Most Back-to-School Sales are Over!

Now that school has started all over the country, most office supply stores have stopped offering good deals and steep discounts on back-to-school goods.  Since parents and teachers are now forced to buy the supplies they'd put off buying all summer, there's no need to be kind to us and offer a deal.

Office Max is the exception, as they're still running their Back-to-School for Pennies special this week.  The deals aren't incredible, but there are some good things to pick up if you're already there.  Rulers for $0.10 and 12-packs of Sharpies for $5.99 stand out the most, as do the $0.25 binders (nice, bold colors, too!).  There is also an offer for 50% off lamination for those of us who (for some strange reason!) don't have personal laminators yet.

I hope everyone has had a smooth, exciting back-to-school and promise that I will try to update more frequently.  It was a crazy week and I didn't get online much, but I'll be back with the deals in no time!

These Crazy LeapFrogs Keep Getting Cheaper!!!

I know I told you of a great way to get Leapfrog TAG books at K-Mart for $1.80 each... but what if I told you a way to get TWO FOR $0.60?

If you go here you can print a $4.00 off Leapfrog Product coupon.  These coupons are unlimited, which means you can print as many as you want... but you won't need that many, because K-Mart (where the books are on sale for as low as $4.80) offers a $5.00 coupon (the kind that prints from the machine by the register) when you spend $5.00 on LeapFrog products!

So here's what you need to do:

:::Pick 2 LeapFrog TAG books at $4.80 each.  Use 2 -$4.00 coupons.  Pay $0.80 each, or $1.60 for two books (a little less than you'd've paid for one using the $3.00 off coupon I posted about earlier.

:::Your cashier will hand you a $5.00 off LeapFrog purchase coupon that the register generates.

:::Go find 2 more LeapFrog TAG books.  Get back on line.  Use the $5.00 off AND the $4.00 coupons.  This will knock the price of one down to FREE with a $0.20 overage and the other off to $0.60 ($4.80 - $4.00 - $0.20 overage from other purchase) - Two LeapFrog Books for $0.60!

:::Another $5.00 coupon will print.

:::Repeat from the 3rd step until you have all the titles you want.

I would suggest printing about 6 coupons, which leaves you the opportunity for up to 5 transactions.  If you already printed the $3.00 off coupons, you may want to save ink on your computer and pay the extra dollar on some transactions.

You may also want to have a friend on line a few people behind you with more titles to keep things flowing - you grab 2 books and so does s/he.  You get on line, he lets about 5 people between you.  When you pay, hand off your $5.00 coupon and go get 2 more books.  Get back on line.  Your friend can hand you their $5.00 coupon while they get more books.  This could significantly speed up the process.

I have heard that to use rolling coupons like this you may want to try to get on different lines to make sure no one stops you from making multiple transactions.  I've also heard that some cashiers will let you make 2 or 3 transactions at one time, which means you can just keep handing over 2 books and using the $5.00 coupon that prints!

Best. Center. Ever.

Books for as low as $1.77 at Books-a-Million!

I love the internet!

After googling around for a while, I managed to find a link to a moneysaving blog I don't normally read, which directed me to The Books-A-Million site, which has some serious sales on books.  These books are good for upper-Elementary readers and struggling middle school students; most of the books are TC Level M+.  There are some Roald Dahl, Judy Blume and Paula Danzinger (Amber Brown series) books for sale at discounts as steep as 80%, which means a lot of the books are around $1.77 each!

If your classroom library is in need of an upgrade, this might be a great place to start.  Titles are somewhat limited on the sales, but this might be a great place to get books for guided reading groups!  Even if you buy 5 of a title, that's only $8.85, and you'll be set for a guided reading group right when school starts (if that's the case, I suggest sticking to a TC level that you know a good amount of your class will need help getting to; look over your reorganization sheets, IEPs and other documents you got from last year's teacher!).

Enjoy!

Borders Teacher Rewards Card

Did you know that Borders gives a 25% off discount on books and music for teachers, as well as 10% off educational DVDs?  Because I didn't!!  This is a way better deal than the Barnes and Noble Teacher Rewards (20% on books, DVDs don't apply, I'm not sure what the deal with music is).  It's too bad that so many Borders are going out of business.  I only know of a few locations.  But next time I pass by one, I will certainly stop in and get a Classroom Discount Card.

You need to present photo identification and pay stubs or a teacher's photo ID in order to qualify when you fill out your application.

How to get 400-ct Post-It Pads for $0.50

Post it notes are not the cheapest thing we buy for our classroom, but they're important school supplies that are useful in many ways.  Here are some of the ways I use Post-Its in the classroom.

--Write comments and feedback for student work without having to write on their work (which some schools frown upon)
--For pre-literate students who are still in the drawing/labeling stages of writing, write down what they said their story is (exactly as they say it) and place on picture (front or back) so that you remember the story or for bulletin board purposes.
--Give to students to make notes about their reading during Readers' Workshop.
--Use in Math Workshop when making bar graphs with the children - each square = one unit up on the bar.

So how can you get Post-Its for $0.50?!  Follow these easy steps:

(1)  Go to the 3M site and print their coupon page.  Coupons are good until 9/6/09 and you can print as many as you want (a lot of online coupons have 2-coupon limits).  I printed 5.

(2)  Cut out the middle coupon for $0.50 of any one Super Sticky Post-It Pad.  It's up to you if you want to spend, save or discard the other two coupons on the page for Pot-It Flags.

(3)  Go to any Office Max during the week of 8/23 - 8/29, where 400-ct cubes of Post-It notes are on sale for $1.00.  Buy as many as you have coupons for.

(4)  When you get to the register, give over your coupons!

Since Post-It packs run between $2.75 and $3.75 (according to the Office Max ad), if you buy 5 pads you are theoretically doing a B1G4 with a small discount!  Wow!

**Note - if Office Max tries to decline the coupons, remind them that they are manufacturer's coupons, so Office Max will be reimbursed for the money you saved by the 3M Corporation.  Ask politely for a manager if the salesperson tries to block your transaction - it's a perfectly OK transaction and you shouldn't have any problems!

What I got at Old Navy!

The picture quality is a little crummy, but this is what I got at the Old Navy $3 t-shirt sale.  There was a limit of 5 shirts, but I wanted 7 so I just got back on line.  I also wanted a pair of flipflops to close out the summer in - they were 2 for $5, so I got my mom a pair, too (not pictured).

I had a 20% off coupon, which I used on my transaction for the first 5 shirts and the flipflops.  The other 2 shirts I had to suck it up and pay the full $3.  Oh, well.

The shirts were tagged at $12.50 EACH, which means the total cost of everything pictured here should've been $90.  I paid a little over $20!  What a deal!  To sweeten the pot, I also got 10% my next purchase for filling out a very quick survey with my receipt details online.  Nice!

These shirts will be great under little jackets with jeans or with cute skirts for back-to-school.  I'm lucky because the dress code at my school is pretty casual, so I can count these as work clothes, even though they'll get mostly weekend use.  The flipflops, obviously, I can't  wear to work, but I plan to live in them after 3:00 weekdays and all day Saturday and Sunday until October.  

What I did for Teacher Appreciation Day

Check out what I scored for Teacher Appreciation Day!  You can't see everything in the picture, so of course I'm willing to give a breakdown of the scene (which, for the record, took forever to set up, so I hope you appreciate it!)  

*OD indicates Office Depot free gift for TA Day

*S indicates Staples free gift for TA day (I went to 2 different Staples, so I got doubles of everything)

$OD indicates that I purchased the item at Office Depot.

From left corner, moving down:

Two purple milk crates $OD

4 packs of Ricola Minis $OD

10 "Very Useful" small storage cubes w/ tops (5 packs) $OD

2 Plastic Pencil Boxes *S

5 Steno Pads *S 2 eco-friendly 2-packs / *OD 1 single

Fold Out Ruler *OD

2 Boxes of 12 pencils *S

2 Herbal Essences conditioner samples $OD (hey, they were a quarter each, I couldn't resist!!!)

2 packs 50-ct Push Pins *S

2 packs 100-ct vinyl-coated paperclips *S

Post-It Note dispenser *OD

5 packs of 3M Poster Stickies 4 packs *S / 1 pack *OD

From just left of center, heading down:

2 Staples Tote Bags *S

Sight Words Bingo $OD

Money Tray $OD

4 larger-sized (7 l) Very Useful Containers with lids (2 blue, 2 clear) $OD

5 packs of 4-ct glue sticks $OD

6 packs of 12-ct pencil top erasers technically $OD, except they were FREE.

2 Chapsticks

Center, foreground of photo:

3 packs Expo Dry Erase Markers (2 10-ct with whiteboard eraser / 1 16-ct) $OD

2 highlighters, 2 pencils, 1 pilot Varsity fountain pen, 1 Expo marker, 2 mini-mechanical pencils with squishy grip things *S highlighers and mechanical pencils w/ grippys / *OD pencils, Expo marker and Varsity Pen.

2 folders paper folder *S / plastic folder *OD

DVD-R *OD

From far right, heading down:

Office Depot Tote *OD

White Sentence Strips $OD

Multicolored Sentence Strips $OD

--------------------------

Aaaannndddd for the totals!  Drumroll please:

All Office Depot purchases cost me $79.00 out of pocket.  I got two coupons while I was there (one Register Reward and one tear-off as part of TA day) for $10 off future orders.  If I apply those savings now (as theoretical, since they function like cash-back) I spent $59.00.

Going over my Office Depot receipts, if I had bought this merchandise at full-price without my teacher's discount, I'd have spent $185!  That means that I SAVED $126!!!  If I estimate the costs of the free merchandise from both Staples and Office Depot, I probably saved closer to $150!

Future posts will detail my experiences at both Teacher Appreciation Days (and the Old Navy T-Shirt sale!) and give a little bit more information about where my biggest savings were and what the best (and worst!) parts of each day were.

Appreciate Me!

I'm off to be appreciated this morning!  Don't forget that from 9:00 - 11:00 both Staples and Office Depot are hosting their Teacher Appreciation Days!

Also, just a reminder that today is Old Navy's $3 t-shirt sale.  One day only!

Don't be lazy!  Be  cheap!  :0)

New Office Depot 8/23 - 8/30 Circular with some good deals

I'm new to the Office Depot game, largely because I don't feel compelled to trek into Manhattan from Brooklyn to shop there.  That said, there are some great deals going on at Office Depot next week that might just get my lazy self on the train... especially if I can meet up with someone to have lunch or something.  

But for those of you lucky enough to live near an Office Depot--or those who will be near one this coming week--I wanted to share the highlights from this week's sales.

First off, 10-packs of #2 pencils are $0.10!  Awesome.  While it's not 10 or 12-packs for a penny (why hasn't Staples offered that yet this August?  Is the Office Max sale for real?), it's getting late enough in the season that this deal looks good.

Pencil cases (they look sort of cute) are also on sale for $0.10.  This is a better deal than the previously posted Staples pencil cases for $0.33, but it's hard to tell from the picture what the quality is.  Worth looking into, for sure.  

Wow!  Purell is on sale for $0.25 - well worth getting a whole bunch!  I go through this stuff like crazy with my young students.  These look like travel size bottles in the picture, which is not as big a savings as if they were bigger, but travel Purell still retails at around $0.99 - $1.29, so this is still somewhere in the ballpark of 75-80% off.  

Also a quarter each are 2-packs of scissors and 24-ct crayons, though it's worth noting that these are NOT Crayola crayons.  I usually don't display brand allegiance in the face of deals.  There are three exceptions where I ALWAYS buy my brand:  ketchup (Heinz), tampons (you don't really need to know that!) and Crayola crayons/markers.  I wouldn't buy anything but Crayola because the crayons seem to break/crumble and the markers seem to dry out on every other brand.  Even if they're super cheap, it's not worth it in the long run.

Now, there ARE LIMITS on these items, and Office Depot's position is that they do not waive or extend limits for teachers, so you need to either bring people with you or be willing to make multiple transactions to get what you need.  

They also have some cool FREE items, either with instant or mail-in rebate.  Up to 5 folders and up to 3 protractors are absolutely FREE - no rebate or anything! - in store all week.  Crazy!  While you can do multiple transactions for the sales, I don't think you'll be able to get away with that on the free items.

There are also FREE mail in rebates on Sharp Calculators ($6.99 laid out, given back on a prepaid Visa) and Sharpie 5-packs ($4.49 laid out, given back on a prepaid Visa), which is sort of nifty.

