PHOENIX — It’s Money Saving Monday and we’re sharing one of the best ways for teachers to save on school supplies ahead of the new school year, and let’s be honest, for those passionate educators that want to buy extra supplies to supplement their lessons all year long.
There are some great ways teachers can save some big bucks as kids head back to class.
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In recent years more than 90% of teachers are spending more of their own money on supplies, according to the National Education Association.
And the total amount can be different, depending on how many grades an educator teaches and what grade, even for parents that homeschool.
“It can get really expensive, because there are so many little things that go with the education,” said Kattiana Perez, who homeschools her 11-year-old son Ezekiel, who’s going into 5th grade.
Going into a new school year, Perez forks out a lot of money.
“$1,500… $2,000 maybe… you know, not just the beginning, but also, you keep adding material as you go,” said Perez.
For some teachers, spending hundreds of dollars or more out of pocket every year is just the norm.
At the same time, prices for many school supplies continue to go up, with the cost of crayons, pens, and pencils up nearly 18% yearly.
“We know that’s a huge expense for them,” said Joy Klein, executive director for Treasures 4 Teachers, a member-based organization serving teachers in Tempe.
“We allow for a shopping experience for teachers of free and low-cost items,” she said. “Most of it is from individuals who are donating to us, but also teachers too that are bringing in our items and allowing us to give to that next teacher.”
So far, Perez is scoring big on new and gently used items.
"The basic school supplies… and you also find books,” said Perez.
“Not only the basic pencils and erasers and markers,” her son Ezekiel said. “You get more things, like buttons and paper, you know, extra things that makes your class more big, exciting.”
Perez has discovered a lot of the must-haves, for a fraction of the price, compared to what she would pay at some of the big box stores or shopping online.
“At least 25%,” said Perez.
“Our $5 Fill-a-Bag section has been a big hit over a number of years,” said Klein.
And if you don’t find what you’re looking for at one of their locations, there are plenty of other ways to save.
“Whether it’s your local thrift stores, it could be other type of retailers or even the online community, Facebook Marketplace, Nextdoor,” said Klein. “Things like that can be a great resource for those school supplies and really cost savings.”
If you have any Money Saving Monday ideas you would like to share with us or any topics you want us to cover, just send an email to: money@12news.com.
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