New York Families Can Save on School Supplies This Year

Back to school shopping can take a big bite out of a family’s budget. However, a new study found that prices have dropped at several stores where New York families shop. FinanceBuzz checked the prices of 20 common school supplies at 10 major retailers. They compared the prices with what shoppers paid last year.

Walmart Had the Biggest Price Drop

Walmart lowered its school supply prices by about 20% compared with last year. That was the largest price cut found in the study. The full list of 20 supplies cost $54.21 at Walmart, making it the least expensive store in the report.

Staples Also Lowered Its Prices

Staples cut its prices by about 12%. It was the only other retailer in the study to lower prices by more than 10%. Most of the stores checked either lowered their prices or kept the increases small.

Two Stores Raised Their Prices

Walgreens and Dollar General were the only retailers in the study that raised their prices. The increases at both stores were less than 3%.

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Amazon Was Not Always the Cheapest

Shopping online may be convenient, but it does not always save money. Amazon had the highest price for four items on the school supply list. Those items included crayons, folders and rulers.

Michaels Had the Highest Total

The complete list of supplies cost $184.03 at Michaels. That was more than three times the cost of buying the same list at Walmart. Prices can vary by location and may change during sales. New York parents may want to compare prices before buying everything at one store.