Homeschgool / Teacher Discounts?

[boatbaby]

I was in line at Border's Books and a mom got a discount on her purchase because she is a teacher to her homeschooled kids...

Can anyone post some other places where this might apply? What do you have to show them to prove you are a home school family?

[milehighmonkeys]

You can do it at Joann Fabrics, too, but I don't remember the process and I can never find my card. I keep my Border's card in my wallet, though.

[boatbaby]

Originally Posted by milehighmonkeys

You can do it at Joann Fabrics, too, but I don't remember the process and I can never find my card. I keep my Border's card in my wallet, though.

How do you get the Border's card? What do they ask for?

[Ravin]

If you live in an area with Hastings bookstores, they have a 20% discount.

For the Jo-Ann's discount, you show your proof of homeschooling (in AZ, a copy of your affidavit), or there's an online site that coordinates signing up for the cards, and online you need provide no proof:

http://peah.com/joann.php

Quite a few craft and book stores provide such a discount. It never hurts to ask.

[Cassiopeia]

Barnes and Noble also does it.

[NocturnalDaze]

Can you use the Jo-ann's card in conjunction with their 40% off coupons or just by itself?

[1growingsprout]

The jo'nns card is not in conjunction with any other coupons but if you have 1 40% coupons and 10 items in your transaction the teachers discount will apply to the 9 items that are not covered with the coupon. (unless you get an really nice cashier who will push it thru on everything)

I have teachers discount cards to
staples
barnes noble
borders
joann's

alot of times the staff.customer service counter wont know about it and you have to push a bit.

[frogguruami]

Border's, Book-a-Million (Book and Co, depending where you are), Barnes n Noble, JoAnne's, ACMoore (you have to go through your corporate office)

Micheals does not give a regular discount but does have an Educator's Week.

Office Depot, Staples and Office Max have educator's programs. (not discounts but a perks program)

Also check any of your local teaching stores to see what programs they offer. Lakeshore has a perks programs where you get specific things discounted and educator's specials every month.

[BurnsideMommy]

I just renewed my Borders homeschool discount the other day - were you behind me? LOL

Anyways, in OR you don't have to have anything official filed for homeschooling until age 7, so I don't have anything documented. I just tell them that and I have to fill out a little form and get my Border's 20% discount card. With Borders it really depends on the cashier at how good your discount will work. The last guy put all my parenting books through on the discount too which was nice. Some folks make you pile them up seperately and run them through one homeschool lot and then pay the rest another transaction - irks me. The worst time was I was buying stuff with our homeschool discount for the kids, stuff on my executive discount for DHs business, and magazines. The old broad made me do 3 transactions (the executive discount is the same % as homeschool so i wish she'd just run it all through as just one - which others have done).

We signed up for Joanns online, but I've never used it yet. It came with a coupon too in the mail.

Our local grass roots bookstore does a homeschool discount too. I wish the toy store did though - the guy that owns it homeschools! and gets lots of great educational stuff there (math manipulatives, books, etc), but no discount. Maybe I should leave a note in a suggestion box. LOL

[annettemarie]

This would be a great thread to sticky.

[Dakota's Mom]

If you follow this link:

http://www.homeschoolbuyersco-op.org...ase&Itemid=268

you can fill out a form, email it along with a photo of yourself and they will email you back a lovely id card that you can print out yourself. Then you get the little pack of self laminating folders from Staples to put it in and you have a professional looking id card. They have them for teachers and students. I made them for my husband, my self, and our son. I used this as proof of homeschooling in New Jersey. We don't ever register with anyone so we have no "proof". Staples offers free shipping to teachers on any order. So if you need a pack of paper you just order it online and it comes to your door the next day. No shipping charges no matter how small the order.

We also have Barnes & Noble, JoAnn's, Office Max (free laminating), Michaels and I just sent off for AC Moore. I probably use my JoAnn's card more than anything else. They never question whether it is for school use or not, everything goes through on it.

Kathi

[tallanvor]

My Joann's card covers my whole order. It's 15% of my entire purchase, including sale items and items I already used a coupon with.

[CindyZ]

Thanks for all the great posts! You all just saved me a lot of $$$.

[phathui5]

We use it at Barnes & Noble and Lakeshore Learning Store.

[annettemarie]

Originally Posted by phathui5

We use it at Barnes & Noble and Lakeshore Learning Store.

If I lived near a Lakeshore store, I would be bankrupt.

[MarineWife]

Originally Posted by BurnsideMommy

in OR you don't have to have anything official filed for homeschooling until age 7, so I don't have anything documented. I just tell them that and I have to fill out a little form and get my Border's 20% discount card.

It's the same here in North Carolina. When I asked for my teacher's discount card at the new Barnes & Noble they were reluctant at first because I didn't have my papers from the state. I told them my children were preschool age so I didn't have to register with the state yet and they eventually gave me the card once they conceded that they honor preschools and preschool teachers. So, don't let anyone discourage you if you have preschoolers (or any age) and don't have "official" papers.

[tayndrewsmama]

Does anyone have a card for Hobby Lobby? I am seeing them listed all over the internet as offering 10% off for home educators, but today they told me that the manager, "doesn't give that discount to homeschoolers." It kind of sounds like an individual preference of his not to do so at this particular store. So off to JoAnn's we went.

[IlluminatedAttic]

FYI - You may be able to use one card as "proof" to obtain another. I've used my Lakeshore card to do this at B&N and at two small local shops. The managers said they needed paperwork to prove I was a homeschool teacