It's almost time for kids to head back to school, but there's one thing that needs to get done first: shopping for school supplies. Thanks to Offers.com, we've got all the information you need on the best deals for back-to-school shopping by grade level and retailer. It's the survival guide you never knew you needed. Here's the full breakdown for you:
Back-to-school deals for grades K through 8
Clothing, backpacks and school supplies need to be durable to withstand wear and tear.
- Uniforms – Comfortable, hard-wearing clothes are the name of the game for elementary school kids. Shop for polos, khakis, sweaters and more from uniform retailers like Lands’ End and French Toast. Look for stock-up sales and coupons at stores like Sears, where you can find kids’ school uniforms for up to 40% off.
- Backpacks– You can save yourself a late-night trip to the store if you spend a bit more upfront on high-quality backpacks and lunch bags. Choose durable gear from high-quality retailers like Lands’ End to get a backpack that will last your kid a few years — and save you money and time in the long run.
- School Supplies– Always order more than required before school starts, so you’ll be set for refills and emergencies. Walmart and Target are convenient options for pens, pencils, paper and all the other essentials.
Back-to-school deals for high school
Your kids are ready for more responsibility over what they wear and which tech they use.
- Clothing– The easiest way to avoid fights over clothes is to set a spending limit, show your teens how to find sales and use coupons, and let them choose for themselves. Shop Old Navy for great basics like T-shirts, jeans, and cotton dresses. For the more fashion-forward preteen, the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale (which runs until Aug. 4) overlaps nicely with back-to-school shopping season — and Kohl’s and Target offer stylish items with a lower price tag.
- Laptops– Schoolwork, online social time and college applications all call for a quality laptop. Get one on the cheap with Dell Back-to-School deals. Best Buy offers student pricing on tech. And Apple is running a back-to-school special (with free Beats headphones) and offers education pricing that could get you up to $200 off select products.
Back-to-school deals for college
For college students, it’s all about cheap (as possible) text books, dorm decor and tech upgrades.
- Textbooks – The pricey campus bookstore is no longer the only option. Students can order books online from any number of booksellers — or skip the hard copies altogether and opt for digital purchases or rentals. Try Textbooks.com for up to 90% off textbook rentals, or sign up for a free trial at Chegg and order your books online. Amazon, meanwhile, offers textbook rentals. Pay less than you would to buy the book, and return it for free.
- Dorm Decor & Furniture – Think rugs, foldable chairs, bedding, towels, shower caddies and microwaves. Shop dorm essentials and back-to-school sales with Target promo codes.
- Apple Electronics – The computer, phone, or tablet that got your kid by in high school may be outdated or underpowered for a college student’s needs. Take advantage of Apple’s education pricing for up to $200 off Macbooks, up to $50 off iPads and more with the exclusive education discount.
Back-to-school sales by retailer
Academy Sports + Outdoors
For a limited time, get 25% off select Nike and Under Armour apparel and footwear, as well as select Under Armour hydration products, lunch coolers and backpacks.
Amazon back-to-school deals
Amazon offers many of the same back-to-school staples that the big-box stores do. Plus, Prime members get free, fast shipping (two-day or even one-day shipping, depending on the item). And students get a free trial of Amazon Prime and then a 50% discount on Prime after the trial expires. Sign up here.
Amazon’s Back to School sale for 2019 includes deals on the following:
School supplies
Get school supplies for all ages. You can score bigger discounts if you buy multi-packs of folders, glue sticks, notebooks and other basics. So consider stocking up and saving the extras for future school years — a good plan if you have multiple children.
College textbooks
Buy new and used textbooks for less than the campus bookstore charges.
Plus, Amazon offers textbook rentals, which could be even better for your budget.
How does Amazon textbook rental work?
1. Search here by title, author or ISBN. Books that are available for rent will have “Rent” as a buying option. The price of the rental could be 50% or more off the purchase price. Carefully note the due date. Most rentals have generous due dates that will get you through the semester.
2. Add the item to your rental cart, and complete the checkout process.
3. Return your book by the due date. Free shipping is provided on textbook rentals. To return your book, navigate to the Manage Your Rental page in your Amazon account. Print the return slip, and drop the book off at the carrier listed on the return label.
Dorm Essentials
Outfit your dorm with beanbag furniture and wall art. Plus, the AmazonBasics line offers affordable Bed-In-A-Bag options for as little as $30.
Apple back-to-school deals
Every year during back-to-school season, Apple offers education pricing on select products for students, plus free gifts with purchase.
This year’s lineup includes:
- - Up to $200 off MacBook Air, 13-inch MacBook Pro, 15-inch MacBook Pro, iMac and iMac Pro. Plus free Beats Studio3 Wireless headphonesfor free when you purchase one of these items.
- - Up to $50 off iPad Pro and iPad Air. Plus get free Beats Solo3 Wireless headphones when you buy an eligible iPad.
- - 20% discount on AppleCare+
Bed Bath & Beyond back-to-school deals
For college students needing to outfit their dorms, Bed Bath & Beyond has you covered. Current deals for early back-to-school shoppers include:
- - Up to 60% off bedding sets
- - Get a Bed Bath & Beyond 20% off coupon when you sign up for emails.
Plus, use Bed Bath & Beyond’s customizable interactive list to help guide your shopping.
