Hip2Save’s School Supply Price Points (+ Free Printable Spreadsheet)
With Back to School season upon us, you may be wondering about the best/stock-up prices for school related items!? Look no further! I have compiled a list of the absolute lowest price for popular school supplies and the typical sale price ranges for these items.
As an example, the price point for a 24 count box of Crayola Crayons is 25¢. In other words, I would stock up on Crayola Crayons whenever I find them priced at 25¢ or less. Since Back to School sales are already starting up again in full swing, you should have an opportunity to snag these crayons at this price or less if you just wait patiently over the next few weeks. This theory applies to all the school supplies listed below!
To view HIP’s School Supply Price Points, just click on this link or on the image above to print or save the PDF file to your computer. I would encourage you to consider printing it out and placing it in your Coupon Binder for reference when you are at the store. Or, if you’d rather, you can go here and save the Price Points document to your computer and edit/change the prices based on your personal shopping experiences. If you’d like, you can also add more items to your list.
DISCLAIMER: Note that several of the items on my list have the lowest price as FREE. Keep in mind that to get this FREE price, you may be required to make a minimum purchase (as is often the case at Staples) and/or to sign up for a Rewards Program or submit a rebate. Also note that these items may only be “free” once or twice per year – for this reason, I have given you a range.
If you disagree with my Price Points and/or have items to add, please share in the comments below!
Thanks! This is really helpful!
Do you have a similar list for baby items (diapers and wipes)?
Good idea! Maybe divided by brand for diapers and wipes?
I never pay more than 10-15 cents per diaper and .01 per wipe
I love this! Thank you!!!
You’re so welcome!
I did our back to school shopping last month when the prices were (gasp) regular price. IMO, I’d rather spend the extra $5-$10 and get the supplies without fighting the crowds or wasting gas to go to a store just to get .25 crayons.
I also wonder why, in the day and age of recycling, we don’t look at the supplies our children just came home with (binders, colored pencils, pens, etc) and reuse them. Sure…new stuff makes us feel good, but I bet it would make us feel better be reusing what we already own.
With all that being said, I will also admit I don’t go out on Black Friday because those deals don’t seem worth the effort…but maybe it’s just my personality.
We’re reusing about half of the supplies from last year… Everything that’s still in decent shape. 😊
I do the same thing with my kids. We reuse whatever they got from previous school year, such as color pencils, folders, lightly used composition notebooks, etc. We would only buy new notebooks and dry eraser markers as needed.
I went to target yesterday to stock up on a few basic supplies we use for crafting and such for my preschooler. No lines, no crowds. I think it just depends on where and when you go. I cringe if I pay $3 and $4 for crayons and markets during the school year that I know I can get for a quarter or under a dollar.
I understand your position. I too reuse supplies from last year as long as they are in decent shape. My daughter has grown up learning to NOT write on her binders with markers etc. I do give them a good washing anyway due to germs etc. But, this time of year I try to help out others with the discounted items. I also save alot of items for Christmas and Birthdays as I can make up some great cheap artistic gift baskets. The giving closets around here also love these donations as many families can’t afford these sale items or know to look now.
Being a nursing student, I try to stretch the almighty dollar and still allow for my donations and gifting to others ( I LOVE giving to others).
Cheap notebooks, pencils, pens etc. make for great journals. Try typing out various quotes or phrases to inspire journaling. Activity books printed out and punched to fit a binder keeps almost every kid happy! Just a few ideas!
My child didn’t bring any supplies home at all. I’d be happy to reuse the supplies (or just use them at home; little kids like to color and I can always use extra crayons, markers, glue, etc.) but they *never* *ever* send home their leftover stuff.
We went out to Target on Friday night and it was actually pretty empty. Sometimes I feel like getting out with the crowds, sometimes I don’t. I base whether or not I’m going to fight for the “back to school sales” or “Black Friday sales” on how I’m feeling (I have fibromyalgia and I don’t get out of the house very much, so sometimes it’s worth it to get out there just to be in a new environment and sometimes I don’t have enough “spoons” to even get dressed) so it’s just basically an everyday analysis. Don’t feel bad that you don’t feel like fighting the crowds!
I agree with Julie. It may depend on where and when you go. I have access to multiple stores in a short driving distance. I live in the Tampa Bay area. No crowds. Everyone is helpful, polite and courteous. Took advantage of the prices today to stock up as I do every year. No sweat, no hassle.
I also recycle old supplies. We still have the trip fold board my eldest son used in when he was in 2nd grade. He’s now in 10th.
you can also check out schooltoolbox.com if you don’t want to fight the crowds and don’t mind the retail prices. great way to get it all done in one shot.
