School supplies............UGH!!!!!!!!!!!!

My DD starts a new school this year (Intermediate school).  I got a letter in the mail with her home room teacher's name.  Also in the letter was a school supply list.  I took advantage of the sales at Walgreen's ($.05 mechanical pencils, etc.) and Walmart.  I bought everything on that list.  I looked online at the school's website and there posted on their website is the school supply list...........IT IS DIFFERENT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!   WTH!  [:'(]  I am fuming!  I have to wait until Thursday to call the school to find out which is the correct list.  It better be the one that I received in the mail. 

 

Okay, thanks for letting me vent.

 

Take care,

Pam

What a hassle!!  I hope it's the one you got in the mail too!

SO GLAD I'm done with that. 

I remember when the boys had 4-5 years left of high school there was an AWESOME sale at K-Mart on notebooks.  That's what I really had issues with paying high prices for.  I can't remember the actual sale price now but for me it was a steal.  I went to the K-Mart about 45 minutes to an hour away.  There was no limit to how many you could get.  They were coming out of the woodwork.  I loaded up that cart to the brim with 3 & 5 subject notebooks because I knew my boys would need & use every one of them thru their high school years.  One person behind me said you must have a lot of kids in school and I said "No only 2 but I'm stocking up".  I promise you those notebooks DID last thru all of their high school years.  We made it all the way thru and didn't have to buy any new notebooks.  I absolutely HATED shopping for school supplies in the rush of everybody else shopping.  I'd have had everything they needed except certain teachers asked for certain colored folders for different classes.  I somehow always didn't have the colored folder the teacher asked for. 

 

Dont stress over it...

Its usually the basic stuff the kiddos need. Most likely all that was on the list you have.

As yrs went with my kids I got to wear I didnt get a list,I just went and bought the things I knew they used.  

 

I stocked up at Target last year with the 1 subject notebooks, I got 10 for $.25 and loose leaf paper for $.10 a pack.  I bought about $10 worth of each.  Also, little odds and ends that I got super cheap.  

 

This year on my son's list is copy paper.  Two packs to be exact.  The list gets longer and longer.  I spent $40 at Walgreens and $70 at WalMart.  That was for the supplies that I didn't have stock of. 

 

 

This will be the 4th year that I've been home schooling my teens, they always loved going school supply shopping when they were in public school.  So I kept up the tradition, every year I take them shopping.  I let them get whatever they want.  They love not having to go by a list.  I enjoy shopping as soon the stores stock the supplies, rather than waiting on a list and having to deal with the stressful crowd.  This year was great, because I let my 2 yr.old join in on the fun too.  She ended up with a notebook, 2 boxes of crayons,several coloring books  and her favorite...a ruler(which she says that is to help Daddy at work. Dad is carpenter.  LOL).

How sweet MamaT! 

 

My DD was very excited about getting a locker this year, so she picked out some goodies for her locker. 

 

I also shop early to avoid the crowds.  I hate that mad rush. 

 

I'm going to wait for Target's clearance sale and try and stock up on the 24 pack of Crayola crayons and give them out for Halloween.  Who doesn't love a new box of crayons? 

 

 

They do that here too! We have to wait to find the list at the store, buy what is on the list and then when we get to school EACH TEACHER will send home their own personal 'for their class' list which has MORE stuff on it to buy! And by then all the good sales are over and you're lucky to find a three ring binder in the size requested. And it seems each class wants their own three ring binder. Whatever happened to trapper keepers? They don't want them in school anymore. I've started to just get the paper and spirals and pens/pencils/hilighters and that's it. If they want a special mechanical measurer of this, that or the other they can supply it.

 

I especially hate the part where they want you to send the whole paackage of pencils or paper so they can put them all together and dole them out as needed to ANY child. I don't mind sending in something so poor kids can learn but don't pool it all together so when my child needs something I have to go buy more.

That was always my youngest's favorite!! She still loves shopping for school supplies and she's in grad school! The Office Max stores around here have a sort of "mailbox" in the front of the store - each cubby in it is filled with the lists from whichever schools and teachers want to participate, so when you go in you can find the list you need and do your shopping. They usually have the lists by the beginning of August, if not earlier.

pgebby316_36f:

This year on my son's list is copy paper.  Two packs to be exact.  The list gets longer and longer. 

 

Don't be fooled into thinking that copy paper is for the class. They've started sneaking stuff into your school supply list that is for use in the office of the school. Do you know how much they save by not having to buy copy paper to send notes home for school information? How soon before we have to buy the ink for the copiers I wonder, and the staples and paper clips.

 

Has anyone noticed they do not require you to buy scissors or rulers or protractors or compases anymore?

I totally agree Andria!  Like with my DS last year, his list included 12 glue sticks.  I had no problem with that but by January they were asking for more.  The problem with that was the sale was before school.  Just ask for 20 glue sticks where they will cost you about $2.50 and not $2.50 for just two glue sticks in January!   Luckily that was one of the things I got on clearance at Target so I sent in more.  

Another thing that bugs me is when they ask for a specific brand name, such as Clorox wipes or Kleenex tissue. 

 

While I'm on my soapbox:  Why is it that a 5th grader needs washable markers?  They are way more expensive than the regular Crayola markers, which are ususally about $.88 a box.  My thought on that is if the child gets marker on their hand in 5th grade then they deserve to have it on their hands!  LOL! 

 I'v got a good one...My DD has to buy school supplies for three kids so it can get expensive but just what exactly is considered school supplies? Along with the normal paper,pens,crayons ect.each child is asked to bring ....

3 boxes of kleenex

2 containers of clorox wipes

2 bottles of hand sanitizer

2 bottles of windex

a 3 pack of yellow tennis balls???  It seems that the school got a new cafateria floor and the tennis balls are to put on the feet of the chairs so the new floor does not get scuffed!! 

we bought extra notebooks and pencils and paper last year..so were stocked up..now it depends on what my ds's teacher wants..he'll be a sophmore..plus we need a new backpack..my ds is having trouble parting with his old one..but it's on it's last leg..

Tpot_NC:

 I'v got a good one...My DD has to buy school supplies for three kids so it can get expensive but just what exactly is considered school supplies? Along with the normal paper,pens,crayons ect.each child is asked to bring ....

3 boxes of kleenex

2 containers of clorox wipes

2 bottles of hand sanitizer

2 bottles of windex

a 3 pack of yellow tennis balls???  It seems that the school got a new cafateria floor and the tennis balls are to put on the feet of the chairs so the new floor does not get scuffed!! 

I remember someone (most likely you) telling us of this last summer (but not the tennis balls!! WTH?)  I agree that most of this stuff is for general consumption and not for the individual kids.  We don't have kids, but  I think it's outrageous...especially when I constantly hear of teachers of spending a lot of money on supplies they buy for the kids they teach.

 

 

I just did my kiddos school shopping last week for their supplies.  This is DD first year of school,and she was soo tickled to be shopping for a book bag.  The teacher for her,just has you pay 45.00 and she buys all the supplies,except for Book bag and sleep mat.  DS is another story,he had a long list this year.  But,for a change,the list wasn't made up of name brand things.  So for the first time,I can buy the cheapo.  Then at the bottom of his long list,they ask for 20.00 room donation,and optional donation of clorox wipes,disposable cameras,paper towels...