By Jody Allen
Where to Get the Very Best Back to School Deals 2021
Back to School – it makes the kids groan and parents jump with glee! As soon as New Year’s Day hits, we are bombarded by advertisements for Back to School Deals. But we have done the research and found the very best deals online – and we also sort them into basic, intermediate and high-quality.
Before You Start Your Back to School Shopping
First of all there are quite a few things you can do at home before you spend a dollar to save money on back to school.
Think of items like:
- Go through all of the previous years leftover stationery to see what is salvageable and can be reused for the new school year.
- Re-use lunch boxes, drink bottles, school bags and book covers if they are in decent condition.
- Do you have a box of craft supplies or a pile of old school books from last year? Go through the pile and see what you can salvage (you can rip out the used parts of books and save the rest if only a few pages are used).
- Does the child have an older sibling that might have items to pass on? Think school shoes!
- Go through all of the school uniforms. If uniforms no longer fit but are in good condition, think of selling them or giving them to the school to give to less fortunate students. Damaged uniforms should be thrown out.
- Items like School Blazers are uber-expensive. Can you buy one second-hand?
- If you are on a strict budget, stick to no-name brands.
Once you have sorted everything you can at home – it is time to start shopping around for the best deals!
NOTE: If you are only now going through the kid’s school bags from last year (no judgement) – if you find a banana, just start again. There is no saving that bag.
More Reading: Where to Shop for School Backpacks at a Great Price (and get them before school starts!)
Where to Get the Best Deal on School Shoes:
For kids that are growing like weeds, rather than buying larger sizes which don’t fit properly and can actually do long-term damage to your child’s feet, think about purchasing a cheaper shoe that will fit, and then upgrade as needed. Once their foot size has stabilized in size for a bit – then go ahead and purchase a high-quality pair!
School Lunch Boxes & Drink Bottles:
Lunch Boxes and drink bottles for school are a really personal choice. So I’ve just got all the best deals in every category.
Non-Toxic and Stainless Steel Lunch Box Suppliers:
- Biome Eco Store has lunch box brands such as YumBox, PlanetBox, LunchBots, and Green Essentials.
- Nourished Life carries lines from LunchBots, Cheeki, The Swag,
- Flora & Fauna
- Naturally Sustainable has organic insulated lunch boxes.
Thermos Funtainers are perfect for the colder months!
Bento Box Style Lunch Box Suppliers:
- The Bento Buzz
- House has Bento Box Lunch Boxes from $39.95
- My Munchbox
- Bentoland
- Stuck On You have a range of personalised Bento Box Lunchboxes.
Inexpensive Lunch Box Suppliers:
- Officeworks has lunch boxes from $9.96.
- Kmart has options from a tiny $3.
- Big W has options from $6 through to $12
Standard Lunch Box Suppliers:
- Kitchen Warehouse has good quality school lunch boxes from $19.95 to $39.95.
- House
- Woolworths has lunch boxes from $7.50
High-Quality Lunch Box Suppliers:
- Howards Storage World
- Katmandu I thought would be super expensive. But they have school lunch boxes from $16!
- City Beach has a great range perfect for High-Schoolers!
If I was back in High-School – I would love a pretty lunch box like this one from City Beach.
Where to Get the Best School Uniform Deals:
Uniform deals really depends on your school’s uniform policy. For most State Schools, you can buy basic polo’s, shorts and skorts very cheap! But when you have embroidery or private school uniforms, you may have to cough up the cash as places where you can purchase these are very limited.
Cheap Uniform Options:
- Kmart has always been the king of the inexpensive school uniform basics – and this year is no different.
- Big W has the BEST boys cargo shorts – I buy them for my boys every year.
Kmart is the king of the $3 Polo Shirt. But I do wonder how long they will last.
Intermediate Uniform Options:
- Lowes used to have a great range of stubby shorts – unfortunately, they don’t seem to stock children’s sizes anymore – but they do tend to stock the local Private Public School Uniforms.
- Catch.com.au
- School Uniforms Australia caters to private schools and most high school basic pieces.
Second Hand School Uniforms:
Remember to check out if your school has a second-hand uniform store. Other alternatives is to check out your local Facebook Buy Swap and Sell Sites – or try and find a student that has finished primary or high school and will no longer require their uniform – you might just get it at a fantastic price!
So check:
- Your School’s Uniform Shop
- Facebook Buy Swap and Sell Sites
- Ask in your School Newsletter – there might be loads of families looking to sell or buy second-hand uniforms.
- Online marketplaces such as The Uniform Exchange
School Stationery Deals:
If your school doesn’t have a list that you can just tick and send to the school – that sucks because as a parent, choosing which pencil your child wants is a Royal PITA! But here is were to get the good deals on stationery:
- Office National
- Catch.com.au
Text Books for High School and University Students:
Did you know you can also RENT text books. Here’s where:
Online Text Books:
The Best Back to School Technology Deals:
Read our article on the 10 Best Student Laptops for School and University (and how to get a discount!)
Different sellers have different deals – but here are the most consistently affordable options:
School Laptops:
- The Good Guys
- JB HIFI have some awesome specials at this time of year.
- Dell Australia has ongoing laptop deals. Check out their current deals here.
- Microsoft Australia
- Officeworks
Hint: Choosing a Laptop Computer When You Don’t Know About Them
Take your school list with all of the computer specs with you when you go shopping. Of course most of the best deals are online, but if you do your homework first- you will get a better deal!
Harvey Norman actually has a really great guide on choosing the right laptop for your child!
Laptop Bags
Where to Get Back to School Name Labels:
It is a great idea to label all of your child’s belongings. Kids lose stuff (I went through four hats for each of my boys last year!). Plus the school can’t return a found item if there is no name. Iron on labels are also great for school uniforms – easily lost when they have swimming lessons!
- Bright Star Kids
- Stuck On You
- Identity Direct
Want to be included in our list of the Best Back to School Deals?
Contact us today!
