Guess what? It’s almost time for the kids to head back to school for the new year!
I don’t know about you, but it seems to me like their summer vacation gets shorter every year – and this year’s is just about gone.
That means it’s time to start shopping for some new clothes as well as a bushel of school supplies like spiral notebooks, pencils, glue sticks and sanitary wipes.
But the really serious shopping will be for the tech items the older kids will need. You know, the laptop and other goodies that are pretty much required these days.
With that in mind, here are five suggestions to help you get started…
1 – HP 17.3″ HD+ Notebook Computer (#ad)
Laptops are standard fare for middle school and high school students these days, but luckily you no longer have to shell out a small fortune to buy a powerful one.
This gem from HP is a great laptop with plenty of power and storage.
It’s perfect for most any school-related computing task, but it’s also great for watching streaming video on its large 17.3″ screen.
HP has designed this laptop to be more than powerful enough to get the job done, yet it’s very affordable. Click here (#ad) to read more about it at Amazon!
2 – Texas Instruments TI-84 Plus CE Graphing Calculator (#ad)
Unlike when I was a kid, calculators are not only allowed in math class, they are often required! Yep, things sure have changed in recent times.
If your child is going to be taking Calculus, Trigonometry and/or some type of engineering class, just a regular calculator won’t do. A high quality scientific/graphing calculator is a must!
Texas Instruments has been the brand of choice in scientific calculators for decades now, and their TI-84 Plus CE will serve your child well in his/her advanced math and engineering studies.
Click here (#ad) to check out the TI-84 Plus CE Graphing Calculator Amazon. It’s less than $100!
3 – Matein Large Student Backpack (#ad)
This one isn’t a tech item per se, but it is certainly essential (and it can carry your child’s tech gear)!
These days our kids have to carry a ton of books, supplies and other items to school (and from class to class).
Due to security concerns, many schools no longer allow their students to use lockers, so everything they use in their classes must be carried around with them wherever they go. That means a well-designed, comfortable and spacious backpack is a must.
The Matein Large Student Backpack is designed and built with school in mind. There is plenty of room for your child’s books, notepads, pencils, erasers, rulers, protractor, calculator, extra clothing and other essential school supplies.
There’s even a special compartment for a laptop computer with screens as large as 17 inches!
Click here (#ad) to check out the fantastic Matein Large Student Backpack on Amazon.
4 – Microsoft Office 365, Libre Office or Open Office
Luckily, the last essential “Back to School” tech item on the list won’t cost you a dime!
The Microsoft Office productivity suite (or one of its free “clones”) is used heavily in most schools these days, but you don’t have to lay out a pile of cash to buy Microsoft’s version. Instead, you can download Libre Office and/or Open Office for for free!
Both of these excellent office suites work pretty much the same way as their Microsoft counterpart, and that includes reading and writing MS Office compatible files.
The faculty and staff of many schools use either Libre Office or Open Office themselves, choosing to forgo the expense of buying Microsoft Office. If your child’s school is one of them, they can tell you which package they recommend that you download onto your child’s laptop.
All of that being said, guess what? Your child is probably eligible to receive the real deal Microsoft Office 365 for free thanks to Microsoft’s awesome “Office in Education” program. Click here to find out!
5 – Back to School Gift Cards
If you’d like to let your child pick out a few things on his/her own, a gift card just might be the perfect gift!
Since Amazon Gift Cards are available for virtually any amount from $1 to $2000, you’ll find it very easy to give your child just the right amount of spending power.
These handy gift cards can be printed right at home so you can simply hand them to your lucky student, or you can have them sent via email. And if you want, you can even have them delivered in an attractive gift box!
Click here
Well, that pretty much wraps up today’s tip for saving money on essential “Back to School” tech. Good luck!
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Note: The prices on Amazon change frequently so the prices listed in this post might not be accurate by the time you read this.
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