FEMAIL looks at the best last minute Back to School deals

With the first day of the new school year fast approaching, parents are scrambling to get their hands on last minute stationery, lunch boxes and uniforms. 

Thankfully, many retailers are holding excellent Back to School sales where parents can snag a number of essentials like school shoes and pencil cases at discounted prices.

So, for those who have exhausted their second hand options and have searched their homes for any leftover stationery or bags from 2017, raiding the sales is the best way to save some extra money ahead of the school year.

Here, FEMAIL rounds up some of the best sales in Australia at the moment for school shoes, school bags, lunch boxes, stationery and uniforms.   

Here, FEMAIL rounds up some of the best sales in Australia at the moment for school shoes, school bags, lunch boxes, stationery and uniforms

Get your hands on some Back to School coupons!

Groupon is offering a number of deals and coupons on the top back to school brands in the country.

1. SCHOOL SHOES 

Geoffrey Crichton, a podiatrist with more than 27 years’ experience and a father of seven kids, recently told School A to Z that expensive shoes are not necessarily better. 

Instead, parents need to look for three simple things – resistance through the middle of the shoe, a strong heel when squeezed and a flexible shoe at the forefoot.   

Big W are currently selling school shoes for as little as $12 and higher quality slip-resistant school shoes for between $49 and $59 each.

Target is selling lace up shoes for $15, tab shoes for $15 and Mary Jane shoes for $15 and Kmart has shoes starting from just $8.50.

These school shoes from Kmart cost just $8.50 and can be ordered online here

These school shoes from Kmart cost just $8.50 and can be ordered online here

Amazon Australia is selling a number of popular brands for less including $49.99 New Balance sneakers and $80 leather running shoes. 

Alternatively, Williams is having a huge back to school with a ‘1/2 price second pair’ offer, 20 per cent off Clarks shoes and prices starting from $49.95 for well known brands.  

One of the best deals on the site is a pair of Arlo Lynx Blue leather school shoes slashed to $49.95 from $80.  

The Povel lace up shoes from Target cost just $15

the Ewan twin tab school shoes cost $20

The Povel lace up shoes from Target (left) cost just $15 and the Ewan twin tab school shoes (right) cost $20

Tips for buying the perfect backpack 

* Skip leather and buy a lightweight fabric 

* Get the smallest size possible 

* Look for compartments 

* One packed the bag shouldn’t be more than 20 per cent of your child’s weight. The ideal weight is no more than 10 per cent.

Source: Spine Health  

2. BACKPACKS  

Backpacks are on sale in a number of large department stores at the moment, with good quality bags selling for under $50.  

Target has one of the biggest ranges of backpacks, with prices starting at just $10 for minimalistic pink or navy options.

There are also printed, canvas and geometric options for $15 and three piece sets for $20.

For $29, parents can snag a black duffle bag great for school sport and for $30, a chic leather look backpack great for the older kids. 

Kmart has some enormously cheap options as well, including a $4 junior backpack, a $15 three piece backpack that includes a water bottle and pencil case and a five piece backpack for just $20 that also includes a ruler and key ring. 

This five piece backpack is at Kmart for just $20 and includes a ruler and key ring

This five piece backpack is at Kmart for just $20 and includes a ruler and key ring

Brands you may not have thought of that have lunch box deals 

* Cotton On has some great sales on lunch items, including drink bottles slashed from $12.95 to $5.

* Surfstitch is currently offering an extra 30 per cent of all most everything in store including Rip Curl, Volcom, Billabong and Rusty lunch boxes

3. LUNCH BOXES 

With so many options for lunch boxes around, it’s important to pick one that is sturdy, nice to look at and, ideally, compartmentalised.  

Big W currently have $8 lunch box sets for $8 instead of $15, $1 drink bottles and ‘food movers’ for $10 each. 

Lime Tree Kids (which offers After Pay on all products) has some excellent deals on the ever-popular bento lunchboxes, with bento cups starting at just $9.95 each. 

They are also selling the bento boxes from $29.95 – each of them stamped with pastel prints, black and white designs or flamingos. 

The popular unicorn bento box ($42.95) has five segments and has been designed specifically for children who prefer variety or who are fussy eaters. 

Woolworths also has an excellent range of lunch boxes and drink bottles (some of them half price), with drink bottles starting from $1.50 and $7.50 bento lunch boxes slashed from $15.

Some great deals can be found on Amazon Australia, with a number of drink bottles on sale for under $6.

The above lunch boxes from Lime Tree Kids cost just $29.95 each and are perfect for fussy eaters and making lunch time exciting 

The above lunch boxes from Lime Tree Kids cost just $29.95 each and are perfect for fussy eaters and making lunch time exciting 

This Rip Curl lunch box from Surfstich costs just $25.99 and has an insulated inner lining

This Rip Curl lunch box from Surfstich costs just $25.99 and has an insulated inner lining

This adorable safari themed lunch box costs just $34.95

This adorable safari themed lunch box costs just $34.95

Canna Campbell’s tips for saving money while school shopping  

Canna Campbell, a top finance expert, shared her top six tips with FEMAIL: 

 1. Shopping at Officeworks where they can price match and even beat it is great value for money. Plus you can do click and collect which saves heaps of time

2. Always check what you already have a home to avoid doubling up

3. Also consider shopping in bulk as a community with other parents (like using Costco)

4. Be prepared, make a list

5. Consider buying second hand

6. Avoid shopping with the kids

4. STATIONERY 

As always, Officeworks has some excellent Back to School offers at the moment and promises to beat any identical stocked item on a quoted school list at a lower price by 20 per cent.

Big W has also launched sales on BIC pens, Artline markers and exercise books – some of which cost just 15 cents each – while Target has cut the costs of a number of their popular products in the lead up to the school season.

Notable sales at Target include the Dymo LetraTag for $29 (was $39), a pack of 10 Papermate black pens for $2.50 (was $5) and a pack of 36 Crayola pencils for $9 (was $12).

Cotton On is also selling some quirky pencil cases on sale – some of which have been slashed to just $3 from $12.95.  

Smiggle, which is in the middle of their ‘biggest back to school sale yet’, is offering 30 per cent off if parents spend $100 and 50 per cent off for a sale of $30 or more.

Kmart’s range includes $5 diaries, a chic wooden stapler for $5 and stationery collections ranging from rose fold to ‘abstraction’. 

Notable sales at Target include this Dymo LetraTag for $29 (was $39)

This Faber-Castell pack of five pencils costs just $5

Notable sales at Target include the Dymo LetraTag for $29 (was $39) (left) and the Faber-Castell pack of five pencils costs just $5 (right)

Smiggle, which is in the middle of their 'biggest back to school sale yet', is offering 30 per cent off if parents spend $100 and 50 per cent off for a sale of $30 or more

Smiggle, which is in the middle of their ‘biggest back to school sale yet’, is offering 30 per cent off if parents spend $100 and 50 per cent off for a sale of $30 or more

One exercise book costs just $1.50 at Big W

The 9x7 book costs just 40 cents

One exercise book costs just $1.50 at Big W (left) and the 9×7 book costs just 40 cents 

5. UNIFORMS 

While uniform lists often name items sold only at the school’s uniform store, it is possible to buy parts of the uniform like polo shirts, sport uniforms and school skirts or shirts at stores like Kmart, Target and Big W.   

Big W has slashed the price of their uniform range, with the offering including $10 pants, $8 school skorts and two-pack polo shirts for just $4. 

Target has some great offers as well – from a pack of three short sleeve school polo shirts for $15 to standard school cargo shorts for just $10. 

They also have $12 school dresses, which can cost upwards of $100 at the uniform store, $6 white socks and a pack of three unisex school short sleeve shirts for $15.  

At Target, a three pack of unisex long sleeve polo tops costs $18

At Target, a short sleeve costs $5

At Target, a three pack of unisex long sleeve polo tops costs $18 and a short sleeve costs $5

How to make the most of the back to school sales 

* Know your budget. Allocate a specific amount for school needs.

* Make a list of all the school requirements. Teachers would usually provide a list beforehand.

* Find reusable items from last year’s school supplies. Remove those from the list so you don’t buy them again.

* Buy in bulk. Packs of basic school supplies might be available for less.

* Compare prices. Look through different merchants and take note of deals.

* Shop for quality supplies. Do not just consider price over quality.

* Shop online. Save time, resources and enjoy the convenience of shopping online while getting the same offers.

Source: Finder



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