Dollar store and Target good bets/bad bets on school supplies

It's that time of year again. Gotta love the Staples ad, with Dad dancing in the aisles to the Christmas song "It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year". Just as soon as the 4th of July is over, the stores begin to set up their back-to-school departments. But that's retail for you. Each store knows that the early bird gets the worm. The earlier they set out school supplies, the more likely they'll get a good share of your budgeted dollars. But the savvy shopper can part with less of their hard-earned cash by starting the shopping early, knowing where to buy what, and sticking to your resolve to spend XX amount and no more.

I did a little reconnaissance work this weekend, to find the best of the best deals. I stuck with Target and Dollar Tree.  Target's prices will easily be duplicated by places like Wal-Mart, and Dollar Tree's prices can be found at many, if not most, dollar stores.  Some items were hands-down the best deal at Target, while other items were far and away better buys at Dollar Tree. Here's the lowdown. (All items will refer to the lowest priced brand, most often the store brand at Target.)

At Target -- best deals

small paper lunch sacks, 100 count -- $1.87
pencils, 8 count -- 47¢
felt tip markers, 10 ct. -- 99¢

colored pencils, 12 ct. -- 52¢

crayons, 24 ct. -- 25¢

glue sticks, 2 ct. -- 25¢

school glue, 4 oz. -- 25¢

watercolor paints -- 97¢

children's school scissors -- 74¢

rulers -- 27¢

pencil boxes -- 99¢

notebook filler paper -- 82¢

composition notebooks -- 50¢

spiral notebooks, 70 page -- 17¢

pencil sharpeners -- 69¢

ball point pens, 10 ct. -- 99¢

portfolios -- 15¢

1-inch plastic binders -- 92¢

index cards, 100 ct. -- 49¢

At Dollar Tree -- best deals

construction paper, 96 sheets -- $1

subject dividers -- $1

highlighter pens, 3 ct. -- $1

student assignment notebooks -- $1

erasers, 6 ct. -- $1 (Target has erasers in a 2-pack for 50¢. If you only need 2 then Target is a better deal)

pencil top erasers, 40 ct. -- $1

pencil pouches (the kind that zip and are snapped into binder) -- $1

tape, 2 ct. -- $1

file folders, 10 ct. -- $1

zippered sandwich baggies, 120 ct. -- $1

plastic storage bins, all sizes and colors -- $1  Great deal!

reusable lunch sacks -- $1 (However, the cheapest Target reusable lunch sack was just $3.99 and a superior quality, will last a year or more, in contrast with the dollar store ones, ours from last year fell apart about mid-April.)

A couple of items you may want to shop second hand for or at a places like Big Lots, Ross or Marshall's: 

• fabric-covered trapper-style binders. Price range on these at Target was $10 to $20 
• good, sturdy backpacks -- check places like Big Lots, Ross and Marshall's. My kids use Swiss Army backpacks and they are durable. These backpacks are going into their 4th year. I tightened the slider (it was separating) on one backpack's zipper last year, but that's been the only needed repair. I also really like the Jansport brand. When buying backpacks, it really is "you get what you paid for". The better quality ones retail for more, but they last longer. A little searching online could turn up a great deal for one of the better makes.
• winter jackets -- if used is acceptable, right now, while everyone is thinking summer, check thrift stores. The stock is plentiful now.

So, it was clear that Target had more great deals on school supplies than Dollar Tree. What they're hoping is the low price on basic supplies will get you in the door. Once there, your kids will insist on the trendy character items, like notebooks, notepads, folders, and lunch boxes, not to mention toys, closely placed to the school supply department. Plus they're hoping that  you'll spend all your school clothing budget and then some, at their store. 

What to do! You need to be savvy. Use these prices to set a budget. Shop early if you want to find the lower priced brands. Know what you're buying in advance (get your supply list from your school before you shop). Know where the good prices are. You may find better prices on some items elsewhere. Start reading those flyers that come in the mail, or the online ads. (I know I usually find filler paper for less than Target's price at our supermarket, most years. I bought some at Target anyways, as I can't be certain Albertson's will have the same good deal this year.)  And maybe leave the kids at home with your spouse, grandma or a good friend (swap days to back-to-school swap with a friend -- she watches your kids while you shop, then the next day, you watch hers). 

I know, we live in a culture of getting our kids input on all decisions that involve them. But sometimes I think it's perfectly okay to provide without getting their input first. After all, these are school supplies, not birthday gifts.

One last thought. I use these special back-to-school sales to stock up on art-related gift items. Even if you don't have children of your own, you may want to buy a couple of packs of crayons, some construction paper, some glue sticks, some kid's scissors, markers, paints, a plastic pencil box to store it all in, and for about $6 you have a nice little gift for a child in your life, or a Christmas shoe box mission project.