Belk
Belk’s back-to-school sale runs July 31 to Aug. 6 and will feature the following deals:
- - 20% off any purchase with this promo code
- - Up to 50% off backpacks
- - Up to 40% off girls’ Levi’s denim, tees and more
- - $9.99 Nautica uniform polos — and free earbuds with $25 Nautica uniform purchase
- - BOGO 50% off kids’ accessories from Riviera, Crown & Ivy and more
Plus, shop a variety of home deals, including up to 50% off bedding and bath, $60 off Keurig K-Mini Single Server Coffee Maker and $70 off iRobot 677 Wi-Fi® Connected Robot Vacuum.
Best Buy back-to-school deals:
Get exclusive student pricing on tech by signing up for a My Best Buy account and enrolling in Student Deals. Deals change weekly, and examples have included discounts on the Surface Pro, the Surface Book 2 and HP laptops.
Brooklyn Bedding:
Pick up a mattress for your apartment — or replace the subpar school-issued one in your dorm. Brooklyn bedding is offering 20% offmattresses through Aug. 6 — get 25% off if you verify your status as a student or teacher.
Chegg back-to-school deals:
Chegg is THE destination for buying and renting textbooks on the cheap. Check out our guide on getting the most out of Chegg.
Its back-to-school highlights for this year include:
Chico’s:
This sale is for teachers only. Educators with a valid teacher ID can get an extra 10% off in stores.
Not a teacher? Everyone gets 40% off online orders through Aug. 4.
Comcast-Xfinity:
Need internet for your off-campus apartment? Xfinity (a subsidiary of Comcast) is offering exclusive deals for students through Sept. 10.
Go here to confirm your status as a student and unlock special offers, including up to a $100 Visa Prepaid card and free Amazon Music Unlimited for six months.
Dell:
The back-to-school sale features up to $230 off 2-in-1s, up to $500 off desktops and other discounts.
Dollar Tree back-to-school deals:
If your family is on a serious back-to-school budget, Dollar Tree has your back. The dollar-or-under selection includes notebooks, pens, pencils, glue, crayons and more.
Plus find lunch-box ready snacks, such as granola bars, crackers and trail mix for $1 each.
The site’s Back to Campus section, meanwhile, has storage cubes, storage baskets, shelf liners, wastebaskets, drawer organizers, toothpaste, detergent, cleaning supplies and more for $1.
Kohl’s back-to-school deals:
Kohl’s is the destination for back-to-school fashion (including school uniforms) and backpacks. For the upcoming school year, Kohl’s is offering:
- - Back-to-School essentials starting at under $5
- - Up to 50% off end-of-season clearance sandals
- - 25% off select styles from Adidas through Aug. 11 and Nike through Aug. 10.
Kohl’s is also known for its limited-time daily discount codes during back-to-school season. So check the website for the day’s code.
Lenovo:
The back-to-school sale runs through Aug. 8. Buy any qualifying laptop, and add a select tech accessory for only a penny. Options include a Lenovo Smart Clock, Yoga Mouse, Lenovo Power Bank, backpack or wireless headphones. Plus, get discounts on a variety of laptops, 2-in-1s and tablets.
Microsoft Store back-to-school sale:
Through Sept. 5, students and parents can save up to 10% on select tech, including various Surface products and accessories. Plus, students and educators can get Office 365 for free with a valid school email address. See details.
Check the Microsoft website daily for more limited-time deals on specific products. For example, for a limited time (until Aug. 10), get 25% off the Surface Pro 6 + Type Cover Bundle.
Office Depot/OfficeMax back-to-school deals:
Office Depot/OfficeMax covers all your back-to-school needs from pencils to PCs. It’s offering the following deals for early-bird back-to-school shoppers.
- - Get $10 backpacks while supplies last, plus up to 80% off school supplies all summer long.
- - Use this coupon to save $20 on Office when you purchase a PC, laptop or Windows tablet.
More deals are sure to come as the start of school approaches, so check back.
Staples back-to-school deals:
Plenty of back-to-school … well… staples are on sale. For example, get 20% off school supplies when you buy a backpack with this in-store coupon. This promo runs through Aug. 3.
Also through Aug. 3, get $12 off online orders of $75 or more.
Target back-to-school deals:
Until Aug. 3, use this promo code to get $40 off select furniture over $100. Plus, through Aug. 10, buy one get one 50% off kids shoes.
Whatever the grade level, Target has what you or your child needs for back to school. School supplies from Target brand Up&Up start at $0.50, including crayons, pencils, index cards, rulers and more.
For students heading off to college, sheets start at $9.99, and other dorm essentials (such as bath caddies and hangers) start at $1.99.
More deals will surely be announced as the school year approaches. Target announces its best deals and limited-time offers in its weekly ad, so check there for the latest.
Walmart back-to-school deals:
Walmart has long been a reliable source of school supplies. Its back-to-school sale (already live) offers the following:
- -School supplies starting at 98 cents: This sale runs through Aug. 31. Plenty of items are discounted to be less than $1, including crayons, colored pencils and markers.
- -Back-to-college deals: Walmart has deals on tech (such as tablets and laptops) and dorm essentials, including storage, furniture and decor. Rollback items change daily, so be sure to check the website regularly.
- -Clothing: Kids’ clothing starts at just $7. Shop by grade level for the latest styles. Short on time? Walmart’s Kidbox is $48 and includes four to five handpicked items, tailored to your kid’s age and preferences.
- -Lunchbox fillers: Stock up on lunch-box friendly food, including juice boxes, fruit snacks and crackers.
- -Backpacks: Score backpacks for as low as $12.88.
Best of luck to everybody on their back-to-school shopping!
Photo: Getty