What's the big deal about school supply shopping?

amother

Silver

Mon, Aug 22 2016, 4:48 pm

I just finished my school supply shopping for several kids. Every year, both here, in various FB groups I'm part of, and on all the mommy blogs, I hear endless complaining about school supply shopping and I just can't relate. I didn't even have to leave my house. I got everything on sale online. I shopped at Target and Amazon. Target had really good prices, Amazon had some of the more specific items. Also, even though it can get a little crazy with some of the specific items, there are things you know you'll need no matter the grade or school- you know you're going to need pencils and erasers, and pens for older kids, those are really easy to order in bulk. Most supply lists ask for some classroom items like tissues and hand sanitizer, so buy that up too. Folders will be necessary, which can also be ordered in bulk and in assorted colors (in case teacher asks for specific colors). Notebooks and binders you'll have to wait to see what's being asked, but once you know, those can be ordered too. I got everything in under 30 minutes, for multiple kids in different grades. It was quick and involved zero frustration. I'm not complaining, I just want to honestly know why it's such a source of frustration for so many.

flowerpower

Mon, Aug 22 2016, 4:53 pm

I have a few kids in a few different grades. Each teacher gives a separate list. Different kind of notebooks and binders. We get the list on the first day of school. I try to get basics in the summer. I don't find it hard at all. It just takes time. I'm glad you got them all!

ra_mom

Mon, Aug 22 2016, 4:57 pm

We'd love for you to post links of the items you bought, OP!
Usually when I look online, no one place has everything on my list, and then I don't make the minimum for free shipping if I order from multiple places.
So I head out to the local stores, one place doesn't have xyz, the other place doesn't have abc, and round and round we go Smile

Also, we receive the list from the Hebrew teacher the first week and the list from the English teacher the next week, and it gets complicated and redundant and costly...

groovy1224

Mon, Aug 22 2016, 5:20 pm

For me, the frustration isn't so much the pencils or folders, but the specific items. If I buy crayons when they're on sale for $0.99, 2 weeks later I find out they need the 48 pack, not the 24 pack. If I buy marble notebooks, they want one blue, one red, etc.

Yeah, technically I can go online and order from here and there but bc the lists are so specific, I cant use a lot of the great back to school sales on some items. Which is annoying.

But with some planning ahead, I do still manage to snag good deals. I already have a whole bunch of safety scissors, rubber erasers, glue sticks, and things like that that teachers don't usually get specific about.

amother

Silver

Mon, Aug 22 2016, 5:44 pm

I do have Prime, so smaller orders are worth it for me on Amazon. Target or office max or staples you usually need larger orders, but there are often free shipping coupons available at retail me not. Staples also has a shopping service where you can order online and they'll get it all together for you to pick up. I have found that usually when teachers specify colors they mean they want you to have distinct things- so if they ask for a red folder and a blue folder, it's fine to have a red one and a green one, the idea is they want the 2 folders to be different colors. I do understand that giving the list out the first day could make things hectic. I've never heard of such a thing, do schools really do that? I'd be frustrated too. That's incredibly unfair to parents.

littleprincess

Mon, Aug 22 2016, 6:32 pm

We have a store here in London who has the lists of all local schools and prepares ready bags for each grade. I just walk in. Give her the name of school and the class my daughter is going in to and I get a ready bag of all her school supplies.
I only have to add the few extra things like pens, pencils, sharpener... which they also sell

MamaBear

Mon, Aug 22 2016, 6:42 pm

We had up to 30 items per child...some overlap between the kids. But lots of little difference. Wide ruled for one kid, college ruled for another. Jumbo glue sticks for one, regular for the other. etc etc All multiplied by the 4-6 kids most of my friends have.

That's a pain in the butt. The $100 per kid it costs should be rolled into tuition and ordered in bulk by the school for less than the costs at Target. Or raise tuition $100 and I'd still be happier because I'd rather be taking care of my children than shlepping around getting the items, putting them into separate boxes then getting them into each classroom.

