School Supply list Overload! 4 Tips to Keep the Cost Down When Buying School Supplies

Back to school and crazy long school supply lists have hit our inboxes. Here are some tips I’ve learned over the years:

1. Buy the basic version and stock up!

The notebook on sale for $0.50? The pack of glue sticks for $0.10? Grab a handful and toss into your cart. If you’re picky about certain things, splurge (but then don’t complain about the price).  Personally I’m a pencil snob – Ticonderoga for me please.  For example, I buy the cheapest folders for $0.05 each then replace them 2 or 3 times a year and I’ve still spent less than $1.00 on folders.  The pretty, shiny ones are $1.99 and still end up pulling apart mid-year.  Surveying ads from several big box stores, I find pencils, pens, erasers, crayons, note books, composition books, index cards, glue sticks, pencil boxes and folders all at super low prices. So my kid doesn’t have fancy desk supplies – they can learn to make do.

2. Review the list for items you have at home

I already have a calculator and rolls of tape.  We saved several notebooks from last year that only had a few pages used.  Put a white address label over the “SPELLING” label on the front and it’s good to go for a new year where it can become “MATH” now. This year my daughter really thought I was going to buy her new earbuds for school, hah! I have a basket of those at home.  She showed me one with a bit of earwax in it – I showed her where we keep the q-tips and toothpicks so she could clean them.

3. When on clearance, buy more!

Although I hate to grab clearance items just because the price is so low, stationary items will come in handy.  I have several notebooks with cool, fancy covers, some even are that “M” brand (!) and since I picked them up on clearance they are waiting for this year.  See, my kids do get some of the fancy stuff!

There will be a big clearance a few weeks after school has begun.  After that just scan those Clearance endcaps occasionally and don’t pass up the school supplies just because you have enough for this year.

4. Give-a, Get-a

If you do find that you’ve accumulated 20 glue sticks, send some extra in for the teacher to distribute to kids who may have forgotten (I’m begin NICE) to get theirs.  Teachers will also take extra craft supplies off your hands happily!  I was a major scrapbooker for years, and after a long hiatus, I wanted new supplies.  My daughter’s 4^th Grade teacher was thrilled with all my papers and stickers that her students could use.

Conversely, everything is not required. I do not use hand sanitizer (I speak with the teacher every year and give permission for my special snowflake to use soap & water in the classroom sink to wash her hands), so I don’t send any in.  I think it’s bad for the environment and for our health.  I’ll send in extra tissues though!

When they throw something weird at you, don’t sweat it.  I recall searching high & low for “2^nd Grade Composition book” and “3 Subject Notebook with Pocket dividers.”  The first I found, the second, I sent in a 5 subject with pockets and called it a day.

Open Letter to Facebook Friends during Election Season

Dear Facebook Friend,

I really like you in person.  Some of you are family, neighborhood friends, old high school classmates or that rare person who I met at one time and we became friends on FB. You surprise me when you like a post and I’m reminded that you’re in my circle.  Maybe one of your kids went to preschool with one of mine?  Maybe we chatted weekly at the beach? Maybe we worked together in the early ‘90s?   A few of you I’ve only met virtually, but over the years I feel like we’ve become close (mostly that’s my group of Ebay selling Moms that I met as we were all home with young kids and found Ebay selling as an outlet from the daily grind of diapers and food prep.)

As you post pictures of your children, vacations and anything you find beautiful, I’m right there to click “like” and give some positive comments.  You in turn support me and compliment me every time I change my profile photo. This social experiment has brought out the best in us with encouragement and positivity.

And then a Presidential Election looms…you just posted a meme calling another adult an idiot, liar, Nazi, evil incarnate. You became overly dramatic as you are worried that one candidate poses “danger” and claim to be “scared” if he/she wins the election.  You pretend to understand that the media has manipulated the 2 party system to falsely pit neighbor against neighbor, yet you continue to share images that are incredibly divisive.  You take one person’s single statement and claim that represents they are entirely on one side of the political spectrum (opposite you).  You make that one tame statement into something that represents hate of all that is right and good in this nation. 

The image that your Facebook activity creates of you has changed from that loving, kind person I know to a righteous, dramatic, opinionated antagonist.

During the past few months I’ve clicked on “Hide this Post” followed by “see less from Jane Doe” many times.  I miss your happy times and your funny rants.  If I waited one too many times before unfollowing you, my impression of you has been irrevocably damaged.

Please think before you post or “like” something. Everything you “like” pops up on my feed. If you are like me, your circle of friends is wide and varied. This variety encourages thoughtful discussions and exchanges of ideas.  Unfortunately most of what I see lacks thought or civil discourse. 

Sincerely,

Carol

My Norwex 16 month Check Up

Happy 16 months to me!  If my job were a baby, it’d be walking, talking and growing by leaps and bounds every day.  My career needs some remedial help then!  Not really, I’ve let it take a backseat when I need to, which works right for me.  This summer (hey, I was in “summer” mind set by May) I’ve neglected my business and this blog.  Although I’ve not neglected constantly analyzing the successes and failures I’ve and others have had in the direct selling marketplace.

Three other family members and five friends have all begun direct selling businesses since I’ve been into Norwex.  Has my blog helped?  I hope so!  But I want to get REAL and explain some of the details of this business. Even as I watch my friends post like crazy about their business, I wonder about their expectations and disappointments

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PRO: Direct Selling offers an outlet for many of us at home (whether w/children, unemployed, or retired) that drives our schedules and encourages us positively.  We get to focus on something outside of our families, socialize and feel confident we are providing a desired service.

CON: There will be backlash. One reason I slowed down was that I don’t want to be “Carol, the Norwex Lady” unless I’m at a vendor event.  I want to be “Carol, my friend…who also sells Norwex offering awesome environmentally safe products.” Income varies from minimal to modest.  Yes, some leaders are earning into the high $60,000s BUT they are working many, many hours.  One of my friends pointed out that for that income; you can work a standard sales job and still have regular hours and health benefits.

   Yes! I'll host a party!              I'll come to your party!                             No! I Shop at Walmart!

 There’s a spectrum of attitudes that range from “Yes, I’d love to host a party” to “please remove me from this group and don’t ever try to sell me anything…ever….I mean it….”  Now the person on the left (of my spectrum only, I am making absolutely zero political correlations) understands that by host

ing a party she will receive gobs of free product for little work.  Maybe she wants to try out Norwex, has been to a party and just doesn’t want to spend money at this time. Hosting is definitely the way to go!  The person on the right thinks they are avoiding a scam/pyramid scheme but they are actually just supporting “the man” (yes, an allusion from the ‘60s).  The reason similar products may be selling for lower prices range from child labor to negligent production facilities to simple poor quality. 

During my time with Norwex I’ve often considered how long I’d stick with it and I’ve decided to stick it out another 6 months at least.  My expectations  of rapid growth were not met, but the ability to work on a flexible schedule, focus my days (when even my youngest in in school all day), and enjoy a greater purpose just for me have been met.  My disappointment in the few products I did not love, the fact that my business did not take off and taxes (ugh! I have to track every little widget!)  are manageable and give me knowledge to set realistic goals for my next 6 months.