We were still visiting my family in Missouri this past weekend and since it was tax free weekend there, we decided to take the opportunity to buy some of the back to school supplies on Anna’s third grade list. I scanned the sale ads before heading out to check out prices at local stores and it looked to me like Walmart’s prices were as low or lower than most of the other places so we headed there.
And holy cow! We were not the only ones out to save money. I think the whole town was at Walmart. It was a zoo. I shared the other day about my daughter’s decision to try public school, so this was my first time shopping from a pre-prepared school list even though she is in the third grade. I was surprised by how detailed the list was – even folder colors were specified.
We were able to get almost everything on her list, but not all of it, because they were out of a few things. You can see pictures of our Back to School shopping at my Google + album. And here is a picture of most of what my daughter needs for third grade:
What struck me the most was how much it cost for {almost} all of the supplies for ONE CHILD! I spent $26.45 and I still have 2 packs of paper and 4 folders to buy. I’m guessing after I buy those things, I will have spent very close to $30 on ONE child {and that’s buying items on sale during tax free weekend}. And the supply list for older children was longer! If I had to buy that many supplies for all of my children, it would cost me well over $120 and we have school registration fees on top of that! CRAZINESS!
My kids and I participated in a Champions For Kids project last week and I know there are people in our community who are hurting financially so I can’t even imagine how much they dread Back To School time.
Fortunately, there are some really easy ways to help families in need!
The first is super simple and doesn’t cost anything! Did you know Elmer’s has a free app for the iPhone and Android called the Elmer’s 1st Day™ app? Yup, they do. You can download it directly in stores by using the QR code or online.
The Elmer’s 1st Day™ app is a FREE mobile app that enables parents to capture those
priceless “1st day” moments year after year. It also provides teachers a unique platform to
share photos of their classrooms, school projects and more with family and friends. If you’re worried about security, you retain all control over the photos. Only people you want to see them will. Elmer’s does not own the images and cannot use them in any marketing or otherwise promotional efforts.
But the best part about this app? For every photo uploaded, Elmer’s will donate one product to The Kids in Need Foundation (KINF) – up to 200,000 products! How great is that? You can help someone simply by sharing a picture with the 1st Day™ app!
Another way to help children in need, is simply to donate quality school supplies! When we purchased Anna’s supplies, we noticed these pre-made Elmer’s Back to School Kits and picked one up to donate.
On the way out the door at Walmart, I also noticed these School Supply Donation Drop Boxes. I’m familiar with Simple Service Projects since we just donated a box of tooth care supplies last week for Champions For Kids! I was really pleased to see these donation boxes!
We opted not to place our donation in the box at Walmart, though, because our local post office also collected supplies for a First Day Project this weekend. Instead, Anna and I walked over to our local post office and added our kit to the other supplies. I like that all of the supplies collected at our post office will stay in our town.
Donating a few school supplies is super easy – especially if you see any of the collection boxes like I saw at Walmart and we had at our post office. The Simple Service Project motto of “buy three, donate one” is a great motto! If you happen to think about it when you are shopping for back to school supplies, spend an extra $1 and pick up a few folders, crayons, or glue to put in a donation box. Guaranteed you’ll feel good about yourself!!
If you’re not sure what to buy, check out this list I put together of the Top 10 Back to School Supplies:
[listly id="1Xo" theme="dark" layout="short"]
You can find more information on the #BagItForward campaign at any of these places:
And don’t forget to Download the 1st Day App here and help Elmer’s make a huge Back to School donation on your behalf!
How do you afford Back to School time? Do you donate any supplies when you buy for your own kids? I’d love to hear!
I am a member of the Collective Bias™ Social Fabric® Community. This content has been compensated as part of a social shopper insights study for Collective Bias™ and Elmer’s. #BagItForward #CBias #SocialFabric
About Michelle
Welcome! I'm Michelle and I'm glad you're here. Simplify, Live, Love is a blog about simple life in rural Iowa. We are a self-employed, frugal, green, mostly homeschooling family of 6 working to go off the grid on a modern day homestead in Eastern Iowa. Please subscribe for gardening tips, green living hints, recipes, fun giveaways, and frugal ideas. Thanks for stopping by.
