Back-to-school sales are underway at retailers across the country, and shoppers who plan ahead could save big on everything from backpacks to laptops.
Caroline Helgeson, a Phoenix, Arizona, student heading into high school, is already looking forward to the hunt.
"I'm starting high school next year, so I'm super excited to find like a new backpack and a new water bottle and stuff," Helgeson said.
Backpacks, notebooks, and school supplies are filling shopping carts at Target.
"The kids are already starting to dream about their school supplies," Jessica Helgeson, Caroline’s mom, said. "I use the app. Love the app. I also have the Target debit card, so I get 5% back. I am stacking all those deals.”
The retailer also offers college students who are Target Circle members a 20% discount on purchases.
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Teachers can also take advantage of deals. By creating a classroom wish list, educators can unlock a $10 reward toward their own purchases.
“It helps me because I get all my stuff together for what I need,” Karla McKerley, a teacher in Phoenix, said.
At Walmart, school supply shopping has gotten even simpler. Store Manager Angela Bill says teachers at schools nationwide have uploaded their classroom lists directly to the Walmart app — accessible with a single QR code scan.
"It will list all the products that are selected by the teachers, and then if you want, you can select them individually, or just hit ‘add to cart,’ and it'll send everything straight to your cart," Bill said.
Walmart also has more than 200 rollbacks covering notebooks, glue, and backpacks, with many items priced under $1.
"You could get their first day outfit for under $20," Bill said. "So from getting them dressed to getting them fed, we have everything in a one-stop shop.”
College students can also save with a Walmart Plus membership at half off — $49 for the year — which includes free grocery and supply deliveries.
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Shopping expert Kristin McGrath, The Krazy Coupon Lady Senior Editor, says the biggest savings come from starting early.
"Back-to-school sales and shopping start now," McGrath said. "You can give yourself an early chance to snag some deals and stock up on things that you know your kid is going to need on sale, and give yourself multiple rounds to buy and save.”
McGrath recommends comparing prices, checking for coupons, and building a cart online before heading to the store.
"I like to create my cart on what I need at multiple stores, see which coupons I have, and see what comes out the cheapest," McGrath said.
For essentials, she says not to overlook pharmacies and dollar stores.
For bigger purchases like laptops, student discounts — such as 10% off Dell products or Apple student pricing — can add up to significant savings.
Families gearing up for a new school appreciate the deals.
“My favorite subject is probably math,” Olivia said.
Her mom says that with multiple kids, every dollar saved counts.
"She's got a lot of sisters and brothers,” Brandi Henderson said. “So we need to save money for sure."
This story was originally published by Jane Caffey with the Scripps News Group in Phoenix.
