Is it worth ordering school supply gets or getting the supplies on your own?
For the past several months, tariffs have been all over the economic news and at the end of the past school year we had to decide to order supply kits early or take a gamble on the economy. After some consideration and not be gambling people ourselves, we opted to ordering the school supply kits being offered by our children’s school district. The promise of having someone do all the shopping without hopping from store to store surely seemed to be appealing. But was the cost worth all the money?
Our soon to be second grader’s school kit arrived first at our doorstep. Everything on the school’s recommended shopping list for her grade was included in the box. The total bill for the order was $55.78 and the current cost of the items were around $38.09 (with all number amounts without tax). Thus we paid 32% mark up or roughly $17.69 more than if we were to pay for the items themselves. The containments along with their current market price is as follows:
- Two 2 Pocket Folder Paper Without Clasps $0.30 ($0.15 each)
- Name Brand Sealable Storage Bags Gallon $5.39
- Four Name Brand #2 Yellow Woodcase Pencil Sharpened 12 Count $7.72 ($1.93 each)
- Name Brand Large Glue Stick Purple Dries Clear .74 Ounce Two Pack $2.18
- Highlighter Chisel Tip Yellow Made in USA Two Pack $2.49
- Name Brand Crayons 24 Count $.50
- Name Brand Scissors Stainless Steel Pointed Five Inch $1.84
- Two Eraser Caps Latex Free Pink 12 Count $1.00 ($0.50 each)
- Name Brand Full-Length Colored Pencils Pre-Sharpened 12 Count $0.97
- Low Odor Dry Erase Marker Chisel Tip Tank Black Four Pack $4.47
- Three Name Brand Tissue Boxes $5.25 ($1.75 each)
- Pencil Box Plastic $0.99
- Disinfecting Wipes Large Bleach Free $4.99
Second up to bat was my soon to be first grader. Once again all the supplies that the school requires were all in the box. The supply box cost $61.79 and the current market prices of the items came out to $48.75. The box cost more with a margin of $13.04, but the percentage was better at 21%. The items were as follows:
- One Pocket Folder Paper Without Clasps $0.15
- One Dry Erase Board Dual-Sided Learning Board White 9×12 $4.79
- Two Name Brand Large Glue Stick Purple Dries Clear .74 Ounce Pack $2.18
- Name Brand Pencil Laddie w/Eraser 12 Count Pack $8.39
- Highlighter Chisel Tip Yellow Three Pack $3.75
- Four Name Brand Crayons 24 Count $2.00 ($0.50 each)
- Marker Board Felt Eraser Five Inch $2.58
- Name Brand Scissors Stainless Steel Blunt Five Inch $1.84
- Two Name Brand Pink Carnation Medium Latex-Free Erasers $1.12 ($0.56 each)
- Low Odor Dry Erase Marker Chisel Tip Tank Black Six Pack $6.71
- Pencil Pouch-Zippered Heavy Canvas w/Grommets, See-Through Front, Exterior Mesh Pocket w/Zipper $9.99
- Name Brand Tissues Large Box $5.25 ($1.75 each)
At the end of the day, we definitely paid more than what we would have spent if we went to the stores ourselves. At $30.73 more between the two kits, it would have not covered the gas money to the store for us. Not spending a day going from store to store was nice, but at the end of the day, we could have gotten the items online from any office supply website. One downside to consider is that there are no backpacks or lunchboxes which would have definitely been a game changer!
