Back-to-school season will be here in a couple blinks, so stocking up on Dollar Tree school supplies is your best bet to save money. You can pretty much find the same basic supplies as the big-box stores but often for much cheaper.
Start early if you want to catch the good deals. Youโll probably still shop Walmart back to school and Target back to school, but thereโs plenty of value in grabbing supplies from Dollar Tree too.
Weโve rounded up all of the Dollar Tree school supplies you should have on your shopping list. Be sure to bookmark the KCL back-to-school page so you donโt miss any savings opportunities.
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1. Go to Dollar Tree for colorful poster boards that only cost $0.79 each.
If youโre shopping at Target or Walmart, youโll pay anywhere from $0.97 โ $5.50 each for a heavyweight white poster board. Schools typically require these boards for special projects, but you still shouldnโt pay a lot when you need it.
So why go buy Dollar Tree school supplies? Theyโve got ALL the colors (like neon pink, green, black, and orange) for $0.79 each. Colors other than white may cost closer to a dollar and up with the competition.
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2. Buy clipboards at Dollar Tree and save $0.50.
Clipboards are awesome for taking notes (or doing homework in bed!) and are a must for back to school. Walmartโs lowest price is $1.50, while Targetโs regular prices start at $9 each. Ouch!
With those types of competitorsโ prices, I suggest sticking with Dollar Tree school supplies on this one and paying $1.25 each. Yeah, youโre only saving a quarter, but if youโre buying a lot it really adds up!
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3. Grab Dollar Tree school supplies like basic calculators for just $1.25.
Calculators are pricey if you donโt shop smart, running between $3.99 โ $14.75 for a basic model at Target. Are they nuts?
If your child is prone to losing or breaking things, you canโt go wrong with stocking up on dollar store calculators for $1.25.
Basic Walmart calculators are $0.73 cheaper than Dollar Tree, but hereโs the thing: the reviews are awful, mostly about their terrible buttons. Stick to Dollar Tree back-to-school items on this one.
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4. Pick up Dollar Tree back-to-school classroom decor and party supplies for cheap.
If youโre a teacher, thereโs no better place for classroom decor than the dollar store. If you hit a party supply store, youโll easily spend over $100 outfitting your classroom with decorations, calendars, reward stickers, posters, and educational aids.
The same trip to Dollar Tree will cost you $20 โ $40, and you can sometimes get the exact same products. Want to learn more back-to-school sales hacks? Weโve got you covered.
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5. Plan for a year of school lunches with Dollar Tree food containers.
Food containers get tossed with sack lunches all the time. Buying expensive glass Pyrex containers for lunches is asking for trouble.
Instead, stock up on Dollar Tree three- and four-pack plastic containers for $1.25. If you have a younger child, look for character-themed sandwich and snack containers. Some stores even have colorful containers instead of the plain clear ones.
They may not stay in pristine condition throughout the school year, but you wonโt be out a few bucks either if your child accidentally throws them away or bends the lids.
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6. Shop at Dollar Tree for journals, but not composition notebooks.
Dollar Tree offers some cute, colorful journals you wonโt see elsewhere for just $1.25. You can stock up on journals to last through an entire year of teenage angst. Because thatโs fun, right?
But if composition notebooks are on your kidโs school list, go with Walmart or Target instead, where theyโre a fraction of the price. Walmartโs 80-sheet composition books start at $0.77 in an array of colors. An 80-sheet composition notebook at Target starts at $0.50. By comparison, Dollar Tree sells 100-page notebooks for $1.25 each.
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7. Stock up on scissors from Dollar Tree.
Every single classroom supply list has scissors, and you have to hope your childโs scissors donโt get lost. And just kiss your wallet goodbye if you have a left-handed child. A standard set of scissors may not grip very well if youโre left-handed.
I recommend picking up standard scissors at Dollar Tree, where theyโre cheaper than the competition. Plus, Dollar Tree often carries universal scissors for right- and left-handed kids alike.
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8. Add markers and pens to your Dollar Tree back-to-school shopping list.
When it comes to essential school supplies, you have to include pens and markers. Dollar Tree school supplies are neck and neck with Walmart when it comes to these items. As long as youโre there, pick up a pencil case too.
Dollar Treeโs 8-pack of Inc. Clipclick Black Ballpoint Pens is only $1.25, while Walmartโs BIC Black Cristal 10-count is $1.88. Depending on the type of marker you need โ dry erase, colored, or fine-point โ Dollar Tree is a good choice all around at just $1.25 apiece. Targetโs prices start at $1.99, while Walmart begins at $1.97.
In case youโre wondering, Walmart and Target have the lowest prices on #2 pencils at just $0.78 for a 12-count and $0.99 for a 24-count, respectively. And highlighters arenโt cheaper at Dollar Tree either.
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