BACK to SCHOOL SAVINGS from the DOLLAR STORE

August. The effortless do-nothing days of summer are winding down and suddenly the mall is filled with parents and kids on a time-honored quest. "Mom! Look at this one!" Is the excitement about a new video game or DVD? Guess again. The days leading up to the first day of school seem charged with some kind of mysterious energy that moves even the most reluctant student to find enjoyment in shopping for new school supplies. Backpacks sporting Barbie, Dora, Sponge Bob and Spiderman are exciting the attention of the younger scholastic set. But, while the kids concentrate on the latest backpack trends, parents get plenty of practice in economics. And, even though it may not be desirable or even wise to skimp on a well-made backpack, good quality notebooks and pencils to put in it don't have to cost a tank of gas.

This assortment of backpack stuffers includes a package of 12 large pencil-top erasers, a pair of school scissors, a package of 4 die cast metal pencil sharpeners (plain but much more reliable than the plastic ones), 1 glue stick, a package of 2, 12" aluminum rulers, a package of 4 tri-lock covers, 3 loose-leaf notebooks with sturdy vinyl covers, 1 geometry set, a three-hole punch, an electronic calculator, a stapler with staples, a set of 8 pencils that can be personalized, a roomy pencil case and 2 pens. Each of these items was only a dollar each.
At a popular department store, I looked for items similar to these and found that they would set me back about $40.00. You're the best judge of whether or not your child needs brand name pens (mine were always lending and losing pens and pencils) or a calculator with a cover, but if not, you could save more than half the cost of the department store supplies by shopping at a dollar store. All of the above can be found on the well-stocked stationary shelves of the local dollar store and you'll get change back from a twenty. That's a significant savings, especially if you have more than one backpack to pack.