Almost everyone is back in the classroom, so stores are doing that final push on school supply sales, before they fill the shelves with Halloween candy. But a few deals remain. Here’s this week’s list of the best school supply sales I found (with the help of my best pal, Lyn) in the Denver area. It only includes what I see as the really good deals and I also update this list as soon as I can preview the sale flyers, so keep checking back over the weekend. Remember that you can also clip manufacturers coupons from inserts or print out coupons for school supplies and match them with a sale.
This year, a number of stores are running special sale prices on some items all summer long into early September. I’ve included some of those prices along with the weekly specials so you have them handy.
I’ve listed Walmart school supply prices at the end of this post for comparison. In general, I find them to have the best everyday price – but they aren’t better than the weekly sales at places like Office Depot, so be sure to check this list every single week. If you’re a smart shopper, you’ll spend very little on school supplies and may even have spare supplies to give to someone else.
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Office Depot / Office Max
Office Depot/Office Max brand unless otherwise noted. Most items are limit 3 per household, no rainchecks, while supplies last. Office Depot/Office Max will match competitor’s prices in-store and online as long as the brand, size, quantity, etc. are all equal.
In case you wonder where the 1¢ items have gone, here’s the scoop. Office Depot / Office Max has amped up its “Rewards Everything” program. It is FREE to join and you can do so here.
On Sundays (and again mid-week) you’ll receive an email about In Store Deals. Click on the part that says “Deals staring at 1¢” and you’ll find a page of printable coupons. Typically there are 3 or so items you can get for 1¢ (limit 3) with a $5 minimum purchase, but you must provide the coupon at checkout.
Weekly ad beginning 8/20:
Penny Deals (with minimum $5 purchase, limit 3):
- 1¢: ballpoint pens, 10-pk
- 1¢: scissors
- 1¢: 2-pocket poly plastic folders
- 1¢: composition books
Deals (limit 3 per household, unless otherwise noted):
- 25¢: slider pencil box
- 25¢: Elmer’s school glue
- 50¢: pink erasers, 3-pk
- $1: Ticonderoga #2 pencils
- $1: Sharpie permanent markers, 5-pk
- $3.99: Lexar USB 2.0 flash drive
Staples
Staples brand unless otherwise noted.
Weekly ad beginning 8/20:
- 15¢: 2-pocket folder, with and without fasteners (limit 5)
- 15¢: 1-subject notebook (wide and college ruled, limit 5)
- 25% off select backpacks
Season-long deals good through 9/9. Most season-long deals are limit 30, above that pay regular price. Staples brand unless otherwise noted.
- 25¢: 1-subject spiral paper cover notebook (college & wide ruled)
- 50¢: 1-subject poly notebook (college & wide ruled)
- 50¢: composition books (college & wide ruled)
- 50¢: filler paper, 120 sheets
- 50¢: ballpoint pens, 12-ct
- 50¢: 2-pocket report cover and folder
- 50¢: #2 wood pencils, 12-ct
- 50¢: glue, 4 oz.
- 50¢: Crayola crayons, 24-ct
- 97¢: Crayola markers (classic & thin)
- 97¢: Crayola colored pencils, 12-ct
- $1: Yellow #2 pencils, 12-ct
King Soopers
All prices are with your King Soopers card; don’t leave home without it.
Most of these prices will be good all season. Use for comparison and pair name-brand items with coupons (print or digital), and also keep an eye out for special coupons like $5 off $20 school supply purchase. Go here to get this deal and more school supply coupons.
Remember that gift cards always net you 2x fuel points, so consider buying Office Depot-Office Max or Staples gift cards to redeem at those stores, but rack up extra fuel points.
Download digital King Soopers coupons here. Cannot be combined with printed or paper coupons.
School supply prices all season:
- 49¢: #2 pencils, 10-ct
- 49¢: Crayola crayons, 24-pk
- 49¢: composition books
- 49¢: #2 pencils, 10ct
- 59¢: Scissors (blunt or pointed tip)
- 59¢: Elmer’s school glue, 4 oz.
- $1: Scotch scissors (blunt of pointed tip)
- $1: BIC Cristal pens, 10-ct
- $1: Paper Mate pens, 10-ct (use your 75¢ off Paper Mate coupon – final price 25¢)
- $1: Avery Hi-Liter, 4-ct
- $1: Sharpie yellow highlighters, 2-ct
- $1.49: Crayola Classic markers, 10-pk
- $1.99: Elmer’s glue sticks, 6-pk
- $2.99: Avery 5-tab plastic double-pocket dividers
- $2.99: Crayola washable Super Tips markers, 20 pk
- $2.99: Ticonderoga #2 pencils, 24-pk (good price for that brand)
Safeway
Safeway doesn’t typically stock a ton of school supplies, but if they increase their stock, we’ll update this list. Do remember that Safeway doubles most manufacturers’ coupons up to $1, so that can net you a great deal on name brand supplies. Sale prices required a Just4U loyalty card.
