nSeika/flickr

No matter how you educate your children, it is pretty hard to miss the start of the new school year. While parents of students going to traditional schools are saving money on school supplies, parents of homeschoolers, like me, look for ways to save money on curriculum.

There are as many different ways to homeschool as there are homeschoolers.  But in general it breaks down to either following traditional academic age/grade appropriate guidelines on what a student should know (so that you can pop your kid back into a traditional curriculum at any time and they wouldn’t be behind) or following a child-led curriculum, called unschooling in some circles.

If you are following a traditional curriculum,

use this list of free online schools by state. Most of these schools will provide you with free text books and even a free computer.

If you are using an unschooling approach, then the world is your curriculum. My top eight places to find books, materials and ideas for unschooling are:

1. Yard sales and swaps. Take your kids with you. Let them dig through the stuff. There are usually tons of books and projects at yard sales. Are the kids interested in something? Don’t worry if it is age appropriate. It’s so cheap that it doesn’t matter. This is also a wonderful place to find machines and electronics to take apart with your kids.
2. Freecycle. Ask and ye shall receive. Does your child want a telescope? A sewing machine? A silk screening kit? Ask. Someone probably has one in their garage that they would love to give you for free. Of course, you can also look for these items on Craigslist, Ebay and Amazon, but “free” is always the best price.
3. The library. One of my first communications with the fabulous Bargain Babe was the fact that I saved over a quarter of a million dollars by using the library.
4. Your neighbors’ and friends’ libraries. Most of us have friends and neighbors that have all sorts of books and toys and learning stuff that they would gladly loan to us. Make sure that you take good care of them and return in a timely manner and then you will be able to ask to borrow something else.
5. Field trips. My absolute favorite way to learn and teach. I still remember the trip we took to the Heinz pickle factory when I was in grade school. When you are homeschooling, you can talk your way into places that an entire class wouldn’t be able to go. I took my kids to a cardboard box recycling facility. It was fascinating. I just called and asked and got someone who said we could come and tour. Some people will say “no” and some will say “yes.”
6. Virtual field trips. In case you get a “no” for something you really want to see, then try and find a virtual field trip. Lots of businesses now have some sort of online tour. One of my favorites on this list is the virtual field trip to the Pyramids. (Note, not all the links work on this list of virtual field trips, but many of them do.)
7. Free online college courses. MIT has made available 2,000 free courses. Other universities also have free online courses.
8. Zero Tuition College. My new favorite. If you have a self-directed learner who is approaching college age, then this is your new home page. Some great events and ideas are going to spring forth from the movers and shakers who are part of this new community.

There are so many wonderful ways to create and discover learning-opportunities. Taking the time to talk to your postal carrier or farmers’ market vender can open up whole new areas of greater understanding. I hope you have an opportunity to try some of the above ideas even if you don’t homeschool or unschool your kids. Perhaps it is time to try them yourself. Enjoy!

Last chance for back to school deals! Credit: stevendepolo/Flickr

Just a reminder that the back to school deals end this Saturday, Sept. 10, 2011 at Office Max and Staples. Office Depot has already cut us off. The only school sale worth mentioning for Sept. 11-17 is Staples so you’ll find that below. Here’s a recap of the deals ending Saturday, Sept. 10, 2011:

Office Max deals ending Saturday Sept. 10, 2011 (some prices are regional so double check your weekly ad online or in store)

• 1 cent 12-pack Schoolio Colored Pencils
• 1 cent Pencil Sharpener
• 25 cent Sharpie Singles Markers
• 25 cent 5-pack Just Basics Pink Erasers
• 25 cent OfficeMax Clear Zippered Binder Pocket
• 25 cent 12-Pack Schoolio Colored Pencils
• $3.99 OfficeMax 1.5” Durable View Binders when you buy 3
• Buy 2, Get 1 Free on ALL Mead Five Star Binders, Notebooks, Paper, Pouches and Folders, ALL Avery or OfficeMax Glue Sticks, ALL Scotch Tape and Dispensers, ALLPost-It Notes and Dispensers, ALLOfficeMax Inkjet or Laser Paper Reams, ALLSharpie Markers, Pens and Accent Highlighters, ALLOfficeMax Filler Paper, and ALLOfficeMax Notebooks.

