Back to School already?

Can you believe it? Summer is almost half over.  My kids start school on August 28th this year.  We have debated back and forth about home schooling them or placing them into the public school system for the town we live in.  Well for now they are going to the public school but a post on that one later.

This year I have 2 kids in the school and I am trying to figure out how to plan our Back to School adventure.   Of course I really have no idea of what school supplies they will specifically need but I have a general idea.

So I have started to compile a generic basket of school supplies by utilizing the sales around me.  I really hate to pay more than $1 for most school supplies.  I could just shop at the local dollar store but I think that I can do better for some things if I shop around.

Here is my generic list:

Loose leaf paper
Pens
Pencils
Crayons
Glue sticks
Colored pencils
1 subject notebooks
Ruler
3 hole punch
Erasers
Binders
Folders
Zippered pencil case


I know for my daughter I will need to purchase a Zippered Trapper keeper to help her stay organized.  Of course both of the children will also need backpacks. 

Well I happened to be at the local Wal-Mart and found that they had begun their Back to School Sales.   I was able to purchase  almost everything on this list for under a dollar.  The notebooks were only 17 cents each and I got about 20. Yes they  are also going to be used within my home and for that price I couldn’t beat it.  The Loose leaf paper was only 50 cents for a packet of 250 sheets.  That is .002 cents a sheet, a good deal in my book.  Most items were 50 cents or less.  I still need a couple of things that I know I can get at the dollar store like the 3 hole punch and a zippered pencil case. Binders I am still looking for a good deal on.

At this point I have spent $20 on all of these school supplies and I have budgeted $50 for school supplies not including backpacks.  I am planning on stocking up on some extras of these things too so that once the middle of the school year comes about and suddenly you hear “ Mom I need….” I won’t be forced to pay full price. :)