School supply prices all season:
- 39¢: rulers (wooden or plastic)
- 50¢: #2 pencils, 10-ct
- 74¢: BIC Brite Liner, 2-ct
- 74¢: Avery HiLiter, 2-ct
Target
Match the weekly deals with Target Cartwheel or manufacturers’ coupons for the biggest savings.
School supply prices all season:
- 50¢: Elmer’s 4 oz. school glue
- 99¢: Crayola classic markers, 10-ct.
- 99¢: BIC Xtra Life pens, 10-ct.
- 99¢: Up & Up scissors, 2-ct.
- $2.49: FiveStar Active 1-subject notebook
Walgreens
School supply prices all season:
- 49¢: school glue
- 99¢: composition books (wide & college ruled)
- 99¢: pencil box
- 99¢: glue stick, 3-pk
- 99¢: colored pencils, 12-pk
- 99¢: Wexford heavyweight sheet protectors
Walmart School Supply Deals
These prices were at my local Denver Walmart on 7/9/2017. They may vary slightly from store to store or week to week, but in past years, Walmart school supply prices stayed pretty consistent throughout the season.
Glue and Tape
- Elmer’s school glue sticks, 2-ct, 50¢
- Elmer’s school glue sticks, 6-count + bonus clear, $2.27
- Elmer’s white glue, 50¢
Pens, Pencils, Erasers
- Dixon #2 pencils, 20-ct., 97¢
- Pen + Gear #2 pencils, 72-ct, $3.97
- BIC mechanical pencils, 6-ct, $1.97 / 24 ct. + 3 bonus $3.47
- Pen + Gear mechanical pencils, 24-ct, $1.94
- Pen + Gear mechanical pencil starter kit, 3 with eraser and lead refills, 94¢
- Paper Mate mechanical pencil starter kit, 12 + 2 bonus, $3.94
- BIC Cristal ballpoint pens, black, 10-ct +2, $1.17
- Paper Mate pens, 10-ct, 97¢
- pink erasers, 2-pack, 48¢
- 2-hole sharpener, 47¢
Crayons and Markers
- Crayola crayons, 24-ct, 50¢ cents
- Crayola colored pencils, 12-ct, 97¢ / 24-ct $2.97
- Crayola erasable colored pencils, 12-ct $2.97 / 24-ct $5.97
- Crayola broad line markers, 10-ct, 97¢
- Crayola fine line markers, 10-ct, 97¢
- Crayola washable broad or fine line markers, 10-ct, $2.77
- Sharpie markers, black, 2-ct + 1 bonus, $1.77
- Sharpie markers, multi, 8-ct + 1 bonus, $4.97
- Sharpie highlighters, assorted colors, 5-ct + 1 bonus, $2.24
- Sharpie highlighters, yellow, 4 ct. + 2 bonus, $2.24
- Expo chisel-tip dry-erase markers, 4-ct + 1 bonus, black or multi, $3.47
- Expo dry-erase starter set with 5 fine-tip markers, eraser, and liquid cleaner $5.97
Paper, Notebooks, and Index Cards
- 1-subject spiral notebooks, 70 sheets, 25¢
- 1-subject spiral notebooks, poly cover, 100 sheets, 97¢
- Mead Five Star 1-subject spiral notebook, $2.76
- Mead Five Star 3-subject spiral notebook, $3.74
- Mead Five Star 5-subject spiral notebook, $4.74
- composition books, 100 sheets, 50¢
- composition books, 100 sheets with poly covers, 67¢
- filler paper, 150 sheets, 82¢
- filler paper, 500 sheets $2.50
- Post-It sticky notes, 3×3 inch, 90-ct $1 / 450-ct $4.44
- index cards, ruled, 3×5 inch, 100-ct, 48¢
- index card case, poly 88¢
- Crayola construction paper, 120 sheets, $2.97
Binders, Folders, and Inserts
- folders, 2-pocket w/no prongs, paper 15¢ cents
- folders, 2-pocket w/prongs, laminated 37¢ cents
- folders, 2-pocket w/prongs, poly 50¢ cents
- 3-ring binder, 1″ poly 88¢
- 3-ring binder, 1″ hardcover 97¢
- Pen + Gear 3-ring binder, 1” hardcover $1.92
- index divider, 5-tab 47 cents / “durable” style $1.96
- index divider, 5-tab w/pocket 88 cents / “durable” style $2.48
- zippered binders in many styles and sizes from $6 to $10+
Scissors, Rulers, and Misc.
- 12-inch wooden ruler, 25¢
- 12-inch flexible ruler, 97¢
- Fiskars 5-inch scissors, blunt or pointed $1.47
- calculators hand-held, 94¢
- staplers mini-size, 97¢
- school box, large, plastic, hinged 97¢
- pencil box, small, 48¢
- binder pouch plastic, 48¢
- binder pouch cloth, 97¢
- dry-erase board with marker and two magnets, $1.97
- GermX 3 oz. hand sanitizer, 96¢
- backpacks start at $10
Stay tuned for more school supply deals next week.
Sarah says
Thanks for this list– very helpful!!