It's a very inefficient system.

Mon, Aug 22 2016, 7:07 pm

Finally, after years of kvetching (by the parents), one of our schools simply charges a supply fee and provides exactly the right kind of folders, colored pens and glue sticks required by the teacher. So much easier and not more expensive. Remember, the school can buy in bulk.

Amelia Bedelia

Mon, Aug 22 2016, 7:23 pm

I made a trip to Staples last week and bought tons of school supplies for the best prices I've seen this season. Spiral notebooks at 17¢ apiece, composition notebooks for 50¢, Crayola 24 pack crayons 50¢, twelve pack mechanical pencils for 75¢, wooden rulers for 25¢, sharpeners for 25¢, and looseleaf paper for 75¢. I also purchased Elmer's white glue for 52¢ on Amazon when they had it on sale a couple of weeks ago, and a six pack of Elmer's glue sticks for 99¢, a twelve pack of Dixon Ticonderoga pencils for 99¢, and Crayola washable ultra clean markers for $1.97 at target.com. We are well-stocked with pens and erasers. I will purchase looseleaf binders, reinforcements, plastic folders, Hebrew notebooks, and anything else they may need locally.
I was extremely impressed at how well-stocked the Midwood Staples was.

amother

Lemon

Mon, Aug 22 2016, 7:28 pm

My daughters school gives out the supplys to the girls. It definitly makes things easier, but as the weeks go on I have to fill in on some things because what the school gives out is junk. (Supposedly the school replaces items when needed...)

What gets me mad though is that my sons school gives out a list in the summer for school supplys ... we go through each item making sure to get what was asked for... and then at the end of the year alot comes back home unused... but dog eared from just being around so that the child doesnt want to use it again because its "ichy"

seeker

Mon, Aug 22 2016, 7:47 pm

Amelia Bedelia wrote:

no fair, how did I miss the ultra clean markers? My stash is all used up. I wonder if the deal will return.

To the person who said you can switch the folder colors, please don't. Better for the teacher to buy a bulk pack but in any case the reason is for classroom management. Instead of saying "put it in your homework folder" and just sort of hoping it makes it there for 25 kids at varying levels if executive development, you say "put it in the green folder" and then look around the classroom because you can see in about a second if anyone has things mixed up.

amother

Amber

Mon, Aug 22 2016, 8:17 pm

I also shop deals as I know that is what they will need- pencils, glue etc.
but I hate it when they ask for things that don't exist! The teachers should all have to go to staples and Office Depot and see if their dream item actually can be found. I will NOT go to an art store to get the exact type of spiral notebook that is only sold there for like $5 when I can get a normal one for 50 cents.

And I HATE it when the items ARENT USED. Or one sheet used in a composition book so my next kid can't use it.

And when the school buys supplies they get garbage stuff that breaks in two days and won't replace it. One school tried it as a fundraiser (but was mandatory). Markers that didn't color straight out of the box. Erasers that I couldn't figure out how to use so that they didn't tear the paper but actually erased. They didn't work.

Please teachers- give us the list in June. And only put items on that they will use and can be found at normal stores!!

Amelia Bedelia

Mon, Aug 22 2016, 9:07 pm

seeker wrote:

They're still available! http://www.target.com/s?sortBy.....kers. I got free shipping with my Red Card.

seeker

Mon, Aug 22 2016, 11:06 pm

Thanks for the marker deal! Were the pencils there too?

I texted a pic to dh to let dd pick her folder. Last year I needed some for myself too so I bought a few fun ones and let her choose one of those.

I guess it depends how many kids you have...

amother

Cerise

Tue, Aug 23 2016, 6:50 am

I love school supply shopping!

I went to target by myself and got everything on everyone's lists, except a Hebrew "machberes" that I picked up at the local frum store.

I let my kids each choose a vaultz supplies box from Amazon when they had 20% off coupon last week.

My only issue is that the judaica store didn't get in the school siddurim yet, so can't consider myself totally done.