HOUSTON – Everyone wants to save as much money as they can, but when it comes to some school supplies, teachers swear some name brands are worth the extra cost.
There's not much difference in the store brands compared to name brands for items like loose leaf paper or kids' scissors, but when it comes to things like pencils, glue sticks and crayons, here are some teachers' favorites.
Ticonderoga #2 Pencils: Teachers say these pencils sharpen very easily and they don't break their pencil sharpeners like other cheaper pencils do.
Elmer's Glue Sticks: The old standard dries well and keeps its adhesiveness, where many store brand glue sticks dry out, causing art projects to fall apart.
Crayola Crayons: Teachers tell us the Crayola brand crayons provide brighter, bolder color and they don't break as easily as off-brands.
PaperMate Pink Pearl or Pentel White Hi-Polymer Erasers: Dollar store erasers can tear and smudge on paper. Teachers prefer these two brands of erasers to keep kids from getting frustrated and to keep their work neat.
It is possible to find these name brand supplies at dollar stores, but the difference in price is not that much, even if you bought them at Walmart.