Thrifty Thursday: How Do You Find Your Best Deals on School Supplies?

The expert in this CBS News Up to the Minute article recommends waiting until after school starts and buying school supplies on clearance. However, I'm skeptical of this school shopping advice.

I've been burned by this approach. Maybe my kids need more specific supplies than the average kid (like the year one needed a metric and English ruler with no holes...what's the problem with holes?). But in the past, I've waited too long and found stores out of stock of certain items. And it's not just hole-less rulers I had trouble with. Sometimes it's been more basic items like erasable pens, fat pencils or decent lunch kits.

So not only did it mean an additional trip to the store, in some cases I ended up paying...choke...full price when items came back in stock!

So I've learned to shop smart but early. I layout the sales pages and my kids' school supply lists together and try to find the best spot to shop. But maybe it's just me and my kids' overly particular teachers. Do you think waiting until school starts is a good strategy? Tell us how you save on school supplies.

More Thrifty Thursday Ideas:

• Thrifty Thursday Blog Archive
• Free Fitness Websites for Kids
• Consider Refinancing Under the "Make Home Affordable" Program
• Put Kids on a Budget
• Avoiding the Impulse Baby Buy
• Helping With School Shopping
• Create a Money-Saving Grocery List
• Fall Is Time for Summer Clothes Shopping
• The Hunt for Cute Kids Clothes Sales Online