You can’t turn on the television at this time of the year without seeing a glut of advertising for back to school sales. If you’re like me and your kids are grown, you may be tempted to tune the ads out, but don’t! If you’re a writer, a crafter, an artist, or work from home in any capacity, this is the time to shop smarter for yourself.

There’s no better time than now to restock your home office. Back to school sales provide the perfect opportunity to save money on computer paper, pens, notepads, and almost anything you need (or want) for your office. Been thinking of getting a chalkboard for the kitchen to write down those grocery items as they pop up? Hoping your laptop can last until the Black Friday sales? Do you really want to be waiting in line at Best Buy at 4am on a freezing Black Friday in hopes that you’ll be one of the lucky few to grab that half-price laptop? Now is the time to check out prices. It’s also a great time for artist and crafters to stock up too. Scissors, glue, colored pencils, tape, and chalk are priced right.

While you’re out there tracking down bargains for your office and home, you might consider picking up a few extra basic school supplies like pencils, paper, and folders to donate to your local school. With all the cutbacks to education funding, teachers are buying many classroom supplies out of their own pockets. A recent study by the National School Supply and Equipment Association (NSSEA) revealed that public school teachers spent 1.6 billion dollars of their own money for classroom supplies and gear in the 2012-2013 school year. That’s double the amount in previous studies.

“One child, one teacher, one book, one pen can change the world.” Malala Yousafzai

Thanks for stopping by,

Deborah