It is no secret that teachers spend a lot of money of their own money on supplies for their classroom.  Different reports suggest anywhere from $100 to over $600 a year over the classroom budget is being spent by teachers for basic supplies for their students.  Factor in tight economic times and increasing class sizes, and you find a growing need for savings.

5 Ways to Save Money on Teaching Supplies

1. Freecycle

Administered through Yahoo! Groups, Freecycle is comprised of local groups that bring together people who want to get rid of items that are in good condition and those who are looking for them.  While each group’s rules vary slightly, the general rule of thumb is that you can post items that you are looking for and items that you are giving away.  If you want to build your classroom library, watch for giveaways of children’s books for example.  Note:  Always use caution and common sense when going to pick-up items.  Never go alone.

2. Craigslist

Craigslist is another local source for free and inexpensive teaching supplies.  Retiring teachers often post ads for free books, resources, and more.  As with picking things up from Freecycle, always bring a friend along when picking up items and use caution and common sense.

3. Back-to-School Sales

Take advantage of teacher discounts and back-to-school sales at your local office supply stores.  While some may limit the amount of items you purchase at once, others allow you to purchase as much as needed.  This is a great way to stock-up on pencils, erasers, paper, and notebooks for the entire year.  Check out the outlets and dollar bins of stores and online retailers for great savings, as well.

4. Take Advantage of Free Resources

Many teachers who blog have a wide-range of worksheets, lesson plan ideas, and activities that are available for download from their site or their online teacher store.  Take advantage of these free resources to enhance your lessons.  Check out Really Good Stuff’s downloadable resources page here.

5.  Yard Sales

Need some new manipulatives for your math centers?  Check out local yard and garage sales to find everything from plastic animals to blocks to toy cars.  By thinking outside the box, you can find toys and supplies that will be perfect for your classroom.

What are some of your favorite ways to save on classroom and teaching supplies?  Share with us below!