These Cheap Back To School Supplies Let You Stock Up Without Breaking The Bank

The Superbreak JanSport is the JanSport that started it all. Made in the USA and ideal for everything from school to after-school sports, this backpack is one of JanSport’s best-selling backpacks. It features padded shoulder straps and a front zipper pocket. Plus, it’s the perfect canvas for sewing patches. (Is that still a thing kids do?)

You know that thing teachers do when they shame your kid for not having a pen or pencil? “You wouldn’t come to class without your textbook, so why would you come to class without a pen?” Ugh. Make sure that never happens again with this stylish pencil case. There’s plenty of space for storing every writing utensil your kid could possibly need (as well as scissors, erasers, calculator, and anything else). 

For many elementary school classes, bringing your own crayons is a syllabus staple. We love these because they’re made from beeswax and completely non-toxic. The best part is you don’t have to sacrifice any of the pigment and vibrancy of traditional crayons. For just $5.99, you get 12 vibrant colors that are hard to break, easy to grip, and even work on black construction paper!

This four-pack of binders comes in at just under $10 and the pack available in various thicknesses. They’re PVC-free and non-stick, so you don’t have to worry about not being able to reuse them again and again. Ink and images don’t cling to the binders’ covers and there’s also a back-mounted ring feature that leaves the spine of the binders free from annoying rivets.  Pro tip: Stack the binders by flipping every other one the opposite way. They’ll be much easier to carry and store this way.

Can’t find a quality notebook that won’t break the bank? We feel your pain. Nowadays, it’s like notebooks just keep getting more and more expensive unless you buy a bunch in bulk from Costco or something. These soft cover notebooks are the best of both worlds: Just $13.98 and made of quality materials. Perfect for sketching, drawing, or taking notes, the Twone notebooks are lined and fit in most handbags, school bags, and backpacks. Plus, they’re lightweight.

Yeah, it kind of looks like drugs, but it’s just a plant-to-be. We’re not saying traditional pencils aren’t cool, but these graphite pencils turn into basil or lavender once their tips can no longer be sharpened. A pack of eight goes for about $15.00 and each writing utensil is made from 100% eco-friendly material. Available in eight different colors and nine seed types that range from herbs, vegetables, or flowers, these pencils are lead-free, non-toxic, and biodegradable. Not to mention they’re pretty damn cool and will prob score your kid some major points with the science teacher. That’s why this is actually a bang for your back-to-school buck. Here’s how it works: When your Sprout pencil becomes too short to use, plant it, and watch it blossom. The tip of the pencil features a small seed capsule that activates when stuck in the dirt. And in case you’re wondering, yes, you have to water your pencil once planted!

Gorilla Glue now makes school glue for kids and it won’t break your budget. A 1-pack costs $5.49 and this disappearing purple formula works on nearly every material: Paper, construction paper, felt, card stock, fabric, foam boards, photos, display boards, wood, sequins, googly eyes, and even some kinds of plastic. This glue is ideal for crafting, art projects, and the inevitable elementary school diorama. Not to mention, that purple formula helps kids use the right amount and not miss their target. It goes on purple and dries clear!

How many times do you hear, “Mooommm, where are my scissors?” Too many times a day, probably. This 3-pack of 7″ scissors will help with that, because when one is lost, another is right around the corner. It doesn’t hurt that they come in fun designs and have a soft grip that won’t cause blisters when your kiddo is cutting all the things for a big project. The size is bigger than kid scissors and smaller than adult, perfect for kids ages 12 and up.

This Post-it weekly planner will help you and your students keep track of homework assignments, tests, and project due dates. And, ya know, other stuff, like life! This makes everything easier for everyone, since all tasks are in one place and they’re easy to see.

Who wants standard ‘ole highlighters? This 6-pack of erasable highlighters takes the pressure off. If your child makes a mistake, they can easily erase the problem. It doesn’t hurt that each highlighter has a chisel tip to make thick or thin lines for both highlighting and underlining.

Raise your hand if you have 500,000 Post-it notes hanging around the house in all your nooks and crannies and when you actually need to use one you can never find it! Yup, that’s like, all of us. Get yourself this cute dispenser. Probably parents will use it more than their kids, TBH, but boy does it make life so much easier.

As kids head back to school for a (hopefully) normal school year (as normal as possible, anyway), it’s even more important they keep their hands clean. Of course, soap and water is best, but since that isn’t always feasible, this fun 4-pack of antibacterial gel hand sanitizer that kills up to 99.99% of common germs will do the trick. Remind your kids that they have to actually use it for it to do the trick though — you know, semantics.