Target vs. Walmart School Supplies: Compare Their Best Back-to-School Deals
Back-to-school and back-to-college spending is expected to reach an all-time high of a whopping $108.1 billion in 2021, according to the National Retail Federation.
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The bill for families with children in grades kindergarten through high school likely will reach $37.1 billion, up from $33.9 billion last year. College students and their families will set records of $71 billion, the organization predicts. That's an increase from $67.7 billion a year ago — an amount perhaps held down because so many students learned virtually because of the coronavirus pandemic.
Still, there are some ways to finish your school shopping without breaking your budget. One way is to take advantage of the back-to-school sales at Target and Walmart. Check out which retailer has the winning price on every school essential.
Last updated: Aug. 3, 2021
Backpacks: Walmart
Back-to-school shopping isn't complete without a new backpack, so head to Walmart for the best deals. For example, a black 18-inch Eastsport Campus Tech Backpack costs $16.94, while a similar 18 1/2-inch laptop-carrying bag by SwissGear is priced at $29,99 at Target.
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Pencils and Pens: Tie
What's better than brand new pencils with brand new erasers? Pencils that come sharpened. Walmart gets right to the point in that category. A pack of 48 Pen + Gear sharpened No. 2 is $1.88 at Walmart. The store brand at Target is regularly priced at $2.99 for 24.
And when it comes to pens, you don't have to take notes in class with a boring ballpoint. Head to Target for a 50-count case of Yoobi brand gel pens, priced at $11.59. The Scribble Stuff 32-count tower is available at Walmart for $18.88.
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Lunchboxes: Target
Lunch boxes come in lots of shapes and sizes, but your kids might only need a basic insulated lunch bag. The Fulton Bag Co. Lunch Sack costs $5.99 at Target, while the Ensign Peak lunch sack at Walmart is $8.99.
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Notebook Paper: Tie
You can't go wrong buying your notebook paper at either store. A 500-count pack of Norcom college-ruled notebook paper costs $2.64 at Walmart, and a 175-count pack of notebook paper from the same brand is 99 cents at Target. The per sheet price is a bit less at Walmart, but you'd need to buy lots of lots of paper to realize even a small savings.
Glue Sticks: Tie
Either store will be the best discount school supply store to buy glue sticks. Get a two-pack of Elmer's Washable Disappearing Purple Glue Sticks for 50 cents at both Target and Walmart during before-school sales. At regular price, it's $1.19 at Target and $1.12 at Walmart. At the sale price, be sure to buy more than one pack. This will be the best price of the school year, and kids will need lots of them between now and June.
Crayons and Colored Pencils: Tie
The cost of going back to school can add up, but crayons won't take much of the budget. A 24-pack of classic Crayola colors costs just 50 cents at both Target and Walmart.
You can pick up colored pencils at the stores, too. For just under $15, you can get a pack of 100-count Crayola colored pencils at either Walmart or Target.
Scissors: Walmart
A 5-inch pair of blunt-tip Fiskars scissors is $1.49 at Target, while Walmart sells the same scissors for $1.47. Walmart comes out the winner, even if only by two cents.
Read: 25 Best and Worst Deals at Walmart
Folders and Binders: Tie
Chances are your kids need multiple folders, so buying them at the cheapest school supply store is a must. Walmart wins this round with a two-pocket, plastic Five Star folder for 97 cents, as opposed to 99 cents for the same item at Target.
Target is the winner this season when it comes to binders. The store-brand 1-inch, 3-ring view binder is priced at $3.49. That's less than half the $7.48 Walmart charges for a similar Avery Economy 1-inch binder.
Electronics: Tie
If your student needs a new computer, both Target and Walmart have a variety of models to review. If a small Chromebook would do the trick, check out the Samsung CB4 11.6-inch Celeron at Walmart, currently priced at $129 — a significant discount off its $199 list price — to see if it meets your needs. Target has a similarly sized Acer model for $249.99.
And that new Chromebook owner probably needs a flash drive. Target is the place to turn for that. The Memorex 64GB Flash Drive USB 2.0 costs $5.99 at Target, while Walmart sells a 32GB model from SanDisk for $6.97.
Erasers: Walmart
Mistakes happen, so erasers are an important part of a school supplies list. Save some money at Walmart, where you can get a package of three large, latex-free Paper Mate Pink Pearl Erasers for $1.34. The price is just a nickel shy of Target's price for the same item, which comes out to $1.39.
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Highlighters: Walmart
Highlighters are one of the most essential school items, so put them on your Walmart shopping list. When you buy from the retail giant, you'll pay $2.54 for a four-pack of yellow fluorescent highlighters made by Sharpie — about 64 cents each. A three-pack of the same item at Target is on sale for $2.09, or about 70 cents each.
Markers: Walmart
Back-to-school shopping for markers is easy because Target and Walmart both have low prices. Pick up a 10-pack of Crayola broad-line washable markers in assorted colors for $2.49 at Target, or save two cents and buy them from Walmart.
Spiral Notebooks: Walmart
A 70-page, college-ruled one-subject notebook from manufacturer Pen + Gear is just 25 cents at Walmart this school season. By comparison, a similar 70-page Up brand notebook costs 69 cents at Target.
Calculator: Walmart
Do the math and you'll find that Walmart is just cents better in price than Target. Pick up the Texas Instruments TI-30Xa Scientific Calculator for $8.94, or $8.99 from Target.
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Jami Farkas contributed to the reporting for this article.
Prices were sourced from Walmart.com and Target.com on Aug. 2, 2021. Prices are subject to change.
This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: Target vs. Walmart School Supplies: Compare Their Best Back-to-School Deals
