2014 Back to School Deals: Where to Save on Essentials Right Now

With so many retailers offering back to school deals, it can be overwhelming to figure out where you can save the most on the must-have items for school. Some stores have more to offer than others – so here’s a handy shopping guide to help you save when stocking up on back to school basics.

Bic Pens & Pencils, Basic Subject Notebooks
Staples is the best place to stock up on single subject notebooks. Staples brand single subject spiral notebooks are just $0.17 each. All Bic brand pens and pencils are also on sale at Staples with a $1 for 2 coupon available, making many Bic pen and pencil packs just $0.49 each.

Crayola Markers, Crayons and Pencils
Walmart has rolled back prices on over 80 of their Crayola products right now. Crayola Classic 24-Count Color Packs are just $0.50 each. Shoppers can also save $3 off most 10-Count packs of Ultra-Clean Washable Markers, now priced at $1.97 each.

Folders
Without a doubt, Office Max/Office Depot is where to save on basic two-pocket folders. They’re just $0.01 each (!) with a $5 minimum purchase and come in a variety of colors. This deal ends on 8/2.

Paper
120-page packs of Staples brand ruled filler paper are just $0.82 each. Beginning August 3rd, shoppers at Staples can score a ream of letter-sized Hammermill Copy Plus Paper for just $7.99 each after $4 easy rebate and $1.99 weekly ad coupon.

Glue & Tape
If you’re looking for Elmer’s Glue Sticks and Liquid Glue, Dollar General is where you’re going to save the most. 3-Packs of Elmer’s Glue Sticks are just $1.65 each and 4-oz. bottles of Elmer’s School Glue are just $0.50 each. 2-packs of Scotch Magic Tape dispensers are just $3 each.

Calculators
Walmart is your best bet to stock up on calculator essentials for advanced math and sciences courses this fall. The Texas Instruments TI-30X IIS Scientific Calculator is rolled back to $10.88 right now while the popular TI-83 Plus Graphic Calculator is $88 – the cheapest we could find it on the web from major retailers.

Backpacks
For Disney fans, Disney Store is promoting all Disney character backpacks for just $15 each. Combined with a $10 Disney character lunch tote, shoppers can also score a matching stationery supply kit for just $8.50. You can also save big at Staples online and in store – buy a backpack and get 25% off all your school supplies. The backpack + 25% off promotion ends on 8/2.

College Dorm Basics: Bedding, Decor, and More
College-bound shoppers can find savings on dorm essentials with Target’s Create Your Own Bundles. Shoppers can save 10% on a variety of different college-themed bundles including Bedding for Him/Her, College Desk, Dorm Room Decor, Tabletop and some other neat bundles. These bundles and 10% savings are only available online.

Combined with many states offering sales tax holidays this weekend, this is a great weekend to stock up and save on all your back to school basics.

Are you braving the back to school crowds this weekend? Share in the comments!

Photo credit: image by Keiko Zoll, source image by Apultier via Wikimedia Commons.