School Supplies And Where To Get Them

Growing up, my grandmother taught me a very valuable lesson when it came to school

supplies. She used to take me to the local "Dollar Store" and we would spend 20 dollars

on paper, pencils, pens, erasers, etc. Bag after of bag of school supplies would be loaded

into the trunk of her car. I was embarrassed that I was buying bargain school supplies and

I remember thinking "how good can a pencil be if I can get 50 of them for a dollar".

When we would get home and the supplies would be put on a shelf in the closet she

always used to tell me that I would never need a single supply during the school year.



She was right, I never had to ask to borrow a pencil, or scramble for paper for an

assignment. My worries of having "bargain supplies" at school and being ridiculed for it

were dispelled when I realized that a pencil was a pencil. My cheap paper was the same

as the kid next to me. My grandmother taught me that my supplies were tools used to

achieve a goal and not the goal itself.



Deals on school supplies can be found anywhere and everywhere. Some of the most

common and basic ones can be found at your neighborhood "Dollar Store", by stocking

up on the essentials at these stores you are allowing for more money to be spent on

supplies like computers, calculators, etc.



With the advent of the internet, something not available when I was a kid, school

supplies can be found at lower prices than ever before. Auction sites like ebay.com and

amazon.com are great places to find gently used higher-end items at the same time

finding general school supplies in bulk for great prices. Other sites specialize in direct to

parent deals on school supplies better than those found at local office supply stores.

Utilizing the internet to find deals has never been easier.



The type of school supplies needed varies depending on the grade the student is in.

Kindergarten through fourth grade typically only the very basic supplies are needed to

succeed in class; pencils, crayons, paper, glue. Usually, these supplies are only needed

one time to last the entire school year. As the student grows older however the needs

change. Fifth grade and on the demands on a student only increase and those demands are

reflected in the tools needed to achieve good grades. The usual paper, pencils, pens,

folders, etc are still needed. On top of those though is the need for special clothing for

Physical Education, specific types of calculators depending on the math class, rulers,

reference books and even computers are all needs of the growing student.



Thankfully, the more specialized types of tools needed by students have a long life if

taken care of. Often, these tools can be passed from one student to another as needed. A

computer purchased brand new can be used by an entire family for years if maintained

and cared for. Calculators can last indefinitely if taken care of and never need to be

replaced.



Deals can be found for saving some money and stocking up on nearly all types of school

supplies, it is just a matter finding the local "Dollar Store" or searching the internet. More

expensive supplies can be used for yeas if proper care is taken of them and they are

appreciated.