Back-to-school is a stressful time of year. For military families who often move to new districts or base schools, the price of buying new supplies, signing up for local sports teams, and uniforms or school clothes can be financially overwhelming. Luckily, there are retailers, charities, and statewide incentives that can help ease the burden. And these eight deals will help you and your family be well-prepared for the upcoming school year.
Operation Homefront’s Back-to-School Brigade
Operation Homefront partners with Dollar Tree and SAIS to collect school supplies for military children as part of their Back-to-School Brigade. The stores collect items from July 5 through August 11, and then Operation Homefront volunteers give them to military children all across the country at the end of summer.
The Exchange
It seems like a given, but you can’t go wrong with the Exchange. It’ll have everything you need and you won’t have to pay taxes on any of it. For many military families, it also has the added bonus of being nearby.
Payless
The shoe store offers a 10% military discounts across the board. Whether it’s sneakers, uniform shoes, or just new school shoes, Payless carries just about everything you could need in terms of footwear. Plus, they have have BOGO, so you can buy one pair and get a second for half the price.
Pottery Barn Kids
There is a 15% discount for all military families. Though Pottery Barn is on the pricier end, the items like backpacks, lunch boxes, thermoses, and even study furniture (like desks) are all very high quality — as in, they will no doubt make it to the end of the school year.
Microsoft
Obviously a computer and software are bigger ticket back-to-school items, but necessary nonetheless. Microsoft offers a 5% military discount on Surface devices and PCs with Windows, and it also offers a 10% discount on the ever-necessary Microsoft Office.
Apple
A bit of a splurge, but Apple does offer very generous military discounts on computers. The deals can help you save on computers like as the iMac, MacBook Air, MacBook Pro, Mac mini and Mac Pro. Discounts vary but typical ranges are between 5% and 15%. There is also a special discount provided for the AppleCare Protection Plan.
Bonus:
Tax-Free Days
Duty-free isn’t just for liquor. There are also a number of days that state governments designate as tax-free on clothes, shoes, school supplies, and computers. These are typically scheduled for back-to-school. So in addition to saving on school items, you are also helping to stimulate your state’s economy.
Labor Day Deals
If you can hold out on last year’s supplies through the first week of school, new supplies will likely be on clearance after Labor Day. Stores like Target and Walmart, which boast an incredible arsenal of school supplies, will be trying to clean house in order to prepare for Halloween. This means huge savings.