The best websites for school supplies savings

The beginning of the school year might be a few months away, but it’ll be back before you know it. Your kids don’t need to hear that, but you might want to be conscious of that fact if you want to avoid the zoo of shoppers for books and school supplies this fall. If you shop for school supplies now, especially online, you’ll be able to find some of the best deals out there and avoid the craziness at the end of summer all in one fell swoop! There are a host of budget-conscious sites out there that have great deals for students of all ages, from kids in elementary school to seasoned college undergraduates. Here are my top four picks for thrifty school shopping.

Amazon

Of course I have to talk about Amazon. As you’re probably well aware, Amazon is the ideal one-stop shop for nearly any item for sale on Earth, including school supplies. You can get great deals on papers, pens, binders, highlighters, backpacks, and just about anything else you think a student might need. But the real draw for school shoppers on Amazon is the eBook sales. If your child (or college student) needs a textbook, they can probably download it in digital format onto their computer, smartphone , or tablet. If it’s not reasonable for your child/young adult to own an eBook reader, Amazon also has many traditional textbooks for sale too.

Chegg

Chegg is a school textbook paradise for college students on a tight budget. Believe it or not, a single brand-new hardbound college textbook can cost hundreds of dollars. Multiply that by however many books are in a class syllabus, and a college student can have quite a hefty bill on their hands in no time. Chegg is the solution to those textbook woes. The site basically works as a giant college textbook library, loaning out previously used but working condition books out to students at a fraction of the normal cost. What sets Chegg apart from similarly cheap sites like Amazon is that Chegg has perhaps the biggest and most comprehensive library of college textbooks out there, so you’ll probably find what you’re looking for on their site.

Newegg

Newegg is a bargain site for all things tech. From computer parts to graphing calculators to print cartridges, Newegg has it all covered. A student’s tech needs might not be much when compared to more traditional school supplies, but the few electronics they require for class could cost you a fortune if you don’t shop in the right places. Newegg has some of the lowest prices in electronics, and they also show customer ratings of the products they sell so you can assess the value of a product before you actual buy it. No longer will you fret over huge prices at your nearest electronics superstore, and that’s something worth celebrating.

Office Depot

A classic for parents and students alike, Office Depot still has a lot to offer in the school supply market. They might not have the most cutting edge items, but their prices on things like folders, notebooks, paper, and printers are undeniably good. Their easy to navigate website should be a welcome reprieve for shoppers accustomed to getting lost in their physical stores. There’s always some sort of sale going on that slashes the prices on their already cheap inventory, which means that you can look forward to super savings on school supplies all year round. Office Depot is definitely a site worthy of this list!

This guest post is contributed by Barbara Jolie, who writes for the online classes blog. Barbara Jolie is an avid writer and blogger, interested in all things education. For questions or comments email her at barbara.jolie876@gmail.com.