School-Aged Children

Do you always buy new school supplies?

I know it's a silly question, but if something is in good shape or not very used (even colored pencils or crayons) do you always buy brand new for the upcoming school year?
Wendy Twins 1/27/06. DS and DD

Re: Do you always buy new school supplies?

  • KL777KL777 member
    No. I only buy what I don't have, unless it's clearly almost empty or very worn.

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  • ppantsppants member
    I figured as much, but I didn't want my kids to be the only ones out there without a brand new box of crayons or something the first day of school.
    Wendy Twins 1/27/06. DS and DD
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  • Crayons go on sale for 0.25 for a 24 pack and usually teachers want 16 or 24 so I would get new ones and the old ones can stay at home. I told DS he can reused his backpack for 1st grade and will probably let him get a new one for 2nd but I will buy it at the end of 2nd so it is on sale cheap.
    Jen - Mom to two December 12 babies Nathaniel 12/12/06 and Addison 12/12/08
  • He reuses the backpack, but pretty much everything else is new. He doesn't really come home with any half-used stuff. I remember loving new school supplies when I was a kid.
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  • Not there yet as kids are only in 1st and kindy but I have no issue using stuff from year to year if in good shape and on the supply list from year to year.  Just had this conversation with my 12 year old niece last night actually.  She left for 4 weeks of camp today and gets home days before school starts so we were talking about that and she commented on how she doesn't need more than a few things for school since she has so much stuff from last year she can reuse!
    Jenni Mom to DD#1 - 6-16-06 DD#2 - 3-13-08 
  • I would think so.  School supplies aren't that expensive IMO and I think it would help the kids get excited for the new school year (especially DS1 who's just starting K this fall so I may change my tune when I'm buying new supplies each year for 3).

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  • Any consumable supplies are new. Why not? Crayons and colored pencils are cheap.
  • Just to add I will buy a new first day of school outfit but not a wardrobe but my Mom used to bring me back to school clothes shopping but honestly my kids have way more clothing than I did.
    Jen - Mom to two December 12 babies Nathaniel 12/12/06 and Addison 12/12/08
  • Our schools mostly do "shared" supplies from a very specific list. There's very little they keep in their own little box in their desk (which we reuse each year)- the rest goes to the share piles, so you really can't bring in used stuff for that.  My kids will keep their backpacks until they are worn out- I just don't see spending $$ when they are still perfectly good.  My oldest has used the same one since kinder- still intact!
  • imageilovemygirls:
    Our schools mostly do "shared" supplies from a very specific list. There's very little they keep in their own little box in their desk (which we reuse each year)- the rest goes to the share piles, so you really can't bring in used stuff for that.  My kids will keep their backpacks until they are worn out- I just don't see spending $$ when they are still perfectly good.  My oldest has used the same one since kinder- still intact!

    We also have to do supplies from a list.  DD will reuse her backpack and lunchbox this year and for as long as they last (they're PBK and weren't cheap even on sale, so I want them to last a while!).  I remember I always loved getting new school supplies every year, so it's kind of a bummer that DD doesn't get her own stuff, but I can see a lot of reasons a supply list makes sense.

    DD born 10/10/07 * DS born 11/25/11 * #3 due 3/9/2015
  • imageMamaBear:
    I would think so.nbsp; School supplies aren't that expensive IMO and I think it would help the kids get excited for the new school year especially DS1 who's just starting K this fall so I may change my tune when I'm buying new supplies each year for 3.
    just wait until you get to the upper grades, even with reusing some things I spent we'll over 80dollars for my older girls supplies and I didn't even buy everything on the list. Now I'm wondering if my school's supply list is excessive....
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  • I don't buy school supplies at the beginning of the school year. I wait until Target hits 50 and 70% off and stock up. So I've pretty much got all DD's school supplies now that I bought last year for super cheap. 200 sheets of looseleaf for 10 cents, pocket folders I got for 3 cents each, etc. The only thing I need to get her is a 3-ring binder with a see-through cover... I bought a few 3-ring binders last year but the covers aren't see-through.
    Mom to J (10), L (4), and baby #3 arriving in July of 2015
  • We reuse the backpack and lunchbox, but everything else will be new.  Every grade has a very specific list of supplies, so it's difficult to reuse.  Also, in kindergarten, they did shared supplies.  Last year I went to three different stores to find everything, it was such a pain.  At the end of the school year we had the option of purchasing a box of all the supplies needed for the next school year.  That's what I did because it should save a lot of time. 
    Ms. A  - 2007, Mr. C - 2009
  • My DD is almost 9 and she is VERY hard on school supplies so she gets new supplies every year. She also grows like a weed so we buy new winter/fall clothes. She goes back to school in August so she wears her summer gear for a while. For booksbags and lunch boxes I try to keep them for at least two school years. Her PB set was in very good shape from 1st and 2nd grade. For 3rd grade she needed a bigger book bag so I got her a Lands End set. The lunch box didn't make it though 3rd grade but I called the company and they shipped a replacement. I don't expect her stuff to last but the supplies isn't all that expensive. Maybe 30 bucks tops.
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  • I always buy new because I always donate our old supplies to our church nursery. 
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  • My DD is going into 2nd grade and I get a school supply list every year that is pretty minimal. I have to buy new as supplies are shared by the class and kept in the class they are never returned.

    She has used the same backpack since Kindergarten but we've go e through two lunch boxes.

    eclaire 9.10.06  diggy 6.2.11

  • We will always buy new supplies (not backpack/lunchbox unless necessary) but crayons, etc. we will because as a kid I had anxiety about starting school every year and that seemed to help - I would pick my favorite color folders, etc. and that made me a bit more excited and my son has my similar personality - he doesn't get anxious like I did but I do want him to have that "yay it's a new school year look at my fresh new supplies" mindset so he can start off the year right.
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  • Our schools mostly do "shared" supplies from a very specific list. There's very little they keep in their own little box in their desk (which we reuse each year)- the rest goes to the share piles, so you really can't bring in used stuff for that.  My kids will keep their backpacks until they are worn out- I just don't see spending $$ when they are still perfectly good.  My oldest has used the same one since kinder- still intact!
    This...I'm a teacher and we use shared supplies, so I'd prefer everyone bring in new supplies...even if it's from dollar tree!

    ~*Jenna*~


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  • I used to buy everything new each year, but the older the girls got the pricier the list.  Now there are plenty they do get new, but I reuse as much as possible as well.

    DD#2 and I were pretty happy with her accordion folder that we fixed up with pretty duct tape.  She loved that it was a one of a kind and I loved that I didn't have to shell out $10 for a new one!

    This year I'm also not buying new lunch boxes, back packs, rulers, protractors or markers.

    I still spent over $50 with what I did buy for both girls.  I also didn't buy some of the things on the lists.  I work at the school - I'll let the teachers know that I'll bring in kleenex, zip locks, copy paper and hand sanitizer if they run out - but in my experience they never do.
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