Target Back to School Sale 2024: Best Deals and When to Shop

1. Published On: Aug 12,2024
2. By Yashovardhan Sharma

Image Source: Passion for Savings

Target's school supplies are always a big deal every summer, even right after school ends. With all the sales, Circle offers, and $1 finds, it's no wonder they're so popular. You can start saving on classroom supplies now with Target Circle Week. Even without that, we found some great deals like $0.80 pencil boxes, $0.40 Crayola crayons, and $0.28 notebooks. Check out the best deals below!

Target Back-to-School Sale 2024 Started on July 7

The Target Back-to-School sale kicked off on July 7, 2024, along with Target Circle Week. Expect sales every week until school starts in August and September. Target's sale dates aren't super predictable, but they usually drop new ads on Sundays and honor those deals right away. So, based on last year's sale starting in the second week of July, we guessed Sunday, July 7, 2024. For last-minute supplies, hit up Target's back-to-school clearance in September. You'll find notebooks, folders, erasers, and pencil sets for $0.20 or less! Pay with your Target Circle Card to save an extra 5% on your back-to-school haul. Circle Card members get 5% off, free shipping online, and an extra 30 days for returns. Those savings really add up.

Save on Dorm Supplies, Backpacks, and Kids' Clothes

For college dorm supplies, Target’s got you covered with deals on storage, small appliances, towels, and Twin XL bedding. Eligible students can save 20% on college and dorm gear with the Target College Student Discount. Wait for at least 30% off on Target backpacks. They have a great selection, and you can save big with sales or Circle offers. Look out for BOGO deals too, like Buy One, Get One 50% off on character backpacks and lunch boxes from last year. Stock up on kids' clothes like tees, jeans, leggings, khakis, and polos at Target. Even if new clothes aren't on your list, the sales are hard to pass up with prices under $3. Cat & Jack, a Target brand, often has the best deals and BOGO offers. Check both online and in-store for the best prices, or ask for a price match.

Use Cashback Apps for Target School Sales 

You can get around Target's coupon limits and score bigger savings on school supplies by using cashback apps. These apps give you money back on certain Target purchases when you upload your receipt. The cashback offers can range from $1 to $5 on items like pens, pencils, and folders. Sometimes, the deals are so good you might end up getting school supplies for free. For instance, last July, Target had 20-count packs of Paper Mate Ballpoint Pens for $1.99. At the same time, there was a $1.25 cashback deal on Paper Mate Ballpoint Pens. If you combined this with a Fetch Rewards rebate for $0.75 off Paper Mate products, you’d get a whole pack of pens for free and even make an extra $0.11.

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Save an Extra 15% During Target Teacher Prep Event

If you’re a teacher stocking up on supplies for your classroom, you deserve all the savings you can get. The Target Teacher Prep Event lets teachers save 15% on one purchase with a Target Circle coupon. In 2024, the event is expected to start around July 14 and run for six weeks. Eligible teachers get the 15% off coupon in their Target Circle account after verifying their teacher status online. The 15% off coupon for teachers is usually good on almost anything at Target, with some exceptions like electronics, backpacks, swimwear, clearance items, and items sold and shipped by Target Plus Partners. Otherwise, you can stock up on all the classroom supplies you need, like charts, wall decor, desk accessories, arts and crafts, and more.

Target Dollar Spot Gives $0.50 Back-to-School Sales

Don’t just look in the back-to-school aisles for deals. The Target Dollar Spot is a great place to find cheap school supplies among other $1 items. We’ve seen flashcards, preschool workbooks, erasers, pencil grips, and small storage accessories for as low as $0.50. I even found a First Day of School Chalkboard for just $1.50 last year. When you go to the store, check the Target Dollar Spot first for cheap school supplies, then head over to the larger back-to-school section.

Get Target School Supplies Under $1

It’s easy to find $1 school supplies at Target. Items from Target-owned brands are usually the cheapest even without a sale, Circle offer, or coupon. For example, school supplies from Target brands like Mondo Llama and up & up start as low as $0.24, and you can get glue, erasers, notebooks, folders, and multi-count pencil packs for under $1. Target also has brand-specific sales, like on Crayola crayons, markers, and colored pencils. You can grab a 24-count pack of crayons and a 10-count pack of markers or colored pencils for $0.50 – $0.99 each.

Search for Target School Coupons for Top Brands

Target couponing really pays off during the back-to-school season. Keep an eye out for paper and printable coupons for top school brands like Bic, Five Star, Paper Mate, Kleenex, and more. Target’s coupon policy lets you use up to four identical manufacturer coupons per day, as long as they have a scannable barcode and match their verified list of coupons. You can even stack one Target Circle offer, one store coupon, and one manufacturer coupon on a single item.

Target Circle Helps to Save Up to 30%

If you don't have a Target Circle account yet, you should sign up ASAP to snag the best deals on Target school supplies. Target drops Target Circle offers with their weekly ad. These usually give you a discount on certain products, brands, or categories, like 30% off select school supplies or 20% off Bic Mechanical Pencils. These offers are great for saving more on your back-to-school shopping. You can even combine Circle offers with Target sale prices, manufacturer coupons, and your 5% Circle Card savings.

In 2024, watch for some of the best back-to-school offers during Target Circle Week in July. That's when you'll see the big Target school supplies coupon, like the annual Circle offer for 30% off select school supplies. You can browse Target Circle offers on your account at Target.com or in the Target app. Stock up when you see BOGO deals on pens, pencils, shoes, clothing, and more.

Keep an eye on the Target weekly ads

Every Sunday, Target releases an ad with all the promos, deals, and sales for the week. In July and August, back-to-school deals dominate the first half of the ad. Look out for “Buy One Get One” offers on school uniforms, shoes, backpacks, pens, pencils, and more. If you're shopping for multiple students or want to stock up for the year, these BOGO deals combined with sale prices are a win. Find what you need for your specific school with Target’s “School Supplies List Assist.” This tool helps you find lists from schools in your area. Just type in your ZIP code to see if your school's list is available.

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Conclusion

Target back-to-school sales start in late June, but the best deals are in July and August. While many of us are just starting summer, Target is already prepping for the next school year. They drop a few deals on school supplies around the last week of June, similar to Walmart, but the biggest selection and most items on sale are in July and August. Not all the best deals on Target school supplies are in stores — you'll find a lot on Target's website too. Whether you need backpacks, notebooks, glue, markers, or anything else for the school year, Target has some of the lowest prices of the year on these items, which get even better when paired with Rebates.