If you go here you can also print a $10 off $40+ purchases coupon, but since you probably need to make 8 million transactions to get enough pencils or whatever, you may not be able to spend that much.

New Staples Weekly Ad!

Usually we have to wait until Sundays to see the new Staples Weekly Ad, but I got an alert to my inbox today about the new sale!  Woot!  I couldn't navigate to it through the mainpage (I still got the current weekly ad) but see if you can see the page by clicking the link they sent me here.  Just don't buy anything - you're logged in as me!  :-)

In case you can't see the ad, or in case you're feeling lazy on this hot-as-Hades August day, here's my brief synopsis of the best of the weekly ad.  This is not a complete listing, but they're the deals that I thought might actually be worth it.

2-Pocket Folders are finally on penny sale!  Yeah!  Usually teacher limits are 25, but that's when in-store limits are 2-5.  Since the normal person limit on these is 20, we'll probably be able to push the envelope on this one, but since I need 100, I'll still need to make multiple trips (or bring friends to help).

Staples 4-pack Dry Erase Markers are $3.99 BOGO - works out to $2 a pack or $0.50 a marker.  Pick from fine or chisel tip.

Expo Dry Erase 12-pack are on sale for $10.00, down from $15.98!  This is a good deal if you like to have assorted colors for your dry-erase boards (I know I do!) and works out to $1.20/marker.  While this is higher by over 100% than the staples Dry-Erase on sale, you may choose Expo for one of several reasons:  Expo are known to be excellent dry erase markers, while I think the Staples brand is new.  You may have a finicky white board that isn't as good with cheaper markers (I'm looking at you, LiquiMark!  You suck!).  Or you may just be into the colors.  I would suggest getting one or two Expo 12-packs (put one away until December) and then using the BOGO above to stock up on everything else you need.

Sharpie Felt-Tip Pens BOGO - $6.99 for a fine-tip 4-pack or $9.99 for the assorted colors 6-pack.  The assorted colors are good for grading (black, blue, green, purple and orange, plus a red that I'm sure you can use for something).  I am OBSESSED with these pens, and this is a really good deal.  Seriously, best. pens. Ever!

24-pack multicolored Sharpies $10.00.

36-pack Staples brand Gel Pens $10.00 (I thought Gel Pens went out in like, 1999!)

Staples Plastic Pencil Cases B1G2 $0.99 (works out to $0.33 each!)

Staples Construction Paper Ream B1G2 $4.99 (works out to $1.66 each!)

20%-50% off backpacks 

HP 4-gig Flash Drive $9.99 

And now here's a deal that might  be worth it and might not be.... I won't do it, but you might be interested, depending on how much money you're willing to lay out.

Staples is offering a BOGO after Rebate on 5-ream Typing Paper Cartons.  These retail at $24.99 each, so paying for 2 requires you to shell out $50.  Yikes!  But then you'll get a $25 instant rebate and have paid $25 - or $2.50 each ream - for the paper.  There are also coupons floating around (I haven't found any, but if I do, I'll post - I'm on it!) that are $20 off orders of $50+, which could get the layout down to $30 and the total cost down to $5.00 - or $0.50 a ream!  I'm not usually a rebate fan, and I wouldn't lay out the $50, but I would be willing to lay out $30 to get 10 reams of paper for $5.00.  I'll post if I find the coupons.

Dilemma! Old Navy T-Shirt Sale is the same day as Teacher Appreciation Day!

Old Navy has been having some great sales lately.  Earlier in the month they had all ribbed tank tops on sale for $2, and all women's jeans are currently $19 (kids' jeans are $10!).  On Saturday, August 22, 2009 they are running a one-day promotion where all basic tee-shirts will be on sale for $3 (limit 5).  For those of you who are not math teachers, that means you can get 5 shirts for $15 with tax.

Also, every Thursday night Old Navy updates their Weekly Ad, and they include hidden clickable coupons in the pictures.  Grab your mouse and start clipping, and you can find some good deals!  Mostly I've found 10% off your order (which brings the shirts down to $13.50 for 5 / $2.70 each) but there are better deals floating around out there.  There is even a $75 off orders of $100 or more (!!!!).  That's almost free!

