Back to School Savings in the Tri-Valley

It may seem a little early to shop for back to school supplies, but frugal deal lovers should know that right now the best deals are to be had (and the best selection), some for literally pennies.

For office supply stores, July is their Christmas, and the stores plan all year how to come up with the best deals to get you through the doors.

Want to walk out of Target with a pack of Bic pens for .04? It can easily be done with a few savvy tips.

You don’t need to be an extreme couponer to reap serious savings.

General Savings Tips:

• The biggest deals come when you can combine a store run special with another coupon, and in some cases also with store discount cards and/or rebates. Check the stores’ weekly sales circulars for items you want and check if you have a coupon to “stack” on top. I like to check these sites for good general coupons:
  • http://www.coupons.com/
  • http://smartsource.com/
  • http://www.redplum.com/
• Tip: Sign-up for deal and coupon emails with a separate email account you use just for this purpose to cut down on emails to your primary account, and be more efficient in time spent deal hunting.
• If you have a favorite brand you use regularly, and you use Facebook, “like” their fan page, and often you’ll find exclusive coupons there.
• Don’t have the time, energy, or interest to track deals? There are several great bloggers who do the job for you. Two of my go-to resources are: Money Saving Mom and Coupon Cravings.

Grab your school supply lists, and coupons and head to these local stores to grab some back to school deals and check it off the to-do list:

• Wal-Mart, 4501 Rosewood Dr, Pleasanton (925) 734-8744 or 2700 Las Positas Rd, Livermore (925) 455-0215 (This week: Offering study desk for as little as $49)
• Target, 7200 Amador Plaza Rd, Dublin (925) 829-8900 or 4300 Las Positas Rd, Livermore (925) 606-1445 (This week: sale on all kinds of school supplies, including kid-friendly backpacks and clothes. Also check out their coupons for all kinds of school supplies.)
• Staples: 2170 Crow Canyon Rd., San Ramon (925) 552-1960 (This week: offering a free five pack of highlighters, and other deals for as little as $.50)
• Office Depot: 3111 Fostoria Way, San Ramon (925) 866-0930 or Dublin location at 6440 Dublin Court (925) 803-1860 (This week: Crayola 24 pack crayons for $.25—limit of 5, and more)

• Lakeshore Learning Store: 1929 Mt. Diablo Blvd., Walnut Creek (925) 944-1495. Chock full of supplies, learning aides, and toys, Lakeshore isn’t always that friendly to a tight budget, which makes their sales the best time to shop. The store's back to school sale is currently running through Sept. 4.