Written by Ezra Schwartz

It’s that time of year again! Summer is winding down, vacation is nearing its end, and school is just around the corner! While you still have a few weeks until you need to put away your sunscreen and beach equipment for the year, that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t start thinking about the upcoming school year. Don’t be left unprepared. Here’s where you can find some of the best deals around for all your back to school needs:

For School Supplies: Staples

One of the most important departments for back-to-school shopping is school supplies. Where would our kids be without the ever-important pencils, paper, notebooks, scissors, and so much more? These essential products are sold pretty much everywhere during August, but if you want the best prices, then look no further than Staples.

Staples recently announced a 110% Price Match Guarantee. This means if you find a lower price on an item that Staples sells, Staples will match the price and discount 10%.  In addition to that, Staples has a Less List, where many of their school supplies are on sale. For your simple school supplies, Staples is definitely the cheapest of the bunch!

For Clothing: Kohls & JCPenny

However, school supplies are not enough. Your kids also need to be dressed for success and sometimes, hand-me-downs won’t do. Whether they need school uniforms or have a flexible dress code, make sure your kids have great outfits!

It’s very likely that your children have a favorite store or two when it comes to shopping for clothes, so it might be easiest to simply let them shop there for back-to-school. This might relieve some household drama and it’s likely that these stores have back-to-school sales, as well.

However, if your kids are flexible and you need some help finding great places to save money, then we suggest heading to Kohl’s and JCPenny. Both stores offer incredibly stylish clothing at very reasonable prices and both stores also offer sales on school uniforms. Additionally, if you plan on online shopping, Kohl’s offers free shipping for purchases above $75 while JCPenny has the same for $99.

For Everything: Walmart, Target, Amazon

Some people just want to get rid of the hassle of driving around the city and want to go to one store for back-to-school shopping. If you’re one of those people then luckily, there are many options for one-stop-shop stores where you can get school supplies, clothing, electronics, books, and other items your child may need.

Walmart and Target are great examples of stores like these. Both have very fair prices for everything your kids need for the school year. Walmart has a slight upper hand here, due to their free shipping on orders of $50 or more. However, if you’re already willing to buy online and have your items shipped to you, then you should also consider Amazon, which not only has free shipping for Amazon Prime members but a vast array of choices for many categories of items you may need, as well.

We here at talklocal would like to wish you and your children luck on the upcoming school year! And remember, if you need a last-second tailor for the school uniforms, computer repair for your child’s laptop or tutors to help out with schoolwork, visit talklocal.com