Ok, this not exactly a tip on how to buy cheap school supplies but is something to think about while you are busy buying your kids supplies. Every year although my kids are all grown I hit the school supply sales and here is why:
I can buy some of my office supplies at a discount at this time of year but I also think of the coming Christmas and the kids I have to buy for. I buy colored pencils and markers and crayons and pencil boxes to put them in and then I put them away for arts and craft kits for the grandkids.
With so many sales at all the stores I can buy stickers and stencils and scissors for a lot less then I would pay for them at Christmas. You also can get construction paper and doodle pads cheap also. I also have bought them clipboards with the storage in the bottom cheaply at this time of year so they can take a travel kit with them when they go visiting, this makes for a very neat way for them to have something to do while they travel. You could also fill this with travel games and the clipboard gives them a playing surface even for a game of cards.
By Debra in Colorado