Our school sends home a VERY specific school supply list each year and this year I gave up! I had so much trouble last year finding specific things that I almost bought the kits sold at our school this year, but it would have run over $100 for both kids (which is crazy). So this year, I decided to buy what I can as long as it is close to the list. They want non-perforated notebooks - well the perforated ones are 10 cents at WalMart and the non-perforated are $1.39 each at the office supply store - guess which ones they are getting? (I actually bought the preforated last year by mistake and no one even noticed the difference) They also specify 16 count crayons - those aren't on sale but I got the 24 count for 25 cents each. Same with glue sticks - they must have the large ones. Well, the small ones were 20 cents for a two pack and the large ones were $1 each, so I just bought twice as many of the small ones. That is better for my kids anyway since they leave them open and they shrivel up!

our district is not that picky. they do say like box of 24 crayons wide lined note books and 4 folders of specific colors(for certain subjects like green for science ect). we also do not have a huge list my sister in mn had 3 times a bigger list than we did and my girlfriend in a town 5 miles over and in a different district had a huge list as well. i registered for school and got all my supplies filled the lunch card for under 65 bucks total. our district is very good with there money we don't even pay for field trips they pick up the tab. my thing is if my small district can do it and be ahead of education compared to same size schools in our area why can't others.

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Measure wealth not by the things you have, but by the things you have for which you would not take money.

I also modify the school supply lists, especially when it comes to glue sticks. I get the small one because they fit in their supply boxes better, and are cheaper. I also fiqure what is the school going to do if they don't have big glue sticks, a 16 pack of crayons, or a spare pair of tennis shoes for gym. Kick them out of school!?!?!? I don't think so. Also are they going to learn anything less with smaller glue sticks or a different size box of crayons. No!!

Sorry to rant but I am getting rather frustrated with lengthy supply lists when we survived with crayons, paper, pencils and folders.

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AMOAMOM :love:

I am altering too. I will not buy the supply box from school. My dd needs 8 count washable markers---I can only find 10 ct. I am taking out the two extras. Since I think that the supplies are pooled in the classroom I am not killing myself looking for specific products. I really do have other things to concern myself with these days.

I got the non perforated paper once and the kids got points taken off every assignment until i got what I was told to get.

Apparently the teacher didn't like raggedity edges on the papers

Well boo hoo, I told her she should just be happy the kids turned their work in.

I did buy the small glue sticks instead of the large ones!! He needs 2 lg ones, well lg ones were $1.86 each and small ones were 2 for 20 cents!!! So he got 4 small ones! He also needs an 8 oz bottle of glue, well we already have 2 4 oz bottles in our cupboard, so that is what he is getting!

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~Happiness is a large family~

I will say I think I'm lucky to have boys. They don't care what they take and they don't even want to go shopping with me. When I told them I was going to use some of their supplies from last year (like scissors and rulers) they just shrugged and said okay. When I was a kid new school supplies were a big deal to me and my friends with girls say they still are to their kids. The only thing mine asked for was new lunch boxes - not even back packs (although they knew I'd say no to that one).

I have talked to our teachers and they just want the kids to have basic supplies and as long as it works the way it is suppose to that is all that matters!! I know My youngest needs large crayons and smallones!! I have improvised like we are suppose to send 4oz glue not the large but I cannot find the small ones so I send the large ones!!!

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Kelly mom to 2 gymmonkeys!!!

I guess I think the only thing important of those mentioned may be the non-perforated notebooks. I could see that a teacher may want them to pull of a sheet to hand in. I personally follow the list exactly but I just worry that there is a specific reason for the request that I'm missing.

I could understand if they wanted perforated, but they specify NONperforated and I can't see why they would want that. It would be different if the perforated pages fell out easily, but they really don't.