While chatting with a friend-R about the rising cost of everything, she mentioned she had just spent over one hundred dollars on school supplies, just for the basics like crayons and pencils. R also remarked that she recycled some of last year’s composition books by ripping out the used pages. It started me thinking. How much of this stuff did I have just lying around the house?

Checking our schools website, I found the list of recommended supply items for elementary school: Book bag, pencil-case, pencils #2, colored pencils, highlighters, erasers, composition books, wide ruled paper, ruler, binder or spirals, scissors, dividers with tabs, glue sticks, folders, post-its, pens and index cards.

This started me digging through drawers and closets. Between the children’s previous year leftovers, career or company changes and my home office glut, I emerged with an enormous pile of stuff.

Not only had I already covered the bulk of the supply list for both of my children, but had surplus to keep for home use or donate to their school.

The only thing we really needed were two new boxes of crayons, total cost, about .99 cents each.  Maybe I could have found those by recycling, but there is nothing like a fresh box of crayons to start a new school year right.  The one hundred dollars in savings will be better used in their college funds.  A hidden benefit was the organization and cleaning out of forgotten storage spaces.

So, before heading to the office supply store, first check your drawers and you may not have to lose your shirt!