Odds & Ends

How To Pack A Backpack

 

August. The
effortless do-nothing days of summer are winding down and suddenly
the mall is filled with parents and kids on a time-honored quest.
“Mom! Look
at this one!“ Is the excitement about a new video game or DVD?
Guess again.

The days leading up to the first day of school seem charged
with some kind of mysterious energy that moves even the most
reluctant student to find enjoyment in shopping for new school
supplies. Backpacks sporting Barbie, Dora, Sponge Bob and Spiderman are
exciting the attention of the younger scholastic set.

But, while the kids concentrate on the latest backpack
trends, parents get plenty of practice in economics.
And, even though it may not be desirable or even wise to
skimp on a well-made backpack, good quality notebooks and pencils
to put in it don’t have to cost you a tank of gas.

 

This assortment of backpack stuffers includes a package of
12 large pencil-top erasers, a pair of school scissors, a package
of 4 die cast metal pencil sharpeners (plain but much more
reliable than the plastic ones), 1 glue stick, a package of 2,
12” aluminum rulers, a package of 4 tri-lock covers, 3
loose-leaf notebooks with sturdy vinyl covers, 1 geometry set, a
three-hole punch, an electronic calculator, a stapler with
staples, a set of 8 pencils that can be personalized, a roomy
pencil case and 2 pens.

 

At a popular department store, I looked for items similar
to these and found that they would set you back about $40.00.
You’re the best judge of whether or not your child needs
brand name pens (mine were always lending and losing pens and
pencils) or a calculator with a cover, but if not, you could save
more than half the cost of the department store supplies by
shopping at a dollar store.

All of the above plus many other
useful school and office supplies can be found on the well-stocked
stationary shelves of the local dollar store and you’ll get
change back from a twenty. That’s
a significant savings, especially if you have more than one
backpack to pack.

 

 

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