FREE School Supplies

I know it's only July but I could not pass up this weeks Staples ad.  I may even go back later this week.  I spent around $200 in one trip on school supplies last year and about fell over.  Luckily, the school here handed out the supply list at the end of the school year so I have all summer to buy supplies.  I just received $24.60 in Staples Rewards from recycling printer ink and from my previous purchases.  Awesome!  I received this amount in 2 different emails.  One for $10 and one for $14.60.  I have not used Staples Rewards before so this was a learning experience for me.  I thought that I would use the $10 award today so I picked up enough items to reach that value....or so I thought.  I purchased 2 clipboards priced at $1.99 each,  2 Composition books priced at $0.77 each, a 2 pk of child scissors for $2 and a 3 pk of Lg Elmer's Glue Sticks for $4.  That should equal over $10.

When I checked out, my total came to $7.89.  I asked the clerk if I could use my $10 Staple Rewards and keep the amount I didn't use or if I should go pick up additional items to reach $10.  He informed me that I would get credit for the amount not used.  Sure enough!  At the end of my receipt printed a credit of $2.11.  Nice!  So, I bought a 2 pk of child scissors (one for each child's class) for $1 (they were priced at $2 but were on sale), 3 pk Elmers Lg Glue Sticks apparently marked down to $0.01 since they were out of Staples glue that was posted in the ad---BONUS!!!!, a pack of eraser caps priced at $0.01, 2 clipboards marked down to $1.34 and 2 composition books priced at $0.77 each.  Basically, I walked out with a bag full of school supplies and didn't pay anything out of pocket!  It was all FREE!!!!  I'll be back to use the rest of my Staples Rewards!