Your Guide to Back-to-School Shopping for School Supplies and Clothes

It may be hard to believe, but the first day of school is just around the corner—already!

If you feel overwhelmed with the thought of back-to-school shopping, just breathe easy—Patch wants to help.

This handy checklist of school supplies commonly appears on local schools’ lists each new year and at this list of stores you'll find many of those items. Some of these stores have great back-to-school sales on what you’re looking for.

You’ll also find tips on local shops that carry great deals on back-to-school clothes.

Happy shopping!

What School Supplies Does My Child Need this Year?

• Sharpened pencils, or mechanical pencils with plenty of extra lead refills
• Large erasers
• Red pens for correcting homework or in-class assignments
• Colored pencils
• Highlighters
• Binders with subject dividers
• Glue stick
• Ruler
• Protractor
• Calculator–check to see if you need just a basic calculator, or a scientific calculator
• Mini stapler
• Mini tape dispenser
• Post-it notes
• Plenty of binder paper and graphing paper
• A thumb drive that can hold at least 1GB of material

Where to Shop for the Best Deals on These School Supplies

• 4GB thumb drives: $7.99-$12.99
• Children’s jeans, sizes 4-16: $16
• Crewneck and v-neck t-shirts: $7.99
• Scientific calculators by Texas Instruments: $9.39-$124.99
• Notebooks: $2-$4
• Dictionaries and thesauruses: $2-$5
• Backpacks: $29.99-$39.99
• Insulated lunch bags: $4.99-13.$99
• 10-pack of Papermate pens: $1
• Crayola washable markers: 8 for $1.99
• Protractors and rulers: under $1

• Scientific calculators by Texas Instruments: $8.50-$80
• Binders: $2.50-$4
• Mini staplers: under $1
• Pack of 8 Sharpies: $4
• Children’s athletic shoes: $11-$16
• Children’s separates (shorts, pants, tops): $3-$10

Where Are Good Places to Shop for Back-to-School Clothes?

If you plan to visit the Target or Wal-Mart on Showers Drive for your school supply needs, why not get a little back-to-school clothes shopping done at the same time?

Kohl’s has a huge back-to-school sale on clothing for children that begins Friday, Aug. 5.

Tops and bottoms for children in brand names like Mudd, SONOMA Life and Jumping Beans, in sizes 4-16 for girls, 4-7 for boys, plus sizes for toddlers and newborns, are all 45-55 percent off, bringing the price down to $6.60-$24.20 per item.

Shoes and sandals for the whole family—Mom and Dad can stock up, too—are 15-50 percent off, bringing the prices down to $9.99-$59.50 per pair.

There is a huge sale on Levi’s brand jeans, with prices at $29.99-$44.99 per pair.

Backpacks featuring all your child’s favorite faces, like Justin Beiber, and characters from Disney’s Cars and princess movies, are just $14.99.

Don’t forget the basics—socks and underwear for kids are 25-35 percent off, at just $3.75-13.50 per value pack.

Be sure to grab your “Kohl’s Cash” on the way out of the store, as well—get a $10 off coupon toward a later visit in August for every $50 you spend during the current back-to-school sale.

If you have a child entering preschool through the second grade, Carter’s may be the best place for you to nab deals.

Currently, Carter’s advertises a 50-percent-off sale on all back-to-school clothing fashions, for newborns through size 7. For boys, t-shirts and long-sleeve, rugby-style shirts are 50 percent off, bringing them down to $9-$14 each. For girls, tunics, leggings and graphic tees are 25-50 percent off, bringing them down to $9-$18 each.

Plus, at Carter’s you can “complete the look,” and grab matching jackets, socks, hair accessories, shoes and even sunglasses and keychains for any outfit.