Back to School Elmer’s Helping Kids in Need ~ Giveaway

From early August to late September, moms and kids across the country are gripped by the excitement of back-to-school season. Shopping for all the right materials, supplies and, of course, hottest styles, the anticipation of a new school year is palpable in the air. I love the back-to-school season.

But not all moms are able to afford the supplies their students need on the first day of school, and as a mom that breaks my heart. School is tough enough without having to compound it with adult problems like money. How can we, as a society, expect kids to succeed and excel in school when they are worried about adult problems and can’t even start the year with a fresh start and new supplies like most of our children are able to without a second thought? We can’t. That’s why organizations like the Kids in Need Foundation exist, to help relieve the burden of school on parents and teachers by providing school supplies to teachers through a “free” store. (Locally, the Kids in Need Foundation supports A Gift for Teaching located in Orlando and Sanford. I was introduced to this organization through a childhood friend who worked there. It is an amazing organization, and if you have extra supplies to donate I recommend taking your supplies there.)

Because this is something I feel so passionately about, I use this blog to chronical my own shopping adventures to “Bag it Forward.” At the end of a five week period, I accumulated all of the supplies in the picture below for less than $30 (of my own money), to be donated to one of the poorest elementary schools in our district. Along with the other moms in my local moms club who participated, we were able to supply more than 40 children with the supplies they needed for the year.

This back-to-school season Elmer’s has partnered with the Kids in Need Foundation, and you can help supply kids with free Elmer’s products with a few simple clicks of your mouse. Through September 1, 2011 for every person who “likes” Elmer’s on Facebook or follows Elmer’s on Twitter, Elmer’s will donate one Elmer’s product to the Kids in Need Foundation. (Currently, the Facebook page has 12,473 likers and Twitter has 1,970 followers- that’s a lot of glue!) PLUS Elmer’s will make an additional donation for every person who watches the video on the Kids in Need tab on its Facebook page.  That’s three easy ways to have Elmer’s products donated on your behalf to Kids in Need without costing you a dime!

GIVEAWAY – To help encourage everyone to take those three simple steps to donate Elmer’s products to the Kids in Need Foundation, THREE lucky readers will win an Elmer’s prize pack that includes everything in the picture below (the all-new Elmer’s X-TREME School Glue Stick, Small foam tri-fold, Project Popperz, Mini bi-fold foam, Disappearing purple glue sticks, Gel school glue sticks, School glue and a School glue dual tip pen).

FYI – I plan to donate my Elmer’s prize pack to A Gift for Teaching. So enter for your kids or enter to donate your prize!

To enter – Please use the Rafflecopter form below to take advantage of your entry opportunities.

Disclosure – I was provided an Elmer’s prize pack in consideration for this post, however, all thoughts and opinions are my own.

Back to School with TJ Maxx And Marshall’s~ $25 Giveaway

Back-to-school shopping is more than just shopping for crayons, notepads and pencils – it’s also about shopping for the latest trends for your students. And the latest trends, like everything else, can add up in a hurry especially if your kiddos have fashion opinions of there own (which mine does, if you consider PINK a fashion opinion).

Two of my favorite places to shop are TJ Maxx and Marshall’s. Of course, I love the discounted prices, but I also love the thrill of the hunt. At TJ Maxx and Marhsall’s you never know what you are going to find because the inventory changes weekly. Yes, weekly. In fact, each store receives 10,000 new pieces of new merchandise weekly to restock the shelves. That’s a lot of stuff.

With so many things to offer, it is a rare trip to TJ Maxx that I leave with empty hands. Of course, our TJ Maxx is also attached to a Home Goods — so it is double trouble for me! (Picked up a shelf and canvas for K’s room today!)

Right now TJ Maxx and Marshall’s are ready for back-to-school shoppers from hot trends in clothes, shoes, accessories, backpacks and more.

Here’s something to think about… TJ Maxx and Marshall’s are off-price retailers, rather than discount retailers. This means that while both off-price retailers and a discount retailers might sell backpacks for $19.99, the off-price one was made to sell for $40, whereas the discount retailer’s was made to sell for $19.99. Interesting thought…

While K doesn’t know name brands yet, there comes a day in every girl’s fashion life that they want to wear name brands (boys too). If your student is addicted to name brands, you gotta shop TJ Maxx and Marshall’s to save.

Giveaway – To help kick start your shopping, one lucky reader will win a $25 gift card to TJ Maxx / Marshall’s. 

To enter – Please use the Rafflecopter form below to take advantage of your entry opportunities.

MANDATORY ENTRY MUST BE LEFT AS COMMENT ON BLOG POST BELOW – then you can check off in Rafflecopter that you did it. Otherwise, all other entries will be invalid. (Click instructions for what to comment about.)

Disclosure – This post and giveaway are brought to you buy TJ Maxx and Marshall’s, however, all thoughts and opinions are my own.

Project Back To School Round Up Week 7 (8/21)

This week’s Project Back to School Round Up includes some HOT Deals! My big project may technically be over, but these deals are too hot not to buy. Remember, when you finish with what your kids need there are always places (year round) that need supplies for kids. (Locally, I am a big fan of A Gift for Teaching - they have a “free store” for teachers to come and get supplies they need for their class rooms.)

HOTTEST DEAL of the WEEK is at Office Max where $0.90 (plus tax) will buy (5) 1-subject spiral notebooks, (2) 12-packs of #2 pencils, (2) boxes of 24 Crayola Crayons and (3) OfficeMax Glues!

Office Max

HOT Deals These deals may be regional – so check your ad or call your store before you head out.)

• 1-Subject Schoolio Notebooks 70 Sheets $0.01 (limit 5)
• Just Basics #2 Pencils 12 pack $0.05 (limit 2)
• OfficeMax White Glue 4 oz. $0.15 (limit 3)
• Crayola Crayons 24 pack $0.15 (limit 2)
• Schoolio Composition Books 100 sheets $0.50 (limit 5)

Extreme Deal (valid Sunday-Wednesday only)

Kmart

Project Back To School Round Up Week 5 (8/14)

Project Back to School is officially over in our house, I turned in all of the supplies I collected thus far this week. However, I know people are still shopping so I still rounded up the deals. (I think I might head out and grab some of the hottest deals anyway, there’s a need for supplies somewhere!)

I think you will be impressed by my results… Happy Shopping!

Staples

Easy Rebates & Rewards

• Zebra Cadoozles 0.7mm Mechanical Pencils 10 pack $3.99 - $3.99 Easy Rebate (limit 1) = FREE!
• Pilot Frixion Yellow Highlighters 3 pack $4.99 - Staples Rewards (limit 1) =  FREE!
• Epson Heavyweight 8.5×11 Photo Paper 50 pack $10.99 - $10.49 Easy Rebate (limit 1) = $0.50
• Hammermill 8.5×11 CopyPlus Copy Paper 500 Sheets $4.99 - $4.49 Easy Rebate (limit 2) = $0.50
• Staples Pastels 8.5×11 Colored Paper 500 sheets $8.79 - $3.79 Easy Rebate (limit 2) = $5

1¢ Extreme Deal

• Staples 1 Subject 10.5×8 Notebooks 70 sheets (limit 6; minimum $5 purchase required)

25¢ Deals

• Staples 1″ Poly Binder (limit 4)
• Sharpie Permanent Marker 2 pack (limit 2)
• Staples Mini Composition Book 3.25×4.5 80 sheets 2 pack (limit 2)

50¢ Deals

• Staples Jumbo Paper Clips 50 ct. (limit 2)
• Staples Translucent Pencil Box
• Staples Dual Dome Pencil Sharpener (limit 2)

$1 Deals

• Stretch Pencil Box
• BIC Student’s Choice Mechanical Pencils 5 pack
• Staples Pushpins, Binder Clips and Paper Clips
• Staples 5.5×4.25 Fat Memo Book 200 sheets
• Backpack Folders
• RoseArt Washable Markers

$2 Deals

• Crayola Large Washable Crayons
• Zebra Z-Grip Animals Retractable Ballpoint Pens
• Expo 8.9×11.8 Double-Sided Writing Practice and Plain Dry Erase Board
• Roselle Professional Drawing Pad 9×12 40 sheets
• Staples 5×3 Memo Books 75 sheets
• Really Useful 1.6 L Box
• Staples Premium Handheld 1-Hole Punch
• Expo Dry-Erase Board Cleaner
• Staples Pencil Pouch w/ Mesh Pocket
• Webster’s Pocket Reference Books
• Mars Plastic Erasers 4 pack
• BIC Atlantis Retractable Ballpoint Pens 4 pack
• Studio C by Carolina Pad 1 Subject Notebook or Composition Book
• Germ-X Hand Sanitizer 8 oz.
• Clorox Disinfectant Wipes 35/pack
• Softsoap Hand Soap 7.5 oz.
• Edura-Glide Low Odor Dry Erase Markers 4 pack (regularly $5.99!)

$3 Deals

• Crayola Dry Erase Markers 4 pack
• Crayola Washable Dry Erase Crayons 8 pack
• 8.5×11 Monthly Calendar Board with Marker
• 22×28 White Poster Boards 10 pack
• Staples Eraser and Grip Combo Pack
• Kleenex Standard Facial Tissue 2 pack
• Staples Expandable Files

$5 Deals

• Expo Washable Dry Erase Set
• Triplus Fineliner Marker Pens 10 pack
• BIC Mark-It Markers Fine Tip 12 pack

Don’t forget to snag your FREE labels… head on over here to print an in-store coupon valid for 300 FREE instant labels, good through 8/24.

Office Depot

• Paper Pocket Folders $0.01 (limit 10)
• Office Depot Brand Plastic Ruler $0.01 (limit 5)
• Office Depot Brand 8.5×11 Multipurpose Paper 500 sheets $6.49 – $6.48 Mail-In Savings Visa Prepaid Card = $0.01 (limit 2)
• Office Depot Brand Bookcovers $0.25 (limit 5)
• Office Depot Brand Wood Pencils 12 pack $0.25 (limit 5)
• Scholastic Standard Crayons 24 pack $0.25 (limit 5)
• Office Depot Brand Compass $0.25 (limit 5)
• Schoolworks 5″ Kid’s Scissors $0.25 (limit 5)
• Marble Composition Books $0.25 (limit 5)

$1 Deals

• Fashion Color Rubberbands
• Really Useful Boxes 0.2L and 0.3L
• Paper Mate Expression Ballpoint Pens 5 pack
• Liquid Paper Smooth Coverage Correction Fluid
• Prismacolor Magic Rub Vinyl Erasers 3 pack
• Avery Self-Adhesive Reinforcement Labels
• 2-Sided Pencil Box
• All Sharpie Permanent Marker Singles

$2 Deals

• Sharpie Accent Generation Highlighters 5 pack
• Uniball Vision RT Bold 3 pack
• PaperMate Write Bros. Grip Mechanical Pencils 12 pack
• Post-It 3×3 Super Sticky Die-Cut Notes
• Fiskars 7″ Student Scissors
• Poly Index Card Box
• 3M Command Damage Free Picture Hanging Strips
• Post-It Flags
• Scholastic Notebooks
• Pacon Art Street Construction Paper Pack
• Elmer’s Xtreme Glue Sticks 1.4 oz.
• Really Useful Boxes 0.55 L
• Office Depot Brand Jumbo Paper Clips 100 ct.
• PaperPro Nano Mini Stapler

$3 Deals

• Office Depot Brand Heavyweight Sheet Protector 25 pack
• Office Depot Brand Clipboard
• Water Bottle
• Fashion Pencil Cup
• Fashion Sorter
• Liquid Paper Dryline Correction Tape 2 pack

$4 Deals

• Pentel R.S.V.P. Ballpoint Pens 12 pack
• PaperPro Evo Compact Stapler
• Docket Legal Pad 3 pack
• Avery Write-On Plastic Dividers w/ Erasable Tabs (great for a coupon binder!  )

$5 Deals

• Post-It Apple Pop-Up Note Dispensers
• Mr Sketch Scented Markers 12 pack
• Select 3M Fashion Labels
• Foray Rollerball Pens 12 pack

Other Deals

• Lexar 8GB TwistTurn S50 USB Flash Drive $10 (regularly $34.99!)
•  Use the in-ad coupon to save 25% off the second package when you ship 2 packages via UPS or United States Postal Service; limit 1 coupon per household/business. You can also opt to print a coupon valid for$25 off any Copy & Print Depot purchase of $50 or more through August 27.

Office Max

Check your local newspaper on Sunday, 8/14, for an OfficeMax bag. Stuff as much as you can into the bag and you’ll save an automatic 20% at checkout.

• Schoolio 1-Subject Notebook in Assorted Colors 70 sheets $0.01 (limit 5)
• Just Basics #2 Pencils 12 pack $0.10 (limit 2)
• Crayola Crayons 24 pack $0.20 (limit 2)
• OfficeMax 4-oz. White Glue $0.20 (limit 2)
• Composition Books $0.50 (limit 5)
• Hammermill 8.5×11 Copy Plus Paper 500 sheets $6.99 - $6.98 back in MaxPerks Bonus Rewards (limit 2) = $0.01

Kmart

• Crayola Crayons 24 pack $0.25
• Microban 5″ pointed scissors $0.75

Here are the Suburban Mom’s Project Back to School Results. (If you want to go back and review, you can find my posts from week 1 here, week 2 here, week 3 here, week 4 here, week 5 here).

GRAND TOTAL = $26.59

Plus the $10 Challenge = $9.93

JCPenney – $25 for $50 To Spend Online at JCP.com

Plum District has a HOT Back to School offer today. For $25, you can get $50 to spend at JCPenney’s online site jcp.com. The deal cannot be used in-store, and is limited to one per customer.

THE FINE PRINT

• Voucher may be redeemed starting 8/12/2011
• Limit one per customer; one additional may be purchased as a gift
• Valid only at jcp.com; not valid in jcpenney stores
• Voucher may not be applied toward taxes and shipping
• Entire voucher amount must be used in one transaction
• Purchases may be exchanged, but by mail only
• Voucher may not be combined with any other offers or promotions
• Expires 01/31/12