Staples deals ending Saturday Sept. 10, 2011

• 1 cent Hammemill ream of paper (ends Sept. 7)
• 1 cent Pentel sparkle retractable gel pens (ends Sept. 7)
• 1 cent 12-pack of cap erasers (ends Sept. 7)
• $1 5-pack of black gel retractable
  pens
• $1 5-pack of Bic mechanical pencils
• $1 15-pack of Rose Art colored pencils
• $1 25-pack of pull and seal envelopes
• $1 metal compass
• 50% off all backpacks (used to be 25-50% off)
• $1 pencil cases, paper clips, mini staplers, packs of highlighters, comp books, pencil cases, packs of glue sticks, and dry erase boards with pens

Staples deals Sept. 11-17, 2011

• $1 Hammemill ream of paper
• $1 5-pack of black gel retractable pens
• $1 5-pack of Bic mechanical pencils
• $1 25-pack of pull and seal envelopes
• $1 fashion or comp notebooks
• $1 Staples 1/2-inch tape flags
• $1 4-pack retractable highlighters
• $1 plastic boxes
• $1 plastic pencil boxes
• $1 15-pack of Rose Art colored pencils
• $1 push pins, paper clips, and binder clips
• 50% off all backpacks (used to be 25-50% off)
• $7 4-GB flash drive
• $10 box of paper after Staples rewards, which can be used on anything in the store

99 Cents Only Store on-going school deals

• 10-pack of Papermate stick pens
• Mead envelopes & index cards
• Calculators
• Backpacks
• 64-pack crayons
• 3-pack Avery markers and hi-lighters
• Webster dictionaries, thesaurus and English/Spanish dictionaries
• Youth t-shirts in assorted school colors

Buy 2 get 1 free at Office Max. Credit: Office Max.

If you haven’t yet taken advantage of the hot weekly back to school deals, this is your last chance! The final weeklong back to school sales cycle begins this Sunday and ends Saturday, Sept. 10, 2011. Office Depot deals end tomorrow, Saturday Sept. 3, 2011. Here are this week’s deals!

Office Max deals Sunday Sept 4-10, 2011 (some prices are regional so double check your weekly ad online or in store)

• 1 cent 12-pack Schoolio Colored Pencils
• 1 cent Pencil Sharpener
  
• 25 cent Sharpie Singles Markers
• 25 cent 5-pack Just Basics Pink Erasers

• 25 cent OfficeMax Clear Zippered Binder Pocket
• 25 cent 12-Pack Schoolio Colored Pencils
• $3.99OfficeMax 1.5” Durable View Binders when you buy 3
• Buy 2, Get 1 Free on ALL Mead Five Star Binders, Notebooks, Paper, Pouches and Folders, ALL Avery or OfficeMax Glue Sticks, ALL Scotch Tape and Dispensers, ALLPost-It Notes and Dispensers, ALLOfficeMax Inkjet or Laser Paper Reams, ALLSharpie Markers, Pens and Accent Highlighters, ALLOfficeMax Filler Paper, and ALLOfficeMax Notebooks.

 Staples deals Sunday Sept. 4-10, 2011

• 1 cent 4″ x 6″ HP photo paper (ends Sept. 7)
• 1 cent Hammemill ream of paper (ends Sept. 7)
• 1 cent Pentel sparkle retractable gel pens (ends Sept. 7)
• 1 cent 12-pack of cap erasers (ends Sept. 7)
• $1 5-pack of black gel retractable pens
• $1 5-pack of Bic mechanical pencils
• $1 15-pack of Rose Art colored pencils
• $1 25-pack of pull and seal envelopes
• $1 metal compass
• 50% off all backpacks (used to be 25-50% off)
• $1 pencil cases, paper clips, mini staplers, packs of highlighters, comp books,  pencil cases, packs of glue sticks, and dry erase boards with pens

Staples Bonus: Pay $10 for a Staples discount card that gets you 15% off on school supplies through Sept. 17, 2011. Excludes toner and ink, technology (electronics), gift cards, stamps, case paper, food, furniture, flash drives, cell phones and plans, services, and phone cards. You’ll need to spend $66.66 dollars to get your $10 investment back (15% off $66.66 = $10).

Office Depot back to school deals have ended.

School supply deals are ending this week so shop soon! Credit: Avolore/Flickr

This is the last week of back to school deals at Office Depot. I’m not sure if the other chains will follow suit, but it is likely. I’ll continue to post deals every Thursday until they stop completely.

