This post contains affiliate links. In fact, if you click through and buy anything from Amazon as a result of reading this post I may be able to add a pencil or two to my own back to school shopping splurge!

Back to School

My kids go back to school in, lets count them, one, two, three, four, five days! Where in the world did the summer go? It sure will be a different day. Quiter, which means I will most certainly get a lot more work done. Summers as a work at home mom are sometimes a bit of a challenge. I always feel so guilty that we can’t go off on an epic adventure every single day because they are home and I am working. But, I digress. Money makes the world go round, or, something like that. 

As the first day of school nears my Facebook newsfeed has taken on a new trend. Posts about pumpkin coffee, fall activities, even pumpkin decorating have fluttered in. But the majority of the posts are those Back to School shopping posts and many a mother wishing that they’d strike the lottery  have been on the rise. A few of my friends’ children have already started school and I so enjoy those first day of school photos! But, even once the bell rings the back to school shopping continues. More, its often just getting started! By the way, I can’t win you the lottery, but I am hosting a $500 Back to School Cash giveaway! Enter HERE! 

Every year on the first day of school my kids come through the door with a month’s worth of homework fo0r me to do in one evening. The forms to fill out, the school picture package forms (if you are local to me, check out Mallory Patry Photography– best children’s pictures anywhere and she’s doing back to school packages next month- and no, this won’t even earn me a pencil!), and the new shopping list that’s almost never in the same ballpark as what came in the mail a few weeks prior.

 Although I’m about to see a drastic decline in my grocery bill thanks to the inability of my three children and their multiple friends to graze the fridge and cupboards from 8-2, Monday through Friday, this month hits hard! I’ve got three kids to shop for. Essentially, I still need three backpacks, 3k sheets of paper, 12 folders, calculators, padlocks, sneakers, dress shoes, jeans, shirts, sweatshirts, pens, pencils, 6 binders… You get the drift. I’ve not bought a single thing yet. And, as I said, I’ve only got 5 days left.. and only two of those are shopping worthy. Which brings me to my saving grace and the way I am able to hide my overly abundant procrastination skills… online shopping! More specifically, shopping on Amazon and taking full advantage of my Amazon Prime membership!

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Free Amazon Prime Trial Membership

I’ve had an Amazon Prime membership for the last three years. I’ve saved a ton of money on shipping and always check Amazon for larger purchases before making them in store. I get free shippin on all Prime elegible products (almost everything has Prime elegibility). And, I’ve watched three seasons of Downton Abbey completely free with Amazon Prime Instant Video (plus they offer over 40,000 movies free with Prime Membership). If you haven’t watched it, you should! Right now. Who needs school clothes anyway? Haha! (Read about how we save a ton of money without cable and almost never miss an episode of our favorite shows using  a TV antenna and our Roku here). 

Amazon Prime Includes:

• Unlimited FREE Two-Day Shipping on millions of items with no minimum order size
• A Kindle book to borrow for free each month from the Kindle Owners’ Lending Library
• New customers may be eligible for a 30-day free trial. After your free trial, Amazon Prime is just $79/year. You can cancel anytime.

Back to School Shopping Deals

Below are the best back to school shopping deals on Amazon right now. Just click the photos that interest you to go to Amazon. Remember, if you sign up for Amazon Prime you’ll get this stuff with free two-day shipping and really cheap one-day shipping! Save up to 50% off backpacks, save up to 20% on water bottles, great back to school toys and games deals, half price binders, staplers, locker accessories, 40% off Five Star notebooks and much more!!