Whether you’re buying stationery for school, work, journaling or art projects it can become pretty expensive. From pencils to post-it notes, from paper to paperclips it doesn’t matter if you need essentials or you’re satisfying your stationery addiction - saving money is usually a priority. Read on to find out how you can save money and where to find stationery within your budget.
Before you start spending
Before you head off to your favourite stationery store or start filling your basket online, it’s good to plan ahead. Planning is essential when it comes to maximising your budget!
Take an inventory
Take some time to look at what you already have. It’s easy to forget what’s packed into a drawer or cupboard! Go through your supplies and make a list of what you have. This way you can easily see what items need replenishing.
Set a spending limit
Work out what your budget is going to be and stick to it! It seems really obvious, but if you are a stationery lover it’s very easy to get carried away when you don’t have a budget in mind.
Consider bulk buying
If there is a product that you know you will need again in a month's time, paper for example. It’s often cheaper to bulk buy it. Or if you are purchasing back-to-school stationery and you need to get all the kids new pens and pencils, it’s usually more cost-effective to buy larger packs and split them between each child.
Make the most of the sales
Sign up for your favourite stationer's newsletter via email so that you are the first to know when they are having a sale. It’s a great opportunity to grab some bargains. Amazon often adds loads of stationery items to Amazon Prime Day or Black Friday sales.
Avoid unnecessary browsing online
We’ve all been there, you head online for one item and before you know it you have a basket loaded with a ton of items! When shopping for stationery, it’s easy to get sucked in by that set of glitter pens that you don’t need or that notebook with the relatable slogan on the front! Type into the search bar what you need and stick to it!
Where to shop on a budget
(Image credit: Getty)
When it comes to budget stationery there are some great options available, here are a few suggestions to get you started.
The Works - A brilliant option for anyone on a budget. The works have hundreds of super-value stationery. There are great prices on branded stationery like Staedtler and Helix Oxford. The works also have their own budget stationery line too - Crawford and Black, which includes budget art supplies too.
Wilko - Another great option for reasonably priced branding items including, Pritt and Sharpie. Wilko offers regular promotions and special offers too. And if you are a student you can save 10% with UniDays.
The Range - A great option for school and art supplies. The Range has a huge selection of stationery and is especially good for notebooks and paper supplies.
Amazon - It will come as no surprise that Amazon offers the biggest range of stationery items. As previously mentioned, Amazon Prime Day and Black Friday are usually the best time to grab a bargain!
Staples - Staples are a stationery specialist, if you need to stock up on stationery for the office it’s probably the best option when it comes to variety. There are always special offers available too.
Hi, I’m SJ. I’m the Beauty Editor and PR Executive here at MyVoucherCodes. As a qualified make-up artist, I've been able to share my knowledge on all things beauty and skincare with our readers so they not only look good and feel great, but save money. As a mum of three, I understand the challenges that families face, and making budgets go further is something I feel passionately about. My research and recommendations help families of all sizes shop better allowing them to enjoy the little luxuries in life. My work has been featured in many publications including The Sun, The Mirror, Netmums, and The Telegraph.
Outside of MyVoucherCodes, I'm a writer and interviewer for pop culture magazines like Buzz Magazine. I've chatted to celebrities such as Strictly's Johannes Redebeand poet Kae Tempest. It's certainly one of the best parts of my job. Over the years I've built a portfolio of work that shows the diversity of my writing, which gives me a breadth of knowledge and experience that I apply to my work every day.