Office Depot deals Sunday Aug. 28-Sept. 3, 2011

• 1 cent slider pencil box
• $1 Fiskars Student Scissor
• $1 mechanical pencil
• $1 2-pack of paper towels

Office Max deals Sunday Aug. 28-Sept. 3, 2011

• 1 cent 2-pocket folders
• 1 cent metal compass or 6-inch plastic protractor
• 1 cent ream of paper after $6.98 Office Max Bonus Rewards (which can be spent on anything in the store)
  
  
• 15 cent Schoolio markers (broad or fine tip)
• 30 cent 1-inch or 1.5-inch binders
• 50 cent 2-pack of scissors
• $1 for 2 small plastic boxes with lids (lower price at Staples)
• $6 4GB flash drive
• Up to 50% off on backpacks and totes

 Staples deals Sunday Aug. 28-Sept. 3, 2011

• 9 cent 1-subject notebooks
• 9 cent 8-pack of No. 2 pencils
• 25 cent 2-pocket plastic folders
• 25 cent small plastic boxes with lids
• 25 cent 5-pack of Bic permanent markers
• 25 cent 4-pack of Pentel gel pens
• 50 cent hardcover memo notebooks
• $2 ream of paper (ENDS Aug. 31, 2011)
• 50% off all High Sierra and YakPak backpacks (ENDS Aug. 31, 2011)
• $10 8GB flash drive (ENDS Aug. 31, 2011)
• Buy two and get one free on all Bic products (mix and matching OK)
• Print a Staples coupon for $5 off $25 off that expires Aug. 27, 2011.

Staples Bonus: Pay $10 for a Staples discount card that gets you 15% off on school supplies through Sept. 17, 2011. Excludes toner and ink, technology (electronics), gift cards, stamps, case paper, food, furniture, flash drives, cell phones and plans, services, and phone cards. You’ll need to spend $66.66 dollars to get your $10 investment back (15% off $66.66 = $10).

99 Cent Only Stores on-going deals no limit

• 99 cent backpacks
• 99 cent 64-pack of crayons, 2-pack glue
• 99 cent jumbo calculators, scissors
• 99 cent Websters dictionary, thesaurus or English/Spanish dictionary
• 99 cent Mead index cards, construction paper, and flashcards
• 99 cent doodle pads

Going to college = eating ramen.
Credit: crazytales562/Flickr

Reader Pauline shared a fascinating secret in her comment on Yazmin’s post on college money wasters: “Our plan and my son’s goal is that he graduates from college debt-free.”

Whaaaa?! How would she accomplish such a financial feat? I was dying to know Pauline’s plan. Luckily, she wrote back and shed light on her family’s incredibly savvy spending habits.

Hi Julia:  Well, first of all my son is VERY low maintenance. We have had our kids purchase their own WANTS for years. His Dad and I always provided the needs and made that clear what a need vs a want consisted of. And also my son doesn’t like to spend his own money. He has several  and various savings accounts that have been growing over the years.

As far as starting 9 months ago I’m the type of person that needs

time to let creativity mull in my mind and in reality if one wants something free or really inexpensive you need time on your side. As an example my son wanted a George Forman grill to take to college, I told him wait you’ll find one at a yard sale at a give away price. Well we never did and I wasn’t going to buy one retail (actually I don’t know if one can even find one retail anymore). Well, one of those thrift shops we located in Arcata had a brand new George Forman grill for sale. Austin said,

“Mom can you buy this for me?”

“How much is it?” (which is my typical response)

“Three bucks”

“Okay, I’ll spring for that at that price.”

Well, when we went to check out the gal said,

“Oh this is $1.50. Evey item with that color tag is 50% off today.”

YEAH. Everyone I knew, knew Austin was off to college in August so we had many offers of needs. We acquired the items from friends, Freecycle, Craigslist, yard sales, rummage sales and even our own home (yes we do have duplicates of many things). When I returned home from driving my son to school my husband asked where did the microwave and kitchen clock radio go? Oh I let Austin take it to school, I received the microwave from Freecycle and I figured I could find another but Austin needed one now so ours went out the door. As for the radio clock I have a vintage clock on the kitchen wall so didn’t need 2 clocks in the kitchen. One neighbor lady that I met through Freecycle would even email prior to posting  her Offers to see if my son could use her items for college (that was really sweet and kind of her).

