I am a former teacher. I only spend on 2 school supplies.

Another good mom friend recently sent me a photo of her three children school supplies; it was a literal mountain of Amazon boxes. I only have one child and easily spend or take away €100 on school supplies every year – until I started teaching.

Once I got to the other end of the school supply list, I realized there were so many ways to save. Like one former teacher and now that I’m a mother of a high school student, I have these top tips for saving money on school supplies.

Not every offering has to be brand new

A common misconception among parents is that every school item must be brand new.

I have been recycling my son’s headphones for three school years now. They are still in good condition and they didn’t get lost because I labeled them with his first and last name. That way, when he inevitably leaves them in a classroom, they come back to him. His calculator is another item that is labeled and reused from year to year.

You can also reuse a lot by cleaning. At the end of each school year, I throw out my son’s school bag and wipe down anything that can be reused with a disinfectant wipe. This also applies to unopened and unused glue sticks colored pencilswhile items like scissors and highlighters look like new after a good wipe.

I only spend on 2 items

The only two items I spend money on are my son’s backpack and lunch box.

I was my son’s backpack and lunch box during the entire school year. Quality bags can be washed again and again and will last for several years. I also had my son pick out a cute and discreet pencil case to serve as a safe place for his valuables, including lunch money, his cell phone, and other personal items. And because I let my son pick out his own bags, he doesn’t mind reusing them year after year.

I always try to buy off-label for school bag supplies, even if the school supply list says otherwise. For example, if Clorox wipes or Ziploc bags are listed, any off-brand disinfectant wipes or zip-top plastic bags will do.

I shop at different stores to maximize savings

Both Target and Walmart prices are comparable. For example, Target’s Dealworthy composition notebooks cost $0.39 each, while Walmart’s Pen+gear notebooks cost $0.38 each.

When it comes to sustainability, I prefer Target’s products. For example, their Mondo Llama markers and crayons are, in my opinion, just as good as Crayola’s, and half the price.

As long as you’re willing to go to a few stores, some supplies are even less available at Dollar Tree, including their highlighters and glue sticks.

Then I pick out some of their two packs of cute folders and colorfully designed notebooks that my son doesn’t really need. But these things help with the school jitters, and they only cost $1.25 each, which is a fraction of the price of the same items elsewhere.

When I can, I donate items to my son’s class

I always get markers and colored paper when they are on sale because my son will inevitably need them for projects during the school year. And even though I no longer teach, I still buy desk supplies for my home office. Even as an adult, I never get tired of new pencils and cute pens, while pretty folders and post-its always take some getting used to.

As a former teacher, I know how much donations of classroom supplies are appreciated. If I can, I would like to use my own savings for school supplies to donate to my son’s teachers. My #1 supply request was always a box of tissues. I did two to three a week, and I bought them myself for my classroom. Trader Joe’s still sells a box of tissues for $0.99, which is less than I’ve ever seen anywhere.

After tissues, the most requested items from teachers are likely extra pencils for students, antibacterial wipes for desks and bags of individually wrapped candies. I know candy may seem like a strange request, but teachers use it as a small reward in the classroom to increase engagement. Just like tissues, teachers buy candy out of their own pockets several times a school year.

I buy things from the school supply list

High school students always need an endless amount of loose-leaf paper and pencils. If Target’s Dealworthy 175-sheet packs cost $0.89 during the school term, I’ll get at least four.

I don’t know why students lose their pencils, but they do. This year I bought my son a box of 50 Up & Up mechanical pencils for $5.99 to keep at home and restock his school bag as needed.

At both primary and secondary levels, I truly believe that every student should get used to carrying a small hand sanitizer. My students also loved wearing them as a keychain on their school bags. Trader Joe’s sells a 2-ounce lavender-scented disinfectant spray for $1.99 that will keep me at my desk all school year long.

After gym class and workouts, I give my son a 30-pack of Arm & Hammer Kids Body Wipes from Dollar Tree for $1.25. These types of on-the-go hygiene products are something that many parents forget, but are greatly appreciated by an athletic high school student.