Some teachers across the D.C. region have already welcomed students back to school, and many more are putting the final touches on their classrooms ahead of their first day of classes next week.
As educators prepare for the new school year, there’s still time to take advantage of discounts.
“Out-of-pocket costs for teachers are bonkers, to say the least,” said Louryn Strampe, a product writer at WIRED who has worked on several back-to-school guides. “It’s important to take advantage of saving wherever you can.”
One of the most popular deals for teachers is at Target, Strampe said. Until Aug. 24, teachers who sign up for the free Circle rewards program can get 20% off an entire order, “and that includes tons of different categories, whether you need classroom supplies, or maybe trinkets to give out, or just personal coffee to get through the day,” she said.
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At Michael’s, there are deals on crafts and planners, and Strampe said Party City has discounted classroom decorations. Stores such as Half Price Books and Books-A-Million (BAM) also have discounts.
For teachers looking for a new laptop or tablet, Apple, Dell and Microsoft have deals offering a certain percentage off.
Verification varies by store, but Strampe said teachers usually just need to enter an educators’ email address that ends in “.edu” or show a teacher ID.
Some third-party services verify ID and then teachers “can shop through these portals to find more deals that are tailored to you.”
Many of the teacher deals are also available online, Strampe said.
More information on savings for teachers doing last minute shopping can be found on WIRED’s website.