I’m a Former Teacher. Here’s How I Save on School Supplies.

Another close mom friend recently sent me a photo of her three children’s school supplies; it was a literal mountain of Amazon boxes. I only have one child and easily spent $100 give or take on school supplies each year — until I started teaching.

Once I was on the other end of the school supply list, I realized there were so many ways to save. As a former teacher and now a mom of a middle schooler, I have these top tips for saving money on school supplies.

Not every supply needs to be brand new

A common misconception among parents is that every school item needs to be brand new.

I’ve recycled my son’s headphones for three school years now. They’re still in good condition, and they weren’t lost because I labeled them with his first and last name. That way, when he inevitably leaves them behind in a class, they get returned to him. His calculator is another item that’s labeled and reused year to year.

Cleaning goes a long way in reusing supplies, too. At the end of each school year, I dump my son’s book bag out and wipe down everything that can be reused with a disinfectant wipe. This includes unopened glue sticks and unused colored pencils, while items like scissors and highlighters look brand new after a good wipe-down.

I only splurge on 2 items

The only two items I spend money on are my son’s backpack and lunchbox.

I wash my son’s backpack and lunchbox throughout the school year. Quality bags can be washed again and again, and last you several years. I also let my son pick out a cute and discreet pencil bag to serve as a safe place for his valuables, including lunch money, his cellphone, and other personal items. And because I let my son pick out his own bags, he doesn’t mind reusing them year to year.

For the book bag supplies, I always try to buy off-label, even if the school supply list states otherwise. For instance, if Clorox wipes or Ziploc bags are listed, any off-brand disinfectant wipes or plastic bags with zip-tops will do.

I shop at different stores to maximize savings

Both Target’s and Walmart’s prices on supplies are comparable. For example, Target’s Dealworthy composition notebooks are $0.39 each, while Walmart’s Pen+gear notebooks are $0.38 each.

When it comes to durability, I do prefer Target’s products. Their Mondo Llama markers and colored pencils, for instance, are as good as Crayola’s, in my opinion, and half the price.

As long as you’re willing to go to a couple of stores, some supplies are even less at Dollar Tree, including their highlighters and glue sticks.

Then I pick out some of their two-packs of cute folders and colorfully designed notebooks that my son doesn’t really need. But these things help with back-to-school jitters, and they only cost $1.25 each, which is a fraction of the price on the same items anywhere else.

If I can, I donate stuff to my son’s classroom

I always pick up markers and colored paper while they’re on sale, because my son will inevitably need them for projects during the school year. And while I’m no longer teaching, I still buy desk supplies for my home office. Even as an adult, I never get tired of fresh pencils and cute pens, while pretty folders and post-its always get used.

As a former teacher, I know how much classroom supply donations are appreciated. If I can, I like to apply my own school-supply savings toward donations to my son’s classroom teachers. My No. 1 supply request was always a box of tissues. I would go through two to three a week, and I bought them myself for my classroom. Trader Joe’s still sells a box of tissues for $0.99, which is less than anywhere I’ve seen.

After tissues, the top teacher requests are likely to be extra pencils for students, antibacterial wipes for desks, and bags of individually wrapped candy. I know candy may seem like an odd request, but teachers use it as a small reward in the classroom to increase engagement. Just like tissues, teachers are buying bulk candy out of their own pockets several times a school year.

I buy things off the school supply list

Middle and high school students will always need an endless amount of loose-leaf paper and pencils. When Target’s Dealworthy packs of 175 sheets are priced at $0.89 during back-to-school, I get at least four.

I don’t know why students lose their pencils, but they do. This year, I bought my son a box of 50 Up & Up mechanical pencils for $5.99 to keep at home and to restock his book bag as needed.

In both elementary and secondary, I really believe every student should get used to carrying a small hand sanitizer. My students loved wearing them on their book bags as keychains, too. Trader Joe’s sells a 2-ounce lavender-scented sanitizer spray for $1.99 that would last me all school year at my desk.

After PE class and sports practices, I get my son a pack of 30 Arm & Hammer Kids Body Wipes from Dollar Tree for $1.25. On-the-go hygiene items like these are something a lot of parents forget about, but are so appreciated by an athletic middle schooler.