Don't I know it.  I think the best thing I did was shop for these the weekend I did because she was not with me and I was able to control what I bought.  She asked me ysterday if it was time to get supplies and I told her I already did and she is excited about looking at them when she has time.  I made sure I got her some really cute things as well as plain old supplies!

dmc_2008:

I made sure I got her some really cute things as well as plain old supplies!

Some may disagree but I think a few fun or nicely colored/decorated items add enthusiasm for using them and learning. I like to get holiday themed pencils for the kids and my youngest loves getting a pack of princess or sparkly ones as well.

the thought of brite pens and penciles is a good ideal for kids specially if there is a cartoon they like on it mine was barbie on the lunch box and peanuts gang from the cartoon strip those were my favorite and different pen colors use to drive my teacher nuts back in england the bpo. on base sold those..

See also the thread above on priiinter paper, my last post.

DMC_2008: I actually grew up in Cincinnati, Ohio.  My dad transferred to Texas my sophomore year in high school...talk about culture shock.  Anyway, Pee Chee's were standard school supply fare.  My mother was a very frugal person and I always thought she bought so many of them because they were inexpensive.  In fact, she would get upset when she'd see me doodling all over them because she wanted us to get more than one year's use out of them...I'll be 46 in December so we are close in age.

I always watched for the loss leaders for oldest DD's kids, since those along the Wasatch Front are MUCH better than the ones in the Uintah Basin, probably because there are so many more shoppers to fight over, but this year I ran into a combo to pass on to you all for next year.

Office Max has a "rebate" type card call MaxPerks. When I return an empty HP ink cartridge, they credit me $3 to my "card". I can't use it right then, I have to wait for it to "post" a few weeks later. The "credit" expires after 3 monhts of not used.  Think of it as their job to get the cartridges & design a cumbersome program so most people won't use it. MY job is to make sure I use the credits. The cartridges can sit in their cute little packages until a month or so before we need the credit, at which point they get turned in.

Nevertheless, oldest DD & I have diligently been "depositing" the ink cartridges, & I just bought 6 ten packs of pencils for a dime each (limit of 6), 6 of those composition books for 50 cents each, 3 wooden rulers for a penny and 6 two-pocket folders for one penny. Bottom line; they cost us NOTHING, & I still have a couple of dollars on the card!  Check it out, & use it next year!

Okay, DS started his sophomore year yesterday and the supply list was sent for each class...all I can say is wow.  $56.00 and 3 stores later we got home with his supplies minus the 4 Literature books we'll be purchasing from the Barnes & Nobles booth that will be set up at open house in two weeks.  Some teachers were specific in the color binders/folders they needed, others weren't very clear in their requests.  For instance, his Health teacher just wanted a folder and 3 boxes of kleenex (the good kind) I took that to mean they didn't want store brand tissues.

Just venting again...It was a long evening by the time we got home and I filled out all those forms they sent.  Thanks for listening.

Lee,

School Supply lists are rediculus, vent away!  ;-)  I am right there with ya!

dmc_2008:

Lee,

School Supply lists are rediculus, vent away!  ;-)  I am right there with ya!

My DD's list wasn't that unreasonable, but it was a bit confusing later on.  For example, the list included "2 dry erase markers".  So I bought the 4 pack b/c it was on sale and cheaper than the other packages and just sent the whole thing to school.  I did not know the markers needed to be in DD's pencil box b/c they were for her to use on the board in class.  I guess it's my fault for assuming they were for the teacher, but I was kinda following what had been precedent from every other person I've ever spoken to or heard from regarding school supplies.