I usually do, but this year my son only brought home a couple folders and a pencil box full of broken crayons 🙁
What are some good price points for paper cups (like the dixie 5oz 100 CT packs or 3oz packs), cardstock (65lb white, 25 sheets) and 4 pack expo dry erase markers? First timer here, oldest starting kindergarten 🙂 TIA
Expo markers 4 packs usually will go as low $1 at Office Ma/Depot a couple times before school. Just check the ad, every week. Also Expo usually has a $1 off coupon at some point in the Sunday paper before school if you prefer to shop at Walmart or Target. And Target has Cartwheel offers too sometimes for Expo markers
Thanks Katie!
Stupid question. But. If a school list says antibacterial wipes so they mean like Clorox wipes? Or disinfectant wet wipes?
They usually mean WetOnes.
yep, like WetOnes or Purell. Clorox or Lysol would be disinfecting. HTH!
Yesterday I went to target and stocked up on crayons for .50 cents and notebooks for .17 cents!!!
Anyway but the list you put in the link what store is it at?
The list isn’t for a particular store. Those are typically the lowest prices you’ll see for school supplies. So if you see those prices at any store, it’s the time to buy.
Oh ok thank you!
Thank you so much for this! My memory isn’t what it used to be so this helps so much!! Now if I only had one for groceries
You’re very welcome Missy! 😉
Target will price match Office Max and Staples, at least mine did in MN. 77 cents for 3 Crayola 24-count crayons after REDcard and taxes. 🙂
I went to Target tonight to price match
the crayola crayons at Office Max/depot (.25). Customer service said they don’t match in ad sales, but must use their iPad to access the target ap that allows them to compare online pricing between target and competitors. The crayons were 1.67 at Target online (in store .50) &
$2-something at OM/D. So, no deal. Is this something new? The manager came up & said it would cost them more in lost productivity to walk the boxes back to the display than to just charge me .25. Crazy.
Bummer, I pulled up our local ad on my phone to show them and they verified on their system. I only did 3 boxes, as per the ad, but maybe it varies from location to location. Shouldn’t though as their price match policy states they will match competitor ads.
Yes, I thought it was very strange, as I had never encountered this before. But manager said this has been systemwide policy for over a year. It wasn’t worth the aggravation to pursue.
Anyone know what ” seasonal “stickers mean? I have to buy 2 packages for preschool and I am not sure if it means holiday stickers or actual seasons? … And where would I buy them, Walmart? Thanks for the help
I think that means stickers for holidays. Michael’s has lots of stickers.
What’s a good price on watercolors? Walmart has 8 colors from Crayola fit 97¢.
Same with Mr. Sketch scented markers. Is $5/12 pack a good price?
HI Collen and Fellow Hipsters,
I have found to buy extra crayons each year and donate them to our local fire station. They usually have fire prevention coloring books or I will throw some in if I find them on sale. They use these for kids when they go on calls or at Christmas time. Also, buying extra supplies to give to teachers during “Teacher Appreciation” week along with a $5 or $10 dollar gift card from a purchase reward is always a very nice and appreciated gift.
Awesome ideas Carrie! I’m sure they appreciate that very much!
Also, you can use the crayons in a creative way for Valentine handouts for classroom (pintrest has several ideas). You could also print a coloring page and add a couple of crayons for Halloween handouts.
I stock up on school supplies when they go clearance and get mulitples of everything to last the year. plus we reuse some schools supplies….like backpacks…pencil boxes..etc. I like the office depot deal since my hubby buys stuff there anyways I just tack on the .1 cent deals to his purchase.
What I find difficult is that Meet the Teacher Night doesn’t happen until a few days before school starts and we don’t get a supply list until then. I could go out and shop now for school supplies, but I would be guessing what it is the teacher is going to ask for. Yes, there are the generic grade supply lists, but I find that teachers usually have their own specific requests. I wish these sales would happen right as school starts…
Does your school have a website? Ours is posted on the school website before meet and greet.
It does, but I have purchased off the generic grade supply lists that are usually posted, and have found that only 1/4 of the list applies to what a specific teacher wants. Not to mention that not every teacher likes to make a page on the school website. = ) And that’s even if we k now who their teacher is ahead of time.
The big thing we have going on here now is you donate to the classroom and are not buying for your individual child (they are not allowed to require you to buy anything, so it is all just suggested donations). Everything has to be new because it is being shared with the whole class. While I get it is to not leave anyone out, it makes many of us actually spend more out of pocket to help cover those who send absolutely nothing in all year long. The same now applies to all field trips…my daughter was not able to go on one in kindergarten because they didn’t get enough $ 🙁
How do I know which store to shop at with this list?
Right now Office Depot has the best deals. 1c deals with $5 purchase. But spend the $5 on things like packs of sharpies for $1 and crayola colored pencils for 50c. Check their weekly add. It changes every Sunday.