So what's the plan now for Saturday, where I have two Teacher Appreciation days and the Old Navy sale (which, remember, is while supplies last?)

Scenario One:  Get up at 7:45.  Be on line at Staples by 8:30 to get my package right at 9:00.  Check sales quickly and make some purchases (if I find anything good).  Leave by 9:30.  Get on train to Office Depot in Manhattan and arrive by 10:30.  Grab a free coffee and a gift, check sales and be on line by 11:00.  Rush to nearest Old Navy (14th st?) on the Subway, get there between 11:30 and 12:00, buy t-shirts (unless I found a major coupon, in which case I'll get other stuff too).

Scenario Two:  Get up at 7:00.  Drive to the shopping center that has a Staples and an Old Navy, about 15-30 minutes away depending on traffic.  Get to Staples by 8:15 and get on line.  Take my time shopping the sales, get a gift and head over to Old Navy around 10.  Skip Office Depot.  (Less free stuff, but less hassle)

Scenario Three:  Get up at 7:45.  Be on line at Staples by 8:30 to get my package right at 9:00.  Check sales quickly and make some purchases (if I find anything good).  Leave by 9:30.  Get on train to Office Depot in Manhattan and arrive by 10:30.  Grab a free coffee and a gift, check sales and be on line by 11:00.  Skip Old Navy and pass on the super cheap t-shirts.  Go home.  Cry.

I'll let you know which one I choose!  :-)

Barnes and Noble Educator Discounts

It's easy to sign up for the Barnes and Noble Teacher Rewards program.  Here are the basic steps:

(1)  Go to the a nearby Barnes and Noble.  Bring either your union card, department of education ID or two recent pay stubs.  Also bring a photo ID (whatever you usually carry).

(2)  Hand over these materials and say you want an Educator's Rewards card.

(3)  Receive card!

(4)  Shop with a 20% discount on most items (some get 15%).  Magazines, stationary and some other items don't get the discount.  Technically everything you buy on this discount card should be used in your classroom... but if you buy a few books for yourself and pretend, I won't tell anyone.

I've been using my Barnes and Noble Educator Rewards card since I started teaching, and I save a lot of money using it, both for business and pleasure.  But I just found out that you can also use your Educator's Discount card at BarnesandNoble.com!  Here are the basic steps:

(1)  Make sure you already have an Educator's Rewards card.

(2)  Go to the Barnes and Noble Educators' Website.

(3)  Create an account linked to your email address and punch in your Membership Number in the appropriate box.

(4)  Orders may be screened to make sure you're buying classroom appropriate materials.

I realize that I'll save a lot of money ordering books for the classroom on B&N using this discount; I used to order online from Amazon, but I'm upgrading.  As far as I know, Amazon doesn't offer teacher-specific discounts (though I'ma go google that and see!)

Walgreens Weekly Ad (8/19 - 8/22 - 4 days only! - 2 days left!)

We just got a Walgreens in my area and I'm already in love.  Not only do they carry all sorts of awesome stuff, there are some pretty good deals floating around in their Weekly Ad.  They also have all sorts of cash-back-at-register specials.  

Here is a (very small) copy of the front page of this week's Walgreens weekly ad.  Please note that there are a LOT of deals in this multi-page ad, but I am highlighting the ones that I think make most sense to Cheaper Teachers!

Oxford Binders - BOGO - $3.99 for two after special

Backpacks - 50% off - $4.99 each

Bic Highlighters - $0.39 for a 5-pack!  

Puf's Tissues - $0.89 each (limit 3)

Tylenol Extra Strength - BOGO - $4.49 for two after special

Papermate Pens 10-pack - $0.49 (limit 4)

Papermate Mechanical Pencils 10-Pack - $0.49 (limit 4)

Huggies Wipes - $2.79 each but check in-store Back-to-School coupon book for a $2 off coupon - $0.79 each with coupon (coupon applies to multiples, some limits apply)

Corner Office 5-pack Tab Dividers - $0.49 each (limit 4)

Diet Coke 12-can Pack - 3/$10 (we all need caffeine!  Real Coke and Sprite also work)

5-Star Notebooks - BOGO 50% off - prices vary

GE 10 Megapixel Digital Camera - $79.99 - a good deal for a digital camera if you don't already have one

Plus, if you spend $25 or more, you get a $5 instant refund taken at register.

