store credit.

  29. Kimm

    @Lena, I heard the same thing that I can’t roll the rewards at officemax.
    (asked to the store persons).
    I don’t have Officemax in our town so I ordered some free/low price items after rewards in January this year and I still have the reward to use (I’m in FL).
    I really want to know if someone in FL was able to roll the rewards. I have almost $90 to use up and would love to roll them into this week’s deal.

  30. Doe

    Thank you Collin! Great money saving information, Love it!!! One Question, can I roll Worklife rewards at Office Depot?

  31. Michelle

    Thanks so much again for this video. We have been looking for a new office chair and after this vid, I went on over signed up and ordered that chair! There is not an office max within an hour of driving for me, so online with free shipping is great!

    • Rae

      I ordered one online too and it was delivered to my door with in 24hrs. 🙂

  32. Shauna

    I know someone had mentioned this, but I just verified if you use coupons you will not get the full value of the item if the coupon attaches to it. I was not told this & just called to dispute. I’m waiting for a response.

  33. Allison S.

    Question, When I checked out my two backpacks in store my total was $69.99 all together now when I am on my “qualified item list” it says 31.40. Could I have gotten the wrong backpack? The character one? I am wondering if they were in the picture but not really on the deal? Since none were on-line

  34. Janell

    I did the backpack deal last year and used the rewards to buy my sixteen yo a camera for Christmas. It worked out great! This year we went with a backpack from LLBEAN WITH THE $10 GIFT CARD OF COURSE!

  35. Melissa

    Does anyone know if you roll rewards do you still get free shipping? In other words if I’m purchasing $50 worth of products, but using Office max rewards to pay for it all, do I still qualify for free shipping with an online order? Thanks

    • Cristy

      I am a little late at answering this, but yes you still get free shipping!

  36. Devon

    I’ve seen at least 4 other blogs touting to use a coupon like $10 off $40 or $30 off $150 with thes Maxperk rewards deals. But in reading comments it appears as if some people are not getting the full Maxperk rewards that are advertisded.

    Am I missing something? This will be my first purchase and planned on making it a big one. Just want to be safe.

  37. Julie

    Colin, or anyone who understands MaxPerks rewards well, I am a teacher. I want to sign up for the MaxPerks card because I do buy a lot of school supplies, but does anyone know if signing up for the Teacher Perks would be more beneficial than the regular MaxPerks? Teachers get $10 off for every $75 spent on qualified purchases, but only up to $100 per calendar year. MaxPerks is $25 off of $500 spent on qualified purchases with no limit as to how much you can earn throughout the calendar year. Anyone have any insight as to which one would be better?? Thanks!!!

  38. BamaVicki

    Awesome. Just signed up. Hopefully this time I won’t get left out! 😉 By the way, curious, what is your favorite coffee to order at Starbucks?

  39. Kay Wilson

    I signed up for this in Aug 2013. I haven’t seen a max perks deal in weeks and I have a max perks reward to spend. Since I’m new to this, are the deals always slow this time of year?

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