So here’s a mini list of what he took to college that we acquired for free: Microwave, Dorm refrigerator (I was not going to buy a new one of those), toaster oven, Brita Water filter system,  large Rubbermaid storage bin (to store and stockpile all the snacks/foods that I had acquired either free or really cheap), clock radio, all his school supplies:  binders, paper, pencils, erasers, pens, highlighters, kitchen utensils/tools, pots, pans, plates, cups, mugs, down comforter cover and comfy pillows, extra long fitted twin sheets. He was given some really neat plaid Penelton type shirts that he eagerly packed, pants (from Freecycle), tennis shoes, heavy wind breakers, basketball shorts/tops. I’m sure there is more I’m just drawing a blank now.

I would say one flawed character trait in kids today is not differentiating needs vs wants because of who is flipping the bill. This one takes years of training and you can’t start the Summer before your child heads off to college. We wanted my son to be responsible for his college expenses that includes tuition, room and board etc. He had to fill out the financial aid applications (with our help and guidance of course), he filled out the scholarship applications also. My opinion is kids today have a huge entitlement mentality and presume parents will cover all college and sundry costs. So I’m old school and believe what one works hard and diligently to acquire one will appreciate and work even harder to maintain. Additionally, we are trying to teach our son independence, discipline and a strong work ethic. I think that is needed even more so in this day and age.

My son previously would always kid me about how “cheap” I am because I wouldn’t buy anything unless it’s on sale, I have a coupon for it, or we find it at a yard sale, thrift shop etc. But one of the first emails I received from him from college was this:

“I found the names of the books for all the classes I have but I don’t wanna get them here because they are very expensive, so see if you can get them for cheap.”

So I replied: “So now you like that I’m cheap ‘er frugal. Okay I’ll check with Half.com and Abebooks.”

I have a funny story about his lap top but that’s another long email. Please email me back should you have more questions. Sorry for the ramblings.

Sincerely Pauline

I really admire Pauline’s perseverance and dedication to teaching her son such frugal financial values. Such patience is rare. Pauline mentioned Freecycle several times. If you’ve never checked out this organization, you should. It’s an amazing community resource that will make you feel good about passing on household items, instead of sending them to a landfill.

As for the textbooks, this is perfect timing. Yesterday I did an entire post on how to get textbooks for cheap.

Got a story like Pauline’s? Email me! How are you preparing for your child’s or your own college expenses?

Back to school contest starting soon!

I’m putting together a back to school contest and am considering the following prizes. Vote by commenting. The prize that gets the most votes wins!

•  $100 Dell gift card
• $100 Barnes & Noble gift card
• $100 Macy’s gift card
• $100 Zappos gift card

The contest will launch next week. Thanks for your input!

thinkretail / Flickr

This is a post by BargainBabe.com writer Yazmin Cruz.

A while back I wrote about saving money by using a retail credit card with perks. This time I saved $90.38 on back to school shopping! I headed to outlets just outside L.A. with my high-school-bound sister and bought several clothing items she can combine with her existing wardrobe in September.

Outlet stores are great for saving money on clothes. Below I’ll share tips for how we got the most out of our outlet shopping experience. But first, let me share what we bought and the cost breakdown. We shopped at the GAP because I had a $10 off reward sent to me. We bought items that are not so trendy and took advantage of big outlet discounts.

Skinny Cargo Pants

Original Price: $49.99

70% off discount: -$34.99

Rewards discount: -$1.82

Paid $13.18

Turquoise long sleeve shirt (Jewel tones are in style this fall.)

Original Price: $24.99

60% off discount: -$14.99

Reward discount: -$1.21

Paid $8.79

Striped Shirt

Original Price: $39.99

30% off discount: -$12

Rewards discount: -$3.38

Paid $24.61

Cardigan

Original price: $39.99

40% off discount: -$16

Rewards discount: -$2.91

Paid $21.08

Socks

Original price: $7.99

30% off discount: -$2.40

Rewards discount: -$0.68

Paid: $4.91

Without the discounts I would have paid $162.95. I ended up paying $72.57 – a whopping 56% off – which I put on my credit card that I pay in full. We don’t often take advantage of the outlet stores as they are far from us. But this experience taught me several things to get the most for my buck.

