Back to School at Staples with Moms And The City

Back-to-school shopping is slowly creeping up on us! The idea became more appealing to me last week when I was invited to a back-to-school event at Staples, hosted by Moms And The City (if you live in NYC, you probably know them from Taxi TV). These three lovely women (pictured above, l to r: Melissa Gerstein, Raina Seitel, and Denise Albert) showed off some of Staples' featured items for Back-to-School 2011, plus we learned how you can both save money doing your back-to-school shopping at Staples and how you can help them give back to the community.


First, let's talk supplies. R. and I have actually bought her school supplies at our local Staples the past two years. This September, before she starts 3rd grade, we'll be heading there again with a quite thorough list (26 items!) of supplies that she needs for the coming year. As much as I loved shopping for school supplies with my own mom back in the 1980s at mom-and-pop stationery stores, it is far more practical (and cost efficient) for R. and I to tackle her list at Staples again this year. Shown above is an array of this year's products including (l to r) Op-Art patterned folders, Maze Calculators, Animal Collection 4g Flash Drives, Jansport backpacks, 1 subject notebooks, and twisty erasers (cute--R. will love those!).

My Back-to-School Shopping Tips:
1) Buy school supplies in person with your child, not online. Nothing can replace this experience, and supply lists have become so extensive (and particular) that it pays to see everything in person.
2) To save more on Staples's already low prices, buy a 15% savings pass (one-time fee of $10) that you can use every day now through September 17th to get 15% off any back to school purchase. I will be doing this for sure.
3) Staples also has lots of sales bins including a "penny sale bin" with lots of items for just 1 penny. Stock up on these as incentives, prizes, or even stocking stuffers for later in the school year.




Last, but far from least, I am really impressed by the 4th annual Staples for Students school supply drive--a campaign that mobilizes students across the country to collect school supplies for the 13 million kids who will return to their classrooms without basic supplies.

Here's how you can help Staples for Students now through September 17th:
1) Bring new school supplies to drop off at any Staples for collection & distribution
2) Buy extra supplies when you check-out at Staples and drop them in a marked bin
3) Donate money directly at the register.
4) Visit the website (with guest appearances by the Pretty Little Liars stars) to get more info. spread the word and win prizes. In total, Staples expects to distribute over $125,000 worth of school supplies this year.


Thanks to Moms And The City and Staples for inviting me to this event. I was not compensated for this post and all opinions expressed are entirely my own.