Back to School Basket Savings Challenge

It’s time for the mad rush of Back to School Supplies shopping!

For this post, I was challenged to see who had the best prices on a basket full of school supplies. I was given $50 to shop at a local store and then buy the same items at my local Walmart store. I knew there were some great sales going on, so I checked my Sunday ads, and headed off to Staples. I thought they might have the best deals in town here, so I was curious as to where we’d end up.

Here is my school shopping list…

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1 pack of Computer/Copy Paper

1 pack of sheet protectors

2 Pencil Boxes

2 24 packs of crayons

3 12 packs of #2 pencils (not mechanical)

5 1 subject spiral bound notebooks

2 packs of wide rule filler paper

6 glue sticks

1 1.5″ binder

1 pair of child scissors

3 2 pocket portfolio folders.

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Here’s what I got at Staples:

• 1 pack of Staples branded 8.5×11 computer paper- $5.79
• 1 pack of Staples branded sheet protectors (50pk)- $5.00
• 2 Staples branded pencil boxes @$1 ea- $2.00
• 2 packs Crayola Crayons (24ct) $1 ea- $2.00
• 3 packs Staples branded #2 pencils (12 pk)- $1.50 ea- $4.50
• 5 Staples branded 1 Subject Notebook (70 sheets wide rule)- .50 ea- $2.50
• 2 packs Staples branded filler paper (150 sheets wide rule) .99 ea- $1.98
• 2 packs glue Avery branded disappearing purple glue sticks (4 pack) $2 ea- $4.00
• 1 Avery brand 1.5″ clear vue binder- $8.99
• 1 pack junior scissors (2 pack)- $2.00
• 6 Staples brand pocket folders .99 ea- $5.94

Total with 7% tax: 47.83

Here’s what I got at Walmart: 

• 1 pack of Georgia Pacific branded 8.5×11 computer paper- $2.00
• 1 pack of unbranded sheet protectors (50pk)- $3.67
• 2 Sterilite branded pencil boxes @ .57 ea- $1.14
• 2 packs Crayola Crayons (24ct) .50 ea- $1.00
• 4 packs Dixon branded #2 pencils (10 pk)- .47 ea- $1.88
• 5  unbranded 1 Subject Notebook (70 sheets wide rule)- .17 ea- .85
• 2 packs Norcom branded filler paper (150 sheets wide rule) .82 ea- $1.64
• 8 Elmers branded disappearing purple glue sticks .10 ea- .80
• 1 Avery brand 1.5″ clear vue binder- $3.78
• 1 pair junior scissors- $1.47
• 6 Walmart brand pocket folders .15 ea- .90

Total with 7% tax: 20.47

WOW! What a diference! The same school supplies at Walmart cost less than HALF of what they cost at Staples! I even tried going with store brands when possible! I am actually quite surprised considering some of my fellow Walmart Moms were able to find competitor’s prices close to their Walmart Prices. Maybe it has to do a little bit with location, but Walmart’s prices were so much better here.

If you haven’t done your Back to School shopping yet, make sure you check Walmart out! Don’t forget their price match guarantee! If you happen to see a better deal at another store, bring your ads along with you and shop in one place! There’s no reason to go all over town if you don’t have to!

Since Walmart was generous enough to cover my school supplies with this post, I’m going to be donating the extras to the school. I know we have local students who will have a hard time buying their school supplies. I hope that this helps them out.

I am a participant in the Walmart Moms program. Walmart provided me with compensation for my time and efforts on this post. Participation in this program is voluntary. As always, all opinions are 100% my own.