• Shop with a calculator. Most stores advertise the discount, but seldom say how much it will actually cost. Having a sign that reads 75% off looks more appealing than having one that reads “Only $49.99.”
• Get it dirt cheap – Bring coupons with you or discounted gift cards. You can set up alerts on sites that sell them to get notified when there’s one you’re interested in.
• Dress properly – Time is money. Standing in line waiting for a dressing room will only slow you down. Instead try sweaters and shirts over what you are wearing as you shop. Pants, shorts and skirts can be tried on in the dressing room. Remember to bring in the size you think you are plus a smaller one and larger one because if it doesn’t fit you’ll have to get back in the long line to try it on.
• Return policy – Make sure you know what the store’s return policy is. Some stores will let you make returns, but only at the same store you made the purchase. If you live several miles from the outlet, this may not be worth it to you as you’ll end up spending more money on gas.
• Get the basics – Outlets are not for those who want to be on top of the latest trends as you’ll end up finding last season’s fashion. Instead buy pieces that can work with what you already have like jeans (these never go out of style).

Prices inch lower on notebooks starting Sunday at Office Depot. Will Staples and Office Max follow suit? If you are looking for back to school deals on clothes and shoes, check our daily roundup of the hottest store deals.

Office Depot deals Sunday Aug. 21-27, 2011

• 1 cent 1 subject note books
• 1 cent Office Depot Eraser Caps
• 50 cent Scholastic glue sticks
• 50 cent reams of paper after mail-in rebate
• 50 cent vinyl binder
• 50 cent Purell
• 50 cent 3-pack High Lighter

 Staples deals starting Sunday Aug. 21-27, 2011

• 1 cent 120-packs of ruled paper
• 50 cent Scotch tape with dispenser (HOT DEAL!)
• 50 cent pencil cases
• 50 cent Avery glue sticks
• 50 cent spiral-bound notebooks
• 25-50% off all backpacks
• 50 cent  ball point pens
• Print a Staples coupon for 20% off that expires Aug. 20, 2011.

Staples Bonus: Pay $10 for a Staples discount card that gets you 15% off on school supplies through Sept. 17, 2011. Excludes toner and ink, technology (electronics), gift cards, stamps, case paper, food, furniture, flash drives, cell phones and plans, services, and phone cards. You’ll need to spend $66.66 dollars to get your $10 investment back (15% off $66.66 = $10).

Office Max deals starting Sunday , 2011

• Next week’s ad has not been posted. Hoping for an update later today so check back!

micro10x/Fotolia.com

Bargain shoppers like you and me can get trapped by low-priced back to school clothes that appear to be a great value, but are cheaply made. The September issue of ShopSmart, published by Consumer Reports, says here is what to avoid.

Dresses and skirts – Elastic waistbands, no lining, sloppy stitching, crooked seams, and visible hems (they should be rolled).

Jackets – Big, cheap buttons, buttonholes with loose threads or raw edges, no lining (which helps the jacket fit better and keep its shape), labels sewed on sloppily, flimsy

sticky zippers. As my Mom always told me, if the zipper doesn’t work in the store, it’s not going to work at home.

Blouses and tops – Prints or stripes that do not line up at the buttons, gaps at the bust (or maybe you need a bigger size), tacky buttons, loose threads, cuffs that pucker.

Pants – No lining, mis-sewn pockets, pockets that show through the fabric, pucking around the waist or zipper, no hook-and-eye closure (which keeps the zipper from opening).

Jewelry – Overly shiny or fake jewels or “gold-coating” that will chip on first wearing. Instead, buy gunmetal and matte finishes.

Handbags – Cheap hardware like zippers, nailheads, and closures, stitching that does not match the color of the bag, gaudy charms and fringes.

Shoes – Fake leather looks better on a handbag, mismatched shoe and heel colors, cheap details like bows and straps.

Tips from celebrity stylist Karen Kleber, who was tasked with putting together a fabulous outfit for $100 or less, surprised me. She could only shop at JC Penney, Kohl’s, Target, Marshalls, Sears, T.J. Maxx, and Walmart.

Kleber found T.J. Maxx had the best shoes, the most stylish clothes were at JC Penney, and the turnover at H&M was so fast there was no time to come back after thinking about a piece of clothing. Check out the fashion trends we spotted for back to school 2011!

Burrs & Berries / Flickr

This is a post by BargainBabe.com writer Yazmin Cruz.

Kids want to look good at school; parents surveyed by the National Retail Federation are committed to “spend where you need to, save where you can.” Here is how to meet both needs by saving money on back to school fashion. So what are this year’s fashion trends?

Tip: We post back to school deals at Staples, Office Depot, Office Max, and more every Thursday.

