Ready-set-go! Save on back-to-school
Photo by YinYang/iStock
Back-to-school is also “back to save” in Virginia the weekend of August 6th – 8th, 2010, during the sales tax holiday on selected school and clothing items. It’s a great way for families to save on necessary school supplies.
After organizing, talking to children, and checking the various school websites for supply lists, some perennial items stand out.
The following checklist can be printed, amended, and taken to the store. It’s usually a good idea to make one list per child, as not only do teachers have separate needs for their classrooms, but also children have individual ways to organize themselves:
Basics:
__#2 Pencils
__Blue or black pens
__Loose-leaf paper
__Highlighters
__Index cards
__3-ring binder(s)
__Glue sticks
__Spiral one-subject notebook(s)
__Pocket folders (w/o brads)
__Composition book
Many kids like the convenience of mechanical pencils, and, with a supply of erasers and leads, one or two mechanical pencils can last out the year.
Specialty:
__Graph paper
__Ear buds (small headphones that fit into the ear)
__USB flash drive (1GB minimum)
__Notebook dividers
__Ruler
__Colored Pencils
Music, band, or language classes sometimes have special items. It's important to check individual school websites for their supply lists.
Classroom purchases:
__Tissues
__Hand sanitizer
__Baby wipes
__Plug-in air fresheners
__Dry erase markers
__Loose-leaf paper
Items to avoid:
Rolling book bags
Other budget items:
It’s often a good idea to set money aside for PE uniforms (usually less than $20.00 per two-piece uniform). It helps to have two uniforms so one can be in the wash and one can be worn at school. Travel-size deodorant is also useful to have for kids to keep in their PE locker, along with their uniform.
Virginia Beach Public Schools offer the opportunity to pre-pay for school lunches and a-la-carte items online through MySchoolBucks. It’s easy to set up an account and attach a credit card. It only takes a day or so for payments to show up in the balance, and the student pays for lunch using his or her school ID#, as usual. Payments for the 2010-2011 school year are allowed after August 15th.
Getting back into school allows both students and teachers to realize what special items they’ll need to conduct their classroom activities. Setting aside some school supply money for these items is always a good idea.
Local store ads for the Virginia School Supply and Clothing Sales Tax Holiday:
Target - $0.10 ea. pocket folders
Walgreen’s - $0.29 ea. one-subject spiral notebooks
Office Depot – Free backpack (limit 2) with $10.00 minimum purchase
OfficeMax – Check for Payless ShoeSource $5.00 promo
The Virginia Department of Taxation has more information on Sales Tax Holiday qualifying items.
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