Remember that if you're using coupons, the $25 total is before coupon discounts, so you don't really need to spend the full $25 to qualify for the discount with coupons. Sale items are counted as they ring up.

Have fun!  Let me know if you spot any more Walgreens deals that I missed! 

Also, check the weekly ad for all sorts of coupons (clippables).  There are a few good ones, but the best I saw was Kleenex Tissues - $0.99 each - limit 3 per coupon

Cheaper Teachers Gear Up for Back To School!

This isn't a teacher-specific discount, but it's a good one for all you Cheaper Teachers out there who need new clothes for Back-To-School in the Fall.  JC Penney has a Save $10 on any $10 or more order coupon code running right now.

And you're thinking... okkkaaayyyy, Cheaper Teacher, that's not that great a deal.  And JC Penny is known for it's samplings of nasty old lady clothes.  What gives?

Well, if you head on over to the site and check the Clearance Section you will see all sorts of good deals, and the clothes are not nearly as ugly as I expected them to be.  I found some cute things!  Their prices range (on clearance) from $5.99 - $9.99, which is how I worked out this deal:  

Step 1:  Cheaper Teacher searched Clearance items for shirts that were cute enough for work.  She decided to go plain and got a white shirt and a black shirt with only a little bit of detailing.  Not too much room for them to be ugly. Each shirt was $5.99 on clearance (down from $22!)

Step 2:  Cheaper Teacher entered Coupon Code GET4BTS and got a $10 discount on her $11.98 purchase.

Step 3:  Cheaper Teacher checked out with $4.99 shipping.

Step 4:  JC Penney sent Cheaper Teacher confirmation that her two shirts (value $44 

+ $5 shipping = $49!) would be shipped.  Total billing was just under $7, or $3.50 per shirt!  This is cheaper than you could probably do at Pretty Girl (though not at Conway) but for much better quality.  The shirts are basic, but will pair well with slacks, skirts and maybe even under blazers (not that I wear blazers to work, but some of you Secondaries might!).

There are other retailers that will be having great sales around this time of year, and I'll be posting as many as I can find, as well as Teacher-Specific deals and discounts, but I thought I'd start you off with this one.  It was way too good to pass up!

A Love Song to Target

Oh, Target.  How do I love thee?  Let me count the ways:

(1)  You have all sorts of amazing cheap things for my life, home and wardrobe.  Even if I weren't a Cheaper Teacher, we'd be pals.

(2)  Your August School Supply Sales are amazing.  So far I have gotten:

(3)  10-pack wide Crayola markers for $1 each!  This may sound expensive considering that Rose Art goes for about half that on sale, but kids, let me tell you something, Rose Art markers are the WORST.  You'll pay 3X as much if you get that junk.  I got 15 packs of markers and they should last me the year.  Target is also amazing because they have no limits on how many of a sale item you can buy.  <3

(4)  24-count Crayola crayons for 25-cents.  I know I said that I got these cheaper at Staples the last few years, but Staples is holding out on me and I couldn't pass this deal.  Again, with no limits, I got crayons to last the year and then some (32 boxes, if you're wondering - they break and get lost so easily that I'd rather be safe than sorry) for $8.  A steal!

(5)  Target Dollar Bins:  This is the first place I go when I walk into a Target.  They have all sorts of amazing things for teachers.  Just last week I got:

(6)  4-packs of magnetized clips for $1.00 (that's 25 cents a clip, kids!).  While cheaper to buy clothespins for hanging charts, having magnetized clips for your whiteboard or magnetized chalkboard is magical.  They can also put charts on a clothesline in a pinch.

(7)  Happy Birthday / Super Student Certificates:  24 in a set for a dollar.  At the time I bought them I thought my class might be changing to a class of 27 (from my Special Ed 12) but I got my class back, and I've got extras for next year.

(9)  Student Name Plates:  24/$1.  Last year I got red ones with monkeys and bananas.  This year they're blue with stars.  They had all sorts of selections, all cute for different age groups.  Last year when I got these they lasted all year with a strip of clear packing tape over them.  Made of good card stock.  A teacher supply store would easily get $3-5 for a pack of 12 of these babies.

