Free Backpack at Staples

Free backpacks at Staples... When you buy a backpack at Staples between now and Saturday, you'll receive a print out at the register that allows you to apply for a complete rebate for your purchase. So if you buy a $30 backpack, you will receive a $30 Staples gift card in the next few weeks. Whatever you spend on your backpack (and school is just around the corner), you will get back on a gift card (so you can go back and buy all the other supplies you may need this fall).

OfficeMax Penny School Supplies

Yes, even more school supplies are up for grabs, this time at OfficeMax. For one dollar each - $1.00 - you can buy up to three of the following:

• OfficeMax Mechanical Pencil Starter Kit
• Just Basics 5-pack of Erasers
• OfficeMax 1-subject, 100-sheet notebook
• Scotch Magic Tape in Donut Dispenser
• Post-It 2x2 notes
• Liquid Paper Correction Fluid

And for $3, you can buy a ream of Boise paper.

More Inexpensive School Supplies at Kmart

Everyone seems to be rolling out the school supplies this week, maybe in the hopes that we'll also stock up on other essentials while we're in the store. Well, the great deals on school supplies at Kmart include: a 10-pack of wooden pencils, a 24-count box of Crayons, a 2-pack of Elmer's glue sticks and a 12" shatterproof ruler, each for only $.25, with a limit of four.

For $.50, you can buy a 7-piece eraser set of stretchable book covers. And for $1, you can buy a 10-count box of Crayola markers or 12-count box of Crayola colored pencils.

Free Colgate at Walgreens

There are several good deals at Walgreens this week, but the only completely free item is Colgate Total Advanced Toothpaste, which is $3.49 and offers a $3.49 register rewards. That means your cost after rebate is $0, but if you can use one of the $1 Colgate coupons that are floating around, you may also make money on this deal.

Since you can earn multiple register rewards during the week, but only one per visit, you may want to make a habit of stopping into Walgreens on a regular basis this week. By Saturday, you could have quite the stockpile of toothpaste.

Just remember not to roll those register rewards; meaning, do not try and use them to buy your next tube of Colgate. Using a Colgate reward will prevent a new one from printing. So save those rewards for other visits, when you're not buying toothpaste.

Cheap School Supplies at Staples

Every year before Labor Day, Staples has typically offered a variety of school supplies at bargain prices. This year appears to be no different.

This week, through Wednesday (7/21) only, you can buy Staples school glue for $.01, as well as Bic mechanical penciles for $.25, slider pencil cases for $.25, Staples 3x5" index cards for $.25, Staples 4x6" photo paper for $.25 and HammerMill CopyPlus copy paper for $1. These are all after EasyRebates, which you complete online after your purchase to earn a rebate check within a few weeks.

There is also a coupon on the front page of Sunday's flyer offering 50% off any notebook or journal, which is a good deal, too.

Free McDonald's Smoothie or Frappe

Don't miss out on the coupon for a free McDonald's smoothie or McCafe frappe, which is attached to page 13 of today's (7/18) USA Weekend. That is the Sunday newspaper insert many papers receive; there may be one in the Parade insert, too, so be sure and check.