Where's the cheapest place to buy 3-ring binders?

[athena1277]

PS here just got out for the summer last week, so back to school sales won't start until at least August. However, we start back in July. We have plenty of pencils, paper, etc, but I need several 3-ring binders, 1 or 2 inch size. I don't want to pay full price! We don't have a membership to Costo or similar stores. I can sometimes get a few used ones at the local thrift store, but they aren't that great of a deal. Where's the best place to buy them right now? Thanks!

[Dmmetler]

Check with friends who work for companies which do conferences/workshops. I've outfitted my homeschool, plus several friends, with leftover 1", 2" and 3" binders from the conferences and workshops DH's company does each year, each of which gives each participant a custom printed binder of materials. There are always several left over, not to mention that each employee gets one, and there really is no reason for them to KEEP them. I know that there are other people in my HS group who often have similar items to give away for the same reasons.

 

Same with binder dividers, pocket folders, and just about anything that is custom printed for marketing purposes. It's really not hard to find sources to get them for free. And then let the kids decorate/customize them :)

[lynn]

I find them at our local thrift stores for $.25 a piece, they usually have stacks. You maybe can find them at the Dollar Tree but I do not know the quality.

[Cinder]

In our area walmart is always the cheapest, especially if you get the thinner Economy binder; I think it's Avery brand. It's usually about $2. We like the next better one--Durable (not Heavy Duty)--because my dc are hard on their binders. It does cost a little more though, around $3-4 I think.

[Brenda in FL]

I see that Staples is having their binder recycling program again this year. $2 for recycled binders - any condition/size. That makes their durable view 1 inch binders $1.99. You can apply the recycling against any brand of binder.

[bettyandbob]

Watch free cycle. I see three ring binders on free cycle all the time. People will put up a box of 10 at a time.

[athena1277]

I find them at our local thrift stores for $.25 a piece, they usually have stacks. You maybe can find them at the Dollar Tree but I do not know the quality.

 

 

I wish our thrift store had them that cheap! They usually want $1.50 or more. A lot of time I would rather buy new for just a bit more.

[elegantlion]

I've found Walmart to be the cheapest. I buy the viewfinder white 1" and for us they last several years. At our Walmart the ones that open flat are currently 2.78. Target binders were just a little more, at least last time I looked.

[Alessandra]

Costco has packs of binders -- 8 to a pack, I think.

[Hoot]

Goodwill.

 

We troll around to the local Goodwills for books sometimes on the weekends and there never fails to be at least 1 binder in every single store. Ours are typically $1 each and I will buy the largest ones for that. I won't pay that for the 1" ones though since they're dirt cheap during the back-to-school sales.

[Pegasus]

You can buy boxes of them for a dollar or two at many government sales/auctions.

[athena1277]

For anyone who may be following this thread, I went to Big Lots today and bought some 1 inch binders for $1.70 each. Unfortunately, the 2 inch were $5, so I'll keep looking for those.

[Kari C in SC]

I just got a 3 inch binder from Amazon for $5.35. I didn't check around because that seemed like the best deal I would get and I have prime 2 day shipping.