As you prep for the school season, you’ll want to make sure you’re getting the best deals on all the clothing, school supplies and technology items your kids will need. Sorting through all the ads and promotions can be time-consuming, though, so we’re here to help.
Here’s a guide to some of the best deals on back-to-school essentials at local stores in the metro Detroit area and online. As always, check with the retailer directly to confirm promotion details.
To make sure you’re getting the best deal, ask the store about price matching, use an app like ShopSavvy to compare prices and check for coupons on the retailer’s web site or at a site like retailmenot.com.
And before you hit the stores, be sure to read this post on tips for saving money on back-to-school supplies.
Do you know of a great deal we should add to our list? Tell us in the comments!
Local stores
- Address: 2123 Cole Street, Birmingham
This upscale resale boutique offers brand-name clothing and accessories. Get $10 off your next $50 purchase or more or $5 off $25 or more promotion. Plus, sign up for the store’s newsletter for a coupon
Parent Teacher Resource Center (at the Doll Hospital and Toy Soldier Shop)
- Address: 3947 12 Mile Road, Berkley
Offers specialty school supplies for teachers and parents. Sign up for the store’s newsletter to find out about special deals. Bonus Bucks program rewards for frequent shoppers (regularly priced merchandise). Teachers and parents can take advantage of a 15 percent off educational items and supplies through Sept. 11, 2016 – plus 20 percent off bulletin board sets and a buy-one-get-one-free poster sale.
- Address: 12210 Hall Road, Sterling Heights
This store, which carries specialty school supplies for teachers and parents, is currently offering a back-to-school sale featuring 20 percent off various items online and in stores. Find in-store doorbuster deals, too, including up to 50 percent off select items (while supplies last; limit 10 of each item per customer). Sale ends Sept. 4, 2016.
National chains
This store regularly has sales on numerous items, including office and school supplies, makeup and cosmetic products, hair accessories, snacks and just about anything your kids will need to be ready for school. Check out their myWeekly Ad online to stay up-to-date on the weekly deals. Plus, save extra when you use your ExtraCare card.
It’s constant price savings on supplies here. Staples is offering a 110 percent best-price guarantee now through Sept. 17, 2016. Find all the details here. Be the first to know about deals and get extra savings by signing up for the Staples emails to get $10 off $50 – and $5 off $25 when signing up for text messages. Find their weekly ad online to learn about deals in a Staples nearest you.
With WalMart’s Savings Catcher, you scan your receipt on the WalMart app or enter your receipt number and the store automatically checks for competitors’ prices for identical items. If a lower price is found, you get the difference in “Savings Catcher Reward Dollars,” which can be redeemed for eGift Cards or WalMart bucks. Find more details here.
Office Depot is has regular low prices on school supplies. Visit this page to keep up with the latest and most up-to-date coupons available. Shop weekly deals by checking out their ad – plus dollar deals on office supplies, which can double as school supplies.
You’ll find backpacks, shoes, cool athletic outfits and even school uniforms at JCPenney. Keep up with them on the web for regular sales and specials.
Meijer is running a variety of back-to-school sales in its stores, including recent promotions touting 100 back-to-school items available at prices of $1 or less. Look in the weekly deals area for special coupons and alerts, (one week we saw deals like 20 percent off select backpacks and 50 cents for composition notebooks.)
A great way to save some money is to shop at the dollar store! At Family Dollar, you’ll find many of the same basic back-to-school necessities as any other store – at low prices. From clothes and lunch essentials to pens and notebooks, you’ll find it here. Check out their back-to-school webpage to get an idea of offerings, then cut out some coupons, browse the weekly deals and hit your local store.
Target has lots of back-to-school sales, including recent promotions of a free $5 Target gift card when you spend $30 on school supplies and backpacks. Check for regular sales on clothes and dorm room supplies, too. Also be sure to use Target’s app Cartwheel for more deals.
Kohl’s is currently advertising discounts of $10 off back-to-school purchases of $40 or more (ends Aug. 17, 2016, but keep up with this store online). Be sure to browse for deals on dorm room essentials like comforter sets and furniture (we saw discounts online). Deals are also available on backpacks and back-to-school clothes. Printable and online coupons are often listed on the store’s website, and be sure to take advantage of Kohl’s Cash.
Visit a local store or shop online to take advantage of back-to-school deals, including special promotions on laptops and other electronics for college students.
Store offers rotating deals on various electronics for back-to-school. Sign up for their newsletter to be notified of upcoming sales and promotions.
This post was originally published in 2015 and has been updated for 2016 by Megan Krueger.