(10)  The Prize Box.  Target's dollar bin keeps me in prize box purchases all year.  They're also great for holiday and year-end gifts for your students if you do that.  My year-end gifts for the kids cost me $40 TOTAL (only a few cents over $3/kid) and were adorable - each child got a pail and shovel set ($1 each), sports bottle (50 cents each), pack of sidewalk chalk ($1 each), bath squirty, bubbles, pencils and bookmarks.  It was insane!  I plan to post lots of prize box finds as I come across them.

(11)  Tupperware!  Both for storage and for lunches!  

There are a million and one other reasons I love Target, but man, I'm tired!  More later.

What's the deal with Recession Penny Sales?

I became a teacher in 2007.  The summer before I started teaching, I found out about Penny Sales and my life was forever changed.  I stocked up!  My first summer I got rulers for either a penny or a nickel (can't remember, but I got about a million), two-packs of scissors for 5 cents, white Elmer's glue for 5 cents a bottle, the coveted paper folders for a penny each, 12-packs of pencils for a penny, individual pencil sharpeners for 5 cents, 24-packs of Crayola crayons for 15 cents, and all sorts of other good stuff.  My second summer, I got the pencils, folders, glue and sharpeners again.  I also got crayons again, but they might have spent 20 cents on them.  I got some other things that I'm not remembering, but I know for a fact that both summers I STOCKED UP.  Remember that even though there are strict limits on these deep discounts, teachers get up to 25 as their limit (instead of like, three).  You can bring friends to hold baskets and get back on line to do several transactions, or you can shop several times over the course of one day or a few days.  Some cashiers will override any limits and let teachers get away with overages (within reason) if you beg and flirt a little.

But what's going on this year?  I have been striking out at Penny Sales this year.  So many of my favored items are either not on sale at all (I'm looking at you, folders!  I get 90 of these every year so I can color code things, and there's a big difference between 90 cents and the $13.50 that they'd cost at 15 cents, which is the full price).  Other items have turned up, but at less of a discount.  These are still awesome deals for parents buying school supplies for children, but are kind of hurting my pocket.  

Here are the deals that are currently running:

STAPLES, who started the penny sales (to my knowledge) are really falling down on their deals.  There are still some good opportunities, and of course I'll take them, but I'm hoping they ratchet things up a notch in the last weeks of August.

-This week they have 25-cent marble notebooks.  This is awesome for parents, but not so good for me.  I have 12 students, so to get them each one book is $3.  My kids need 5 books (school rules) so that's $15.  If half the parents buy their kids books (which is what happened last year) I can get them all notebooks for about $7.50.  I'll do it, but last year it cost me less than half that.

-They're also offering computer/typing paper for $1, which is an AMAZING deal.  I am running out to do this tomorrow, but it's on a rebate.  Rebate limits can't be extended for teachers (not sure why) so I can only get 2 reams of paper.  I'm not sure if I can just keep getting on line, either, since Staples rebates are filed for online.  Maybe I could beg some friends to file for my rebates for me, but that feels so moochy.

-Packs of pens and hilighters are on sale for $1.  This is an OK deal but I'm going to hold off for now in the hope that they or someone else run them cheaper in the next 2 1/2 weeks.

-Other penny sale items I've gotten that have expired include 6-packs of spiral notebooks for 6 cents (I got 2 packs for 12 cents and have to figure out what to use them for, since marbles are preferable... maybe homework notebooks?) and... that's it.  I haven't seen the pencils, so maybe I missed them when I was on vacation, but those usually repeat.  Also... where are the folders?!?!?!

-Remember that Penny Sales Expire on Wednesday of the week they are listed.  New sales will still be released on Sunday.  I like to check staples.com in advance, but I often just walk in.

Office Max started running commercials about a week ago for their "back to school for pennies" sale.  Cute name.  Except that it's so hard to tell from the website what, exactly, is on the sale.  Unlike Staples, they don't seem to list the penny sale on their Weekly Ad, which is frustrating.  Because I haven't gotten to an Office Max to check out what they're offering, I can't complain as hard as I did about Staples, but I know from seeing the commercials that they weren't mentioning anything that made me want to rush out to an Office Max.  Maybe I'm biased because there is a Staples 5 minutes from my house and Office Max is a 20-30 minute train ride away.  I am going to try to get out to an Office Max this week to scope out the sale situation.  Hopefully they won't have been hit by the recession the way Staples has!

