Not everyone will be doing back to school shopping this August and September, but if you're shopping for school supplies for your kids, where will you be going?
A drug store like Walgreens or CVS (14.7%)
The supermarket (3.6%)
A large chain store like Target or Walmart (87.1%)
A wholesale warehouse like Costco or Sam's Club (5.6%)
None of the above (4.4%)
I go where the sales are. Target, CVS, Walgreens, OfficeMax had some great sales this year. I stock up and keep piles of the basics on the "school desk" There are pens, pencils, notebooks, fillerpaper, index cards, etc. Then the kids can just grab what is needed and put in the backpack as they head out the door. I also buy extras like tissues and glue to help give supplies to the teachers.
I tend to shop around and get deals at many different places - free pens at Walgreen's, cheap paper at Office Max, cheap crayons at Office Depot and lots of rollback items at Walmart. I will also be shopping when everything goes on clearance so that I have some things put away things that they will need throughout the year and next year.
I have found that Staples, Office Max and Office Depot are ALWAYS out of their super low price advertised items!
K-Mart is very reasonable in price for small children's clothing, uniforms, etc. Stride Rite for sneakers has a buy one get the second pair half off sale. So if you have more than one small child attending school, you should consider visiting their store so they send you the flyer when they have the buy one, get one 1/2 price.
I buy back-to-school supplies for charity. I shop the loss leader sales so my charitable contributions go further. Staples and Walgreens have had some tremendous sale prices this year, and Walmart always has some good B-t-S deals. Those 1-to-50 cent deals can mean the difference between "fronting" disinterest in education and having pencils and paper with which to participate in learning - giving disadvantaged kids better outcomes and giving the whole class a better learning environment. At sale prices, $5 can go a long way.
I have 5 kids going to school this year and good products at cheap prices is the best way to go for that so I chose Wal-Mart. They have such great deals I can buy extra so when the kids run out of something I don't have to pay a higher price later in the year! Plus while getting regular school supplies I can also get other items that aren't paper and pencils that are needed for school.
I prefer to shop at Target for school supplies. Staples and Office Max have great deals to get you in the door but the other supplies you buy while there always put you over budget. I can find exactly what I need at Target and the kids don't get sucked in by the displays of all the "oh I need that too" supplies.
my children are all grown but i shop for my grandchildren continously found some very good buys at Walmart
At this point in my life, I am out of college and do not have children yet so I will not have to do back to school shopping for several years.
I don't buy back to school clothes until the weather cools down, the first two months of school are so hot so they wear their shorts and tanktops. as for supplies I need to do inventory of what I have in my home office and then will go buy what they need and what the teachers need.