News & Trending Shopping & Deals News

Avoid These 2 Stores Or You’ll Pay Double for School Supplies

A new study shows the two most expensive places to shop for back-to-school.

Back to school supplies and a fist of money
Updated Sept. 24, 2024
Fact checked

We receive compensation from the products and services mentioned in this story, but the opinions are the author's own. Compensation may impact where offers appear. We have not included all available products or offers. Learn more about how we make money and our editorial policies.

The fresh, crisp scent of new notebooks is in the air with back-to-school season, and everybody is planning where to shop for the best deals.

 A new study shows that some classic fall favorites for student shopping are actually nearly double the price of competitors, so be sure to plan this year's academic shopping carefully to avoid needlessly paying more. 

Shopping for new and returning students can put unexpected stress on a financial budget, as the prices only go up year after year. However, if you plan carefully, you won't have to open a new 0% APR credit card to foot the bill. See which stores to avoid if you need to stretch your BTS budget. 

Earn cash back on everyday purchases with this rare account

Want to earn cash back on your everyday purchases without using a credit card? With the Discover®️ Cashback Debit Checking account (member FDIC), you can earn 1% cash back on up to $3,000 in debit card purchases each month!1

With no credit check to apply and no monthly fees to worry about, you can earn nearly passive income on purchases you’re making anyway — up to an extra $360 a year!

This rare checking account has other great perks too, like access to your paycheck up to 2 days early with Early Pay, no minimum deposit or monthly balance requirements, over 60K fee-free ATMs, and the ability to add cash to your account at Walmart stores nationwide.

Don’t leave money on the table — it only takes minutes to apply and it won’t impact your credit score.

Apply for a Discover Cashback Checking account today


Michaels

Sundry Photography/Adobe michaels' store entrance

Cost: $185.28

The study compared 10 of the most popular retailers and found that Michaels is the most expensive place to buy back-to-school supplies for kids. 

The study compiled the 20 most common BTS items and then compared totals from each of the major stores. The data ranks Michaels as the worst place to save money when shopping for students on a budget — with totals nearly triple what they would cost at Walmart. 

What items have the highest price tag? Binders cost a whopping $39.95, followed by looseleaf paper at $33.95. Both of those items can be found at Walmart for $5 or less. 


Walgreens

jetcityimage/Adobe walgreens signage

Cost: $134.61

Walgreens may be a convenient pharmacy, but shopping for back-to-school is priced second highest — coming in only behind Michaels. The most expensive item from the list is the binders, which cost $30. Scientific calculators are the next highest, coming in at $14.99. For a price nearly as high as the famous arts and crafts store, it may be worth the few extra dollars to have a wider variety of fun colors and patterns that can be found at Michaels. 

Where to shop instead

wolterke/Adobe walmart store exterior

Walmart topped the charts with the lowest prices on back-to-school shopping, costing only $67.37 to purchase all the supplies on the list. The two highest-priced items were backpacks and notebooks, which cost $8.99 and $7.96, respectively. 

Love them or hate them, Walmart is offering the lowest pricing for one-stop shopping on all your BTS requirements. 

Get a protection plan on all your appliances

Did you know if your air conditioner stops working, your homeowner’s insurance won’t cover it? Same with plumbing, electrical issues, appliances, and more.

Whether or not you’re a new homeowner, a home warranty from Choice Home Warranty could pick up the slack where insurance falls short and protect you against surprise expenses. If a covered system in your home breaks, you can call their hotline 24/7 to get it repaired.

For a limited time, you can get your first month free with a Single Payment home warranty plan.

Get a free quote

 

Bottom line

Davizro Photography Back to School

If you're looking to save as much money as possible on student supplies for the upcoming school year, then you'll want to cross Michaels and Walgreens off your list of stores. Surprisingly, Michaels would rank last when many shoppers love them for arts and crafts supplies, but the deals don't seem to extend into the back-to-school realm — at least not in comparison to the other 10 stores commonly used for BTS options. 

Walmart is the one-stop shop for the lowest back-to-school pricing, so if savings are your number one priority, be sure to see other tips and tricks for stretching your Walmart budget


Lucrative, Flat-Rate Cash Rewards

5.0
info

Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card

Current Offer

$200 cash rewards bonus after spending $500 in purchases in the first 3 months

Annual Fee

$0

Rewards Rate

Earn unlimited 2% cash rewards on purchases

Benefits and Drawbacks
Card Details


Author Details

Cassandra Yorgey

Cassandra Yorgey is a journalist with more than 15 years of experience covering a multitude of topics ranging from science-fiction and fantasy genre reviews to the impacts of sociological developments on the political landscape. She champions financial literacy and consumer protections that value human life over monetary profits. She has been featured in both online and print publications, including AOL, Examiner, MSN, Exemplore, Yellowbook, and Wealth of Geeks.