We're at another school with PTA supply boxes and we purchase supplies on our own, but contribute to the PTA in other ways.

PP here - if I bought the boxes for both my kids, I would've paid over $100. I paid short of $50 combined total for both kids. This is because I already have the headphones that both lists require and are included in the boxes. Even still, you can get a great pair of Sony headphones from Best Buy for $10. I got Mead-Five Star, Crayola, and Avery products (and other name brand supplies) for half of what I would've paid if I had to buy the boxes.

Anonymous wrote:Wait what? You are complaining they are too expensive and then admit you paid about the same amount buying the items yourself. I don't get your logic.

I think the PP spent $50 funding both their children, while she would have spent $50 per kid on the PTA boxes.

OP our school offers these boxes and we also don't buy them due to cost.

I have found that I rarely saved money hunting down the supplies myself, and the boxes are totally worth it.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We're at a different ES that does these boxes. I get that they support the PTA, and may be convenient for some parents, but at nearly $50 a box I find them extremely expensive. I got both of my kids ES supplies (using the lists from those boxes) for a little short of $50 combined. And those were not dollar tree supplies - I'm talking Crayola and Avery products from Target and Staples.

Wait what? You are complaining they are too expensive and then admit you paid about the same amount buying the items yourself. I don't get your logic.

At our school, it's Crayola products and whatever type of notebooks they need.

I find the convenience overwhelmingly wins over saving $5-10 and finding it all myself. I'd guess at least half our school buys the PTA box.

PP said they bought supplies for TWO kids for the same price as one box.

Anonymous wrote:We're at a different ES that does these boxes. I get that they support the PTA, and may be convenient for some parents, but at nearly $50 a box I find them extremely expensive. I got both of my kids ES supplies (using the lists from those boxes) for a little short of $50 combined. And those were not dollar tree supplies - I'm talking Crayola and Avery products from Target and Staples.

Wait what? You are complaining they are too expensive and then admit you paid about the same amount buying the items yourself. I don't get your logic.

At our school, it's Crayola products and whatever type of notebooks they need.

I find the convenience overwhelmingly wins over saving $5-10 and finding it all myself. I'd guess at least half our school buys the PTA box.

We're at a different ES that does these boxes. I get that they support the PTA, and may be convenient for some parents, but at nearly $50 a box I find them extremely expensive. I got both of my kids ES supplies (using the lists from those boxes) for a little short of $50 combined. And those were not dollar tree supplies - I'm talking Crayola and Avery products from Target and Staples.

We’re new to MCPS next year ( Somerset ES) and got an email about purchasing a school supply box from the pta. Do most families do this or do they purchase their own supplies?