In other news, the best deals I have found so far this year have been at Target.  This post is getting unwieldy, so I'll address that in my next entry.  

Teacher Appreciation Days/Weeks/Months

Have I mentioned that I love free stuff?

The month of August means a lot of things to teachers.  We leave town.  We try to cram in as many days at the beach as possible.  We lament the end of vacation.  We start stocking up on supplies.  We maybe get together with other teachers to plan.  We start having those awful back-to-school stress dreams that all teachers seem to get in August.  

Fortunately, several retailers sweeten the dog days of August with Teacher Appreciation celebrations.  Staples is probably the most well-known, but Office Max and Office Depot seem to be getting in on the action, too.  

(1)  Staples has been doing their Teacher Appreciation Day for 6 years and this will be my 3rd Teacher Appreciation Day.  The New York date for this event is August 22 (this Saturday, kids!) starting at 9:00 am (I get there early).  Some states have had their TA Day already, but I had trouble finding out what the swag was online.  It seems there was a reusable shopping bag (so trendy!) filled with notebooks and other supplies.  For the last two years I got plastic expandable file folders, dry erase markers, sharpies, pens, a legal pad and some postits.  It's nothing major, but it's nice to be appreciated, no?

This brings me to an (embarrassing) story from when I was a brand-new teacher.  As a NYC Teaching Fellow I was due to start teaching in September and had (somehow) managed to sign up for a Staples Teacher Rewards card even though I didn't have a DOE ID yet, so I was eligible for Teacher Appreciation '07.  I woke up early and super excited, marched into the store all proud with my Rewards Card, claimed my prize and... went home.  It was a little anti-climactic, but I was so excited.  I picked up a cup of coffee and the newest Brookyn Parents newspaper and went home to bask in my new teacher glory.  August was a wonderful month that year.

(2)  Office Depot Teacher Appreciation Day is - horror of horrors! - the same day as Staples TA Day in New York!  Fortunately, Office Depot is celebrating for a full week, from 8/16 - 8/22.  All week there are 10% discounts storewide for teachers, but the cool stuff is happening on Saturday.

First of all, I love free stuff, but I love free food most of all.  The fact that on Saturday, 8/22, Office Depot is giving away free breakfast AND free giveaways for teachers puts them a notch above Staples in my book (though I'll reevaluate when I get my swag)!  The plan is for me to hit Staples right by my house (and the train station) upon opening at 9:00 and then get right on the train to go to Manhattan to be at Office Depot at 10:00.  It'll be stressful, but I don't think Office Depot will run out of materials because it sounds like they're making a day of things.  Staples, on the other hand, really just gives away a package and some discounts, so I think I'll be able to do both.  For others who need to multi-task, The Office Depot event is from 9:00 - 11:00 am.

 (3) I missed the Office Max Teacher Appreciation Day this year (did any of you get there?) on August 9th.  I didn't know they held one, or I totally would've been there... maybe.  The truth is, this deal was not that exciting to me.  All attending teachers were given a reusable Office Max tote and given 15% off of "everything you can stuff inside."  Okay, first off, I love free anything, but 15% is not that great a discount to make me rush over to Office Max, free bag or none.  I can do much better at Target or Staples Back to School sales, or even at the new Office Max Penny Sale than 15%.  While it might've been nice to get the discount on things I need for myself (does Office Max sell plan books?), this is not a stock-up event, and the giveaway was not enough to get me out of bed and onto a train.  If they were closer to my house, maybe.   

Also, I can imagine the madhouse.  I love sales, but I have trouble with big crowds of people pushing each other to get the best deals on different items.  While I like to think that the Cheaper Teachers out there who went to this event conducted themselves with dignity, I just picture the melee that seems to be attached to the "stuff this bag" discounts I've encountered.

Anyway, that's all for now.  Next post will discuss the Staples and Office Max penny sales, which are OK this year, but not really doing it for me.  Are they worth it?  I'll let you decide.