Early sales on items ranging from headphones and chairs to a shoe rack and speakers can help ease the transition
Squishies and ‘a fuzzy book’: 20+ things tweens want for back-to-school season, according to tweens
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If back-to-school sales seem to have kicked off earlier than usual this year, you aren’t imagining it: Amazon, Walmart, Best Buy, Nordstrom and other big retailers have already started advertising deals. Shoppers are electing to spread out spending over time to better manage their budgets amid the higher cost of everyday necessities such as food and gas. According to a poll by PwC, students and their families plan to spend upwards of $922 on back-to-school shopping this year, with 47% of families planning to spend more than last year.
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If you’re among them, we found grade-A sales on the best back-to-school staples to help smooth you or your student’s transition into the new academic year. They’re all products we’ve tested and loved from brands such as Apple, Bose, Herschel and more.
Nike socks are popular with the school-aged set, according to fashion experts at the Filter UK. This rainbow-hued pack of six pairs, now 29% off, promises to pack some joy into your rotation, and they’ve got moisture-wicking technology and breathable mesh for a cool look and feel.
Heading to the water fountain each lecture to quench your thirst? Stay glued to your seat – and armed with info to help you prepare for that exam – with our all-time favorite water bottle, now 20% off in multiple colors and the best price they have ever been. “What sets the FreeSip apart is the spout – you can sip your drink through a straw or gulp it from the free pour,” according to contributor Zoë Phillimore.
Between analog note-taking and leaving yourself little reminders, it pays to keep a set of pens on hand, especially when it’s 12 of them at 21% off. “This is one of the world’s most ubiquitous pens, adored for its cushioned grip and rollerball that glides across paper,” said Hannah Jane Parkinson, a Guardian columnist.
These cozy and cooling bamboo sheets first put Cozy Earth on the map in 2010, and you can now outfit your dorm bed for a deal using code GUARDIAN20 until 7 August. In my experience with the set, I appreciated its feel of a “well-worn T-shirt with a semi-slick texture” (to quote myself) and fitted sheet that’s remarkably easy to fasten thanks to helpfully labelled tags.
Ugg stand at the foundation of many students’ uniforms, but they are also a wise buy ahead of the early fall rainy season. “Rain and suede don’t usually go hand in hand, so try a leather Ugg boot for a harder-wearing cozy boot,” said Charlotte Gornall, a Guardian fashion assistant, of this mini pair, now up to 35% off.
With this Filter-approved backpack, now 15% off with code GUARDIAN15 until 20 August, you’re set for the school day, weekend trips and beyond. Equipped with built-in compartments and sleeves for your laptop, tablet, notebook, keys and more, it’s no wonder contributor Tim Stevens calls it “a great companion”.
For a bed worth dreaming about, grab this pillowy and breathable cotton-shelled down comforter that’ll have you feeling “as though [you’re] sleeping on a literal cloud”, a newlywed told us of this registry- and dorm-worthy bedding essential. Use code GUARDIAN25 to get 25% off until 7 August. The discount also applies to Brooklinen’s best-tested linen shower curtain.
Laundry day is a necessary evil, but this best-tested hamper for 26% off makes it easier with its compressive design. “When folded, it’s the size of a small card tabletop, and about 3in thick, making it perfect for an apartment, dorm room or any other cozy space,” said Margaret Eby, a Filter tester.