10 Stores with the Best Cheap Deals on School Supplies

It’s back-to-school season, and we parents are preparing to stock up on school supplies. Between buying new clothes, shoes, and school bags, the cost of back-to-school shopping can add up quickly.

Luckily, plenty of stores offer great deals on school supplies to help parents save money. In this article, we’ve compiled a list of 10 stores with the best deals on school supplies.

Dollar Tree:

This store is a gold mine for school supplies. You can find notebooks, pencils, crayons, highlighters, and more, all for just $1.25 each. Plus, they often carry popular brands such as Crayola and Sharpie.

You never know what kind of treasures you’ll find at Dollar Tree, so it’s definitely worth checking out for back-to-school shopping.

The catch is you need to get there now. They put out most of their back-to-school supplies in early-mid July. It can be pretty picked over if you wait until the end of August.

Of course, some items are NOT worth buying for school supplies, like earbuds. Check out the list we did on those here.

Here are some of the items we spotted in 2023 at Dollar Tree.

( Plus they now have an entire aisle of items $3 and up. I’m not sure how I feel about that.)

Walmart:

Walmart is a great choice for back-to-school shopping because they offer some of the lowest prices around. They also have a wide selection of school supplies, from basic essentials to trendy items like slime and mermaid notebooks.

Plus, if you shop early, you can take advantage of their rollbacks and clearance prices.

Always check your rebate money-saving apps for extra savings on name-brand supplies- like BIC and more. Ibotta runs some pretty decent back-to-school deals on food too.

Target:

Target also has competitive prices on school supplies, and they often run deals like “buy one, get one 50% off.”

They carry a wide selection of brands and products, so you’re sure to find exactly what you need. Plus, their back-to-school section is always well-stocked and organized. They carry off-brand crayons and markers that are usually half the price of Crayola.

You need to check the Circle app in your Target app for extra discounts. Plus, you can sign up for their Target Red Card (it doesn’t have to be a credit card) to save an additional 5% on your purchases.

Amazon

If you prefer to shop online, Amazon is a great option. They have plenty of school supplies available, but you must be very careful with prices.

I find Amazon is great for school supply bundle packages and finding coupons and discounts on multipack snacks. My favorite way to find deals for Amazon this time of year is to follow a deal blog like Hip2save.

Staples

Staples is a one-stop shop for all of your back-to-school needs. They offer a wide selection of school supplies and tech products like laptops and printers.

They also run deals like “buy one, get one free” on their exclusive brand, which can help you save even more money.

Office Depot

Another office supply store with great deals on school supplies is Office Depot. Their school supply selection includes essentials like pens and paper and more specialty items like locker decorations and teacher gifts. You can also take advantage of their in-store pickup option to save on shipping costs.

Dollar General

Like Dollar Tree, Dollar General is a great place to find super affordable school supplies. They offer in-store and online products so that you can shop however you prefer. This is another great store for couponers.

Plus, they frequently run the $5 off a $25 purchase coupon on the weekends. This is one of my favorite stores to coupon and score deals.

Five Below:

This store is a newer addition to the back-to-school shopping scene, but it has quickly become a popular choice.

My kids are obsessed with this store, and I’m okay with it for now. Five Below is a discount store that usually sells everything for $5 or less ( did you see their new $10+ section!?), including school supplies. They have everything from backpacks to locker decorations, and their products are often on-trend.

They are slowly starting to put out school supplies near us and we should see a lot more next week.

Michaels:

While Michaels is known for their arts and crafts supplies, they also have a great selection of school supplies.

You can find everything from basic essentials like markers and index cards to more creative products like washi tape and stickers. Plus, Michaels frequently runs coupons and sales so that you can save even more money.

I find Michaels to be the best in August when all their back-to-school things are on clearance already.

CVS

Although you might not initially think of CVS as a back-to-school shopping destination, they actually have a great selection of school supplies. It’s also an extreme couponer’s favorite store!

They carry a selection of essentials like notebooks and pencils and more specialty items like planners and agendas. Plus, you can often find coupons and deals in-store on their website.

Otherwise, this is a great one to search for on Tiktok for couponers sharing deals for CVS.

Back-to-school shopping doesn’t have to break the bank. By shopping at these ten stores, you can find great deals on school supplies without sacrificing quality.

Whether you prefer to shop in-store or online, there’s an option for everyone. So, take advantage of these great deals and get your kids ready to hit the books!