Today is the first day in August and that only means one thing – summer vacation is almost over! Here in Florida, most schools start in 1-2 weeks so it’s crunch time for getting those back to school essentials. 

Our Tax Free (more on the FL Tax Exemption weekend near the end of this post) weekend is scheduled for August 4-6 this year and it’s a time where planning ahead could help quite a bit. Get hold of your child’s school supply list and research prices for everything online. And don’t forget to grab those coupons, too!

Top 10 Back to School Essentials

1. Backpack – A backpack is something every students needs. If you invest in a good backpack that is durable, odds are you can have your student use it for a few years. Stay away from trends like cartoons and movie characters and opt for something you can personalize instead. Pictured: High Sierra Loop Backpack in Palms from Amazon.
2. Lunchbox and Thermos – On the same note as a backpack, a good lunchbox and thermos won’t need replacing each year. Choose something durable that can take some kicks. Pictured: Pinnacle Insulated Leakproof Lunchbox Set from Amazon.
3. 1 inch binders – I would bet this is on your kids supply list, but even if it isn’t, consider grabbing a binder to create a portfolio of your student’s work for the year. It is such a nice way to keep your student’s writing samples and art to look back on over the years. Pictured: Amazon Basics 4 pk of 1 inch binders.
4. 3 prong pocket folders – This is another must have. You can place some loose leaf notebook paper in these and create mini binders with convenient folders. Great for keeping subject work organized and color coded. Pictured: Top Flight Two Pocket Portfolio from Amazon.
5. Composition notebooks – These have been around for ages and they aren’t going anywhere for long. Students composition notebooks as planners, journals, writing notebooks, and so much more. Pictured: Mead Composition Notebooks from Amazon.
6. Pencils – The key to a great pencil is one with a dependable eraser! For this reason we usually go with Dixon or Ticonderoga because they have great working erasers that don’t leave icky marks. Pictured: Dixon pencils from Amazon.
7. Highlighters – Nuff said. Pictured:  Sharpie Tank Highlighters, Chisel Tip, Fluorescent Yellow, 12-Count from Amazon.
8. Colored pencils, crayons, and markers – The most trusted brand is Crayola and I would honestly not mess with this. We’ve tried other brands and the truth is they aren’t as durable. Pictured: Crayola products.
9. Glue sticks – If I’m ever asked what kind of glue to get for students, I would always go with glue sticks. They cause less messes than the drip kind and take up less space in your student’s pencil box. Pictured: Elmer’s Glue Sticks from Amazon.
10. Tissues – You can go with whatever brand you wish, but I highly recommend visiting Dollar Tree for the pocket packs to keep in your student’s backpack. You never know when the sniffles might hit you in the classroom. Pictured: Puffs Plus Lotion Facial Tissues – 124 ct – 3 pk from Amazon.

Florida Tax Free Weekend: Aug. 4-6, 2017

Now keep these Florida Tax Exemption rules in mind to know what items are eligible:

• Clothing – items up to $60
• Shoes – items up to $60
• School Supplies – items up to $15

This means for the cost of each item. For example, a graphing calculator that is $25 would not be tax free. So if you find something online at a better price now, go for it! On the other hand if you buy $5 calculators for each of your 4 kids, you will get each one tax free.

Happy Saving!

How are you prepping for Back to School? 

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