I remember spending $50 on our school supplies shopping trip to Walmart last year. I keep thinking “Man, we are screwed when all 4 enter school.” Our schools are very specific as well. Latex free eraser caps, pre sharpened pencils, 3 hole pocket folders NO GROMMETS… Really? Grommets are going to be a issue? What really gets to me is that all the supplies are thrown into a big classroom pot, so they are very Brand specific as well. Families aren’t given the option of buying a cheaper crayon or glue stick because some other kid will end up using it. It’s ridiculous! This year I started shopping early (they sent her new supply list home on the last day of school). I didn’t buy my 3 boxes of tissue or my 2 boxes of Ziplock bags unil I found great sales. I got my folders, glue, and notebooks for around $.10 each. I still have 1/2 the list to purchase but am excited to tally up my total and see how much I saved!
I have never thought to donate supplies to be honest. I always send extra supplies to school with Ava, just to help make up for anything other children may not have purchased… I’d much rather donate to famlies though, I’d hate to be the Mom that has to be appologetic for not being able to afford the whole list. It must be a horrible feeling! You have inspired this family! I’m going to go check out our donation boxes!
Crazy, huh, Cara. $120 would have been really hard for me to come up with a few years ago, and it still hurts! With homeschooling, my kids can share a lot of supplies and I am not brand specific.
I’m surprised you have school registration fees – is she going to a public school? We don’t have any fees.
But we do have back-to-school supplies. I have to say it irks me a bit to be buying paper towels and ziplock bags for the school when I pay taxes for this and never got any credits for all the homeschool supplies, books, classes etc etc…. Grr……
Our lists aren’t too specific in terms of brand names, but we have items like “headphones”… For what? What kind? I have no clue. Argh…..
YES – public school and fees. I’ll know more when we get over there and register, but I know for sure that they have buy a calendar and some sort of other fee. The joys of declining enrollment, rural schools. And she also has to have a calculator. For THIRD grade. I want to protest that one.
Yeah, I wouldn’t be happy about calculators either. We don’t even have that for 5th. But the 4th and 5th graders do get laptops so I guess there’s a calculator there…
But your cost of under $30 is pretty good. Our school has kits with all you need (except uniforms and backpacks):
Kindergarten Supply Kit = $76.00
First Grade Supply Kit = $71.00
Second Grade Supply Kit = $58.00
Third Grade Supply Kit = $77.00
Fourth Grade Supply Kit = $78.00
Fifth Grade Supply Kit = $63.00
Oh, and the school has multiple fundraisers each year, including an annual jog-a-thon which alone raises $40,000+ for the school. each. year. Can’t someone have a jog-a-thon for me? hahaha
Wow. Those are some hefty supply kits. Do you have to buy them from the school? My kid made little chocolates today and peddled them to locals. She made $10. Of course when I told her she should pay me back for the supplies, she balked big time!
Maybe we should put her in charge of a fundraiser!
Our “anti-tax” sentiment in this country will result in more and more of this. We middle class taxpayers end up paying no matter what, just in a different manner. Maybe we should have a bake sale or bingo on Friday nights for our local schools as additional ways of financing public education. We would still be paying, but at least we could get some cookies. Who knows? Free public education that made this country great in the 20th century may be turning into a thing of the past. When my children were school age, we only had to send pencils and paper. Everything else was furnished with our tax money. We didn’t have tax revolts back then.
There was a commercial years ago for some car part. The last line was, “You can pay me now or pay me later.” We all will pay.
Omi
Wow, what a great deal you had for $26! But yes, it seems to get quite pricey! So hard to imagine someone struggling to make ends meet and having to purchase so much to send their children to school – #BagItForward is such a great cause!
Thank you so much for sharing about your Bag It Forward experience! One thing is clear. The back to school season is the perfect time to think of students in need while back to school shopping! I hope you words and actions inspire many to reach out in their communities!
Love this list! Great way to help your community.