Hi guys and welcome back to Teach Tip Tuesday. Today’s post is addresses the large amount of money that teachers spend on stationery.

I know that I have an addiction to stationery, as do many of my colleagues. I have a storage box, draw and an enviro bag full this year and constantly have to resist the urge to buy more. I’m sure many of you can relate to that.

Half of Australian teachers spend more than $500 per year on stationery and other items for their classes, and one in 10 spending upwards of $2000 per year. (Published on sky news.com.au 2/4/17)

Why do we have this urge to buy stationery?

• Students don’t bring anything
• School doesn’t provide any
• School doesn’t provide the nice stuff
• Students borrow and don’t return

And the reasons continue.

Tips to save on stationery!!!

1. Have a lending register. 

• This helps to track the student borrowing equipment and ensure it’s returned.

2. Colour code your pens and pencils

• I use washi tape around the end of mine so that they are easily identifiable.

3. Use the pen gifting method 

• This method gets a student donate their own pencil to a student that needs to borrow one. The student that donates gets a new one from you and the borrowing student gets to keep the pencil for the rest of the day.
• This method rewards the student that has the correct equipment and also means the student who did not have equipment for the day will now be prepared for the remainder of the lessons.

4. Have a stationery borrowing station

5. Buy the best whiteboard markers you can afford

• While buying expensive markers at $3 a pen may seem counter-intuitive, they tend to last much longer than the cheaper ones and are much nicer to write with.

6. Find out what the school provides and use it. 

• Most schools provide a selection of stationery for both staff and students, don’t buy what the school already provides. Things like colour paper, pens, pencils, erasers, staplers, rulers, calculators, etc.
• discuss with you head of faculty about class sets of equipment

7. Keep your receipts

• Teachers can claim stationery purchases that are directly related to their job as a tax deduction. Keeping your receipt could increase your tax refund thus saving you money. 

What strategies do you use to save money on your school supplies? Please comment below or post on our facebook page.