Talk of the Town: Back to School Deals

This post may contain affiliate links, which means we may receive a small commission when you make a purchase at NO additional cost to you. Thank you for supporting our site in this way!

Watch the video of today’s show

Tune in to Talk of the Town on NewsChannel 5 in Nashville at 11am CST on Wednesday, July 28th to watch my latest “Frugal Mom” segment on Back to School Deals !

I sent my kids back to school last year with hardly any money spent out of pocket – and you can do the same thing this year!

One thing to keep in mind –many families (and schools, for that matter) are still struggling to get back on their feet after the flood; even if you don’t have school-age kids, please consider picking up some of these great deals and freebies to donate.

Here are just a few of the great back to school deals and freebies going on right now. Remember, make sure to sign up for any of the store rewards programs and keep an eye out for coupons in the mail and online to fully take advantage of these deals!

Tax-Free Weekend

From August 6-8, select clothing, school and art supplies less than $100 will be tax free (also computers $1500 or less).

Mayor’s First Day Festival

The Mayor’s First Day Festival offers free educational activities, entertainment, and school supplies! On August 8^th from 2-5pm at Bridgestone Arena, dozens of organizations will have booths handing out freebies to students and parents to help kick off the school year.

Free Backpacks

Several stores are offering FREE backpacks this week (most require payment up front with a rebate offer making them free). They are:
–Office Max (get 100% back in MaxPerks bonus rewards – limit 2)
–Staples (get 100% back in a Staples gift card – limit 1)
–Walgreens (Buy 1 Get 1 Free – certain backpacks)

Make sure you sign up for all the free store rewards programs first!

Toys R Us Back to School Deals

While it’s not a free backpack, Toys R Us has some great back to school deals! They have extended their FREE lunch bag offer! Just buy any backpack ($12.99 or more), and you can pick out a FREE lunch kit (up to $9.99)! They also have all Crayola crayons, markers, and more on sale Buy 1 Get 1 Free!

Penny Deals

A couple stores have some remarkable penny deals going on this week:
– Office Max: 2 pocket folders (limit 6)
– Staples: Multi-purpose paper (500 sheets – limit 2), Bic Ballpoint pens (8 ct black – limit 2): ENDS WED!

Teacher Appreciation Days

Keep an eye out for Teacher Appreciation Days going on, especially at local bookstores and office supply stores. Staples will be holding their teacher appreciation event on August 7th from 9a-12p in Nashville, with special gifts being handed out to the first 100 teachers!

Other great deals this week

–Office max: Crayons (24 ct for $.05), markers (8 pack for $.25)
–Office Depot: Notebooks (6 pack for $.50), Rulers ($.05)
–CVS: lots of BOGO free deals (great to make use of Extra Care Bucks)
–K-mart & Target: lots of dollar deals
–Rite Aid: Buy 1 Mead Composition Book, get 2 FREE. Also get any of the following for $.29:
—Mead notebook, Harvard Square ruler, Glue, Erasers, #2 pencils, crayons, eraser caps, pencil case, white glue or portfolios

Deals like these will be continuing over the next few weeks before school starts, so keep your eyes out for more back to school bargains!