Slash Your Back-to-School Bill: 7 Essentials Under $1 and 5 under $5 (2025 Guide)
Ever look at your child’s supply list and think, "Wait—how is a stack of notebooks ninety bucks?" You're not alone. The average U.S. family now shells out $858 on back-to-school gear. Popgot’s price-scraping engine flips that script by pitting Amazon, Walmart, Costco, Sam's Club and Target, against each other on unit price. Below is our zero‑fluff starter pack—everything your student needs, at the lowest prices we found this week. Load up, check out, and keep the change for after‑school pizza.
Starter Pack Products
Write Right ✏️
Note-taking gear that won’t quit mid-lecture.
Whether it's cramming calculus formulas or doodling in the margins, the right writing tools can turn plain paper into a launchpad for ideas. We cherry-picked these picks for their smooth strokes, break-resistant leads, and wallet-friendly multi-packs—so your student can scribble, sketch, and ace those note-checks without ever running dry.
Pencils
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Pens
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Keep It Together 📚
Folders, binders & notebooks to keep chaos in check.
Chaos loves a backpack. A couple of folders and a resilient binder can tame that storm, keeping worksheets crisp and homework intact. Stock up on these essentials and reduce the chance of misplaced homework.
Notebooks
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Loose Leaf Paper
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3-Ring Binders
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Stick & Fix 🧴
Sticky saviors for every poster board & science fair.
From last-minute science-fair builds to emergency poster repairs, a trusty adhesive is worth its weight in gold stars. Our budget heroes bond fabric, foam, and glitter-coated masterpieces alike—without the premium price tag (or sticky fingers that never wash off).
Liquid Glue
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Glue Sticks
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Color Splash 🎨
Quality pigments & tools that turn homework into fridge-worthy art.
Crayons, markers, and dry-erase markers add color to every project—not just art class. We hunted for richly pigmented, kid-approved sets that survive backpack tumbles and still pop on presentation day, all while keeping your paint-flow budget in the black.
- Purpose: Required for art classes and creative projects
- Why It's Important:
- Art supplies can be expensive
- Quality affects project outcomes
- Students need reliable, long-lasting supplies
Crayons
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Markers
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Dry Erase Markers
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Grab & Go ✂️
Last-minute lifesavers that spare frantic trips to the store.
You know the drill: it's 9 p.m., the project is due tomorrow, and somebody suddenly needs a highlighter or spare pair of scissors. Keep these essentials on hand to avoid late-night supply runs.
Scissors
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Highlighters
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Shopping Strategy Tips
1. Zoom Out on Pack Size 📦
- Hack: Use Popgot’s size filter to scan jumbo packs—unit costs usually nosedive.
- Pro Move: Split a mega-box with another parent and both of you pocket the savings.
2. Pick Gear with Side Hustles 🛠️
- Hack: Favor supplies that moonlight across classes—highlighters work for color-coding planners, scissors tackle art and snack-bag emergencies.
- Example: Multicolor gel pens pull double duty for note-taking and birthday cards, stretching every cent.
Conclusion
With Popgot crunching live prices across Amazon, Walmart, Target, Costco, and Sam’s Club, snagging the lowest unit cost is basically a cheat code.
Cheat Sheet for Maximum Savings
- Check the unit price—every time, every retailer.
- Invest in durability—a notebook that lasts a semester beats two that fall apart.
- Buy early, buy bulk—then let Popgot ping you when prices dip even lower.
- Go multi-purpose—supplies that moonlight in multiple classes stretch every dollar.
Add the items to your cart and start the school year knowing you saved. We'll keep tracking prices so you can stay focused on what matters.