Back to school savings: tax-free weekends, store sales and price matching

When back-to-school deals run

The back-to-school season at the big US retailers runs from early July to mid-September. In 2026 the dates looked like this:

• Walmart said its back-to-school prices were valid June 15 to September 14, 2026, and that it had its lowest prices since 2019 on the 14 school supplies that appear most often on classroom lists, with some items from $0.25.
• Target ran a weeklong event from July 26 to August 1 with up to 30% off school and college items, and said 95% of its school supply deals were at or below last year's prices.
• Teacher and college student offers at Target ran July 5 to September 12, 2026.
• State sales tax holidays fell between mid-July and late August.

If you are reading this in October, the 2026 season is over. The pattern repeats each summer, so use the dates below to plan for 2027, and use the price matching and store programs further down for anything you still need this fall.

Sales tax holidays by state

A sales tax holiday removes state sales tax on certain items for a few days. The caps are usually per item, and an item priced over the cap is taxed in full. These were the 2026 back-to-school holidays, from a compilation of state revenue sources published in September 2026:

Some dates are already set for next year. The Texas Comptroller lists the 2027 holiday as Friday, Aug. 6 through Sunday, Aug. 8, and says online sellers doing business in Texas also honor it. The Florida Department of Revenue says Florida's holiday now runs every year from July 20 through August 20. Check your own state's revenue department before you shop, since caps and covered items change.

Target: Target Circle, teacher offers and price match

Target rarely uses promo codes. Most of its savings come from weekly sale prices and Target Circle Deals that you add to your account in the app. Target Circle is free. The programs that matter for school shopping:

• Teacher and college student discount. In 2026, verified teachers and college students got 20% off one storewide purchase from July 5 to September 12.
• Target Circle Card. 5% off at Target stores and target.com, free standard shipping on most items and 30 extra days for returns.
• Target Circle 360. $99 a year or $10.99 a month for same-day delivery on orders over $35. Verified students can get it for $4.99 a month.
• Price match. Target matches a lower price at target.com or a Target store within 14 days of purchase. It does not match Amazon or other competitors, and clearance items are excluded.
• Returns. Most unopened items in new condition can go back within 90 days.

The 14-day window is useful in August, when school supply prices move week to week. Keep receipts and ask for an adjustment if the same item drops. The Target coupon page lists the current weekly deals.

The row below is the same row as on the Target page. Target opens in a new tab.

Up to 50% off Weekly sale: up to 50% off Halloween costumes, decorations and more No code needed. Online only. Weekly sale prices run Sunday through Saturday and end at 11:59pm PT. Deal · Worked Oct 8, 2026 · listed since Oct 2026 Get deal Opens Target in a new tab. No code needed.

Walmart: rollbacks, class lists and Walmart+

Walmart's 2026 back-to-school release promised more than 1,300 additional Rollbacks compared with the year before. It also points families to a classroom list page on walmart.com, where you can shop by a school's supply list instead of item by item. That is the fastest way to compare the full cost of a list against Target.

For college students, the release lists Walmart+ Student at $49 a year, with free delivery on orders over $35. Walmart's price match is narrower than many shoppers expect. Third-party guides describe it as matching walmart.com prices in Walmart stores only, with no matching of Amazon, Target or other competitors. Walmart's own policy page could not be loaded for this guide, so confirm with the store.

Walmart does use promo codes. At the time of checking (Oct 18, 2026), PickedBox listed seven Walmart codes on its Walmart coupon page, most of them for first orders or for pickup and delivery. Walmart accepts one code per order.

Price matching: who still does it

Price matching has become rarer since the late 2010s. This is where the main school supply stores stood in October 2026:

The Staples price match page adds three useful details. Staples refunds the difference if you find a lower Staples price within 14 days. It allows one match per customer per item. And it does not match competitors' clearance, Black Friday or other special-event prices. That makes Staples a good place to bring an Amazon price on pens, binders or a calculator.

Office stores and Amazon for supplies

Office supply chains run their own back-to-school deals, often on single brands. In mid-October 2026, Office Depot's offers on PickedBox included buy one, get one 50% off binders and select Sharpie, Paper Mate and EXPO items. Office Depot also runs a teacher program: teachers who verify through ID.me get 20% off one qualifying purchase and 25% back in bonus rewards on a qualifying purchase. Its free rewards program returns 2% in rewards on qualifying purchases. See the Office Depot coupon page and the Staples coupon page for current offers.

Amazon is useful for bulk packs of pencils, glue sticks and dry-erase markers. Its savings come from clipped coupons on product pages and Subscribe and Save, and students aged 18 to 24 can get Prime for $7.49 a month. The Amazon coupon page has the details.

A simple plan for next season

1. Get the list first. Schools post supply lists in July. Check what is left at home from last year before buying.
2. Split the list. Buy basic supplies when Walmart and Target run their low summer prices. Save clothing, shoes, backpacks and computers for your state's tax holiday, staying under the caps.
3. Use verified discounts. Teachers and college students should verify with Target Circle and Office Depot before their first big purchase, since each offer covers one purchase.
4. Bring prices to Staples or Office Depot. If Amazon is cheaper on a branded item, ask for a match in store.
5. Watch prices after you buy. Target and Staples both give 14 days to claim a lower price of their own.

For items still needed this fall, the next large sale events are the November Black Friday sales at both Target and Walmart.

How we checked this

On Oct 18, 2026, PickedBox read Walmart's July 15, 2026 back-to-school release on corporate.walmart.com, Target's 2026 back-to-school release on corporate.target.com, the Staples price match page, the Texas Comptroller and Florida Department of Revenue holiday pages, and a September 2026 state-by-state tax holiday table. Target and Office Depot program details match the PickedBox store pages, checked Oct 13 and Oct 14, 2026. Walmart's price match page could not be loaded, so that rule comes from third-party guides. No products were bought for this guide.

• Walmart back-to-school release, July 15, 2026
• Target back-to-school release, July 2026
• Target price match policy
• Staples in-store price match
• Office Depot price match
• Texas Comptroller: sales tax holiday
• Florida Department of Revenue: back to school holiday
• Kintsugi: 2026 sales tax holidays by state

How we test codes and what the labels mean: How we verify coupons.