How many of you are having trouble buying school supplies?  

I can relate. I have 3 kids, so it takes a big chunk out of our budget every fall. Why are we paying taxes? When I was in school, our homeroom teachers supplied the pencils and tablets. If we needed more throughout the year, we just asked. If we wanted fancy notebooks or pens, it was our choice to purchase them. Some teachers were quirky and liked to use colored pencils, but they always supplied them for the class. So were protractors. Now my kids have long lists of school supplies including certain types of notebooks, sharpies, colored pencils, and whatever quirky things each teacher wants. And then we always get asked to supply hand sanitizer and tissues for each classroom. And not to mention the fundraising fliers they bring home the first day of school. Who is making the money? I don't see it going to school supplies. You really touched a nerve. LOL! Thanks for letting me rant.

Yes it was difficult finding all of that stuff, however I started very early and was able to get it all. The Dollar Store was going out of business so I got most of her things from there. I ended up spending about $20 for everything. Her sleeping mat was $7 at the the Dollar Store and $20 at Walmart. At the school they wanted $35, can you believe that? Okay it had the school mascot on there, but $35! However I did see parents picking them up.

I was ahead of the crowd thank goodness. Walmart was packed the first couple of days of school.

We have some agencies that help furnish supplies for families that are having trouble getting them. I also would just buy what my kids needed to start school when our schools first started this year long list. I worked for the school district and never got my first paycheck until the end of September, even when the kids started mid August. I would make sure that they had paper, folders, and pencils to start with and then add the other stuff as I could. I also have a friend who has four kids. When they were all in school she started buying a little from every paycheck all summer and she found that that worked for her.

I guess it depends on your school district. In any district my children have ever attended, parents are only responsible for supplies for their own children. We get a list of what is expected, but our child only takes things to school as they need them. They don't take everything in at the beginning of the year and put it into some sort of community pile to be used by everyone. I don't think that I would like that very much at all.

I do have some problems on buying school supplies because they are too expensive and unnecessary.