I should have put this in my previous post. I always buy extra sets of supplies for those who cannot afford supplies and those who are only missing an item or two. I keep 2 sets for new students too so they are ready to go whenever they arrive.

My previous post states the $60 per child for supplies. Yes, I do spend at least $300 of my own money on supplies for my students. Most teachers do. I also spend around $1500-2000 during the year on other things. We nickel and dime all the time. I just don't get parents sending in paper plates for a party or $ for a field trip so I fill the hole. Most teachers do. If you can, send that extra pack of tissue or markers. It is a much appreciated gesture!

Our school sends the supply list with the end of year report card so we know what the supplies are all summer. After spending $60 per child 2 years ago, I wised up. I now watch the Sunday paper ads. If it says Office Max has folders for 10cents and Walgreens has 24 pack of pencils for 25 cents, we go to those stores and ONLY buy the sale or coupon items. I keep the list in my purse and once the ads come out, we go shop. I do all these errands as I am out doing others, not making extra trips.

I also teach 3rd grade and have really cut down my list of things for the students. Even though I ask for only a 24 pack of crayons, several will always convince parents to go for the 64 pack. Please, don't go over what is asked for. desks don't have room!

As an elementary teacher - the best advice was in your lead in! Each class has priorities, and many of the things parents spent a lot of money on, we already supplied - very frustrating! Get a lunch box or a nice notebook, but otherwise wait for a class list. We send them with our letter of introduction/welcome before school starts, but many schools in NYC buy the class packs of markers, pencils, etc, and don't encourage personal supplies which cause conflicts in sharing - each group/table gets a set of materials to use. We needed paper towels, babywipes, and clorox wipes for tables, which aren't the things parents usually buy! So please wait and save your money.

dont buy everything you see, just the things that are on your child's suggested school supplies list

My daughter lovers back 2 school shopping it is practically her favorite time of the year. but she wants to be very outstanding this year and wants to buy a pack of four dollar pencils when there is a perfectly good pack next to them just because they might have dsigns on them. she is entering 7th grade this year and back 2 school shopping is the only way to relive her excitment. but what should i do to relive her excitment without getting to involved because she is very independent.

I love back to school shopping more than my kids... because not only do we all get a closet full of new items, I also restock my office of the things I need.

To kick off the event the kids and I have a fashion show with most of 'last years' clothes, so we can see what still fits and what they have out grown. Then I know what we need.
But I make a deal with my kids that for every new outfit they want, they have to donate a set of their outgrown clothing to an organization that helps needy kids.
Being that we live in FL, I feel like we get extra deals because while the Northern States move the summer stuff out, we can still wear it til about Nov.
I buy about 2 weeks worth of clothes but make sure that every item we buy can be paired at least 3 different ways. This way the kids have alot more choices than actual clothes.
Now is the time I do stock up on socks and underware though. I keep a few extra packs to give as the lame Stocking stuffers and Basket fillers. But I mean $4.50 for a 10 packs of girls panties is great... but has anyone noticed that boys don't get great deals like that?

Back to school schopping is fun for the kids they get to show a little bit of their personalitity. Since there is no Mervyns over here in california fave. kids clothes store. I found a bunch of great deals at Jcpennys. Shorts were all 50% the weather over here is about 100 to 105 so is all about shorts and light colored shirts. Wal-Mart is great for all the back to school supplies. But I also agree with Greatestdad, I usually do all year round shopping I have three boys and two of the three are in school. I look for deals

I used to work for Khol's Department Store in New Braunfels, TX. The best advice I can give you about shopping is to shop every day of the year that you have money to spend on clothing! It doesn't have to be a lot of money to shop with, I usually limit myself from $20 - $40 every week and end up with about 3 to 5 items(Mostly for the kids). I shop off season and usually find great deals for myself and for the kids. I found a pair of Jeans on the discount rack for myself for $2 and for the kids I will buy what I see is a good deal at that time. Shopping all year around eliminates the big purchases right before school and by the next season they always have an abundance of new clothing to wear. Kohl's has a 70%, 80%, and 90% off rack in almost every section but you have to really have time to sit and look through everything and if you check it regularly, you will be the one with all the good items instead of the one wondering who took all the good items! Well hope this helps everyone out, eliminate the stress and shopping can become fun again! =)

I'm lucky to live in SoCal, where the kids will be wearing shorts until November. So we're shopping the end of summer sales at the outlet malls and the department stores. I scored two pairs of Osh Kosh shorts for my daughter for $3 a pair. They gave me a 20% off coupon so we'll visit another outlet mall soon. The shorts she'll wear now, and right into the school year. We won't bother to worry about pants until the holidays, when we'll know her size to tell the grandparents.

We purchased the stuff off the school supply list: the 24 pencils for a buck, the 24 cent crayons, the nice markers and colored pencils for a dollar. School won't start here for another five weeks, but now's the time to shop.

My son stopped asking for "back-to-school" clothes a few years ago, because if he had it and it already fit, he didn't want to go shopping. So the trick was to just check for the ads with 60% or 70% off clearance, and breeze through the department store for a low-priced item, but not "needing" anything.