• Color-blocking- This trend is huge! You may have already seen someone giving it a try by wearing bold colors at the same time, above. If done right, it looks chic, but it can quickly go south. The trick is to stay within the color family. Try a bold pink dress with a bright red cardigan and black patent leather flats. The good thing about this trend is that your kids continue wearing most of his/her summer clothes saving you major moolah!
• Boho chic - I love nothing more than being comfortable and this style is carefree. Boho chic is about layering, which works well for the crisp fall and chilly winter months. Start with a summer dresses and add pieces like knit sweater, tights, faux fur vest, or a scarf to make it fall appropriate. Florals are no longer just for summer so don’t put those pieces away just yet. This style is not new so your kids may already have tights and flowy shirts.
• Mini-me look – You’ll be seeing a lot of boys wearing miniature versions of their father wardrobe like blazers and army jackets. This will most likely happen when they have to dress up, otherwise they’ll be dressing like the next trend.
• Skater boy – Skinny jeans, plaid shirts, and skater shoes, like Vans, are back with a vengeance. You’ll be seeing a lot of urban colors like acid green, blues and grey. For those of you who don’t like tight pants, this season they will share the spotlight with full silhouette pants and bell bottoms.

Now that you know what’s in, here are four tips to help you save money on these trends.

1. Do inventory – Go through your kids’ closet or your own and see what they have. If their clothes or shoes don’t fit them, set it aside for a sibling, clothing swap, donation, or garage sale. You can use the money you make to buy other items.
2. Shop in your closet – You’ll probably find your kid already has pieces you can make work for any of the above looks. Many fashion pieces, like skinny jeans, are returning and the simple T-shirt and jeans combo remains stylish. To breathe new life into clothes, add accessories. This will save you money by not having to build an entirely new wardrobe.
3. Only buy what you need – According to the National Retail Federation, the biggest trend this year is department store shopping. That’s because many stores are selling fashionably-forward labels like Madonna’s Material Girl and Lauren Conrad’s LC. And don’t forget that many of these stores are participating in tax free shopping days.
4. Splurge vs. Save – If your kid’s backpack is still in good condition wash it and reuse it to save money. Instead, splurge on a good jacket or warm shoes to get your kids through the winter.

How are you preparing for back to school?

Comp books are 25 cents at Office Depot starting Sunday. Credit: Office Depot

UPDATED: I just added the Office Max deals for Aug. 14-20, 2011.

PREVIOUSLY: This week’s back to school deals are looking HOT! Office Depot and Staples have the best deals this week. Where are you doing your back to school shopping?

Office Depot deals Aug. 14-20, 2011 – Some deals are regional so check your local flyer

• 1 cent ruler
• 1 cent ream of paper after mail in rebate
• 1 cent paper pocket folders
• 25 cent book covers
• 25 cent marble comp books
• 25 cent compass
• 25 cent Scholastic 24 count Crayons
• 25 cent scissors
• 25 cent 12-pack of Office Depot pencils

Staples deals starting Aug. 14.-20, 2011

• FREE 10-pack of Zebra Cadoozles mechanical pencils (ENDS AUG. 17)
• 1 cent 1-subject notebooks (ENDS AUG. 17)
• HOT 25 cent Sharpie 2-packs!
• 25 cent comp books
• 25 cent poly binders
• 50 cent 50-packs of colored paper clips
• 50 cent Epson photo paper
• 50 cent ream of paper
• 50 cent pencil sharpener
• 50 cent pencil boxes
• 25-50% off all backbacks
• $10 off select Cannon inkjet printers

Staples Bonus: Pay $10 for a Staples discount card that gets you 15% off on school supplies through Sept. 17, 2011. Excludes toner and ink, technology (electronics), gift cards, stamps, case paper, food, furniture, flash drives, cell phones and plans, services, and phone cards. You’ll need to spend $66.66 dollars to get your $10 investment back (15% off $66.66 = $10).

Office Max deals Aug. 14-20, 2011

• 1 cent Schoolio 1-Subject Notebook in Assorted Colors (70 sheets)
• 1 cent Schoolio 2-Pocket Folders
• 5 cent Metal Compass or Plastic Protractor
• 10 cent 12-Pack Just Basics #2 Pencils
• 20 cent 24-Pack Crayola Crayons
• 20 cent OfficeMax 4-oz. White Glue
• 25 cent 10-Pack Schoolio Markers
• 30 cent Schoolio 1” or 1.5” Poly Binders
• 50 cent Composition Books
• 50 cent Westcott 5 Scissors

Daniel Ernst/Fotolia.com

To follow yesterday’s post on back to school deals, 16 states have planned tax free holidays for clothes, school supplies, and computers. BargainJack has a neat chart with the info, which I summarize below, and Time’s Moneyland blog has additional analysis. Here’s what you need to know:

Participating states: AL, AR, CT, FL, IA, LA, MA, MD, MI, NM, NC, OK, SC, TN, TX, VA.

Tax-free dates: Most states’ tax-free shopping days are THIS WEEKEND Aug 5-7, though some are later in the month.

Limits: There are per-item cost limits, like $100 on clothing. So if you buy a fancy leather jacket that costs more than $100, it will be taxed. If you buy lots of little clothing items that add up to more than $100, no tax. Some of the limits are as low as $20 per item on school supplies, but Tennessee has a generous $1,500 limit on computers.

Bonus: There are discounts in some states for hurricane preparedness items and sports equipment.

I have to say that in light of the debt limit fiasco and ensuing stock market fall yesterday, should our government be covering taxes on items like this? Are we as a nation getting too accustomed to perks like this?

A pram stroller made out of money! Dominik Meissner / Flickr

We share five must read blog posts about saving money every Friday.

Stocks rebound - After a steep drop Thursday, stocks saw modest gains Friday morning. (USA Today)

Free and cheap weekend - A long list of free and super cheap stuff to do this weekend can be found on Hip 2 Save.

The real cost of having a baby - The cost of raising a child is high so our Silicon Valley blogger friend shares saving tips for new parents. (The Digerati Life)

Facebook school deals – This year, Facebook is your friend when it comes to scoring back to school deals. (CNN Money)

Is your internet provider holding you back? A Federal Communications Commission report reveals which ISPs live up to their advertising claims so you can stop spending money on slow internet. (Main Street)

Staple removers are 50 cents at Office Depot Aug.7-13

This week’s back to school supply deals run Sunday through Saturday, so you have one full week to take advantage of these great deals. August is a fantastic month to restock your home office.

Office Depot deals Aug. 7-13 , 2011

• 1 cent glue
• 50 cent 1-inch poly binder
• 50 cent Foray single pens
• 50 cent Papermate pink erasers (3 pack)
• 50 cent Office Depot brand Staple Remover
• $1 Sharpie Permanent Markers (5 pack)
• $1 ream of paper (after mail in rebate)

99 Cents Only Store on-going deals

• Pens, pencils, mechanical pencils, markers for 99 cents each or less
• Portfolios or correction fluid for 99 cents each or less!

Bed Bath & Beyond back to school deals

• An 11-piece bedroom set that includes a comforter, sham, sheet set to fit an extra-long college bed, three washcloths, drawstring laundry bag, dry erase board with marker, and a crate for $80. Remember to use a $5 off or a 20% coupon (the latter will save you more).
• Join BB&B’s email list to get an instand 20% off coupon emailed to you!

Staples deals Aug. 7-13, 2011

• FREE 10-pack of .07 mechanical pencils (I got these last year and am still working my way through them!)
• 10 cent comp books (this deal ends Aug. 10!!!!)
• 25 cent clear plastic ruler
• 25 cent pack of 100 paper clips
• 25 cent small colored boxes
• 50 cent 7-inch scissors
• 50 cent 1-subject wide ruled notebooks
• 50 cent insertable dividers
• 50 cent ream of paper
• 25-50% off all backpacks
• BOGO free boxes of paper (10 reams)

Staples Bonus: Pay $10 for a Staples discount card that gets you 15% off on school supplies through Sept. 17, 2011. Excludes toner and ink, technology (electronics), gift cards, stamps, case paper, food, furniture, flash drives, cell phones and plans, services, and phone cards. You’ll need to spend $66.66 dollars to get your $10 investment back (15% off $66.66 = $10).

Office Max deals Aug. 7-13, 2011

• 1 cent100-Sheets OfficeMax Paper (wide or college ruled for notebooks)
• 10 cent10-Pack PAPER MATE Write Bros. Ballpoint Pens (blue or black)
• 25 cent Schoolio Poly 2 and 4 Pocket Folders
• 50 cent OfficeMax 4-oz. Glue and Glue Sticks Combo Pack
• 75 cent 10-Pack PAPER MATE Write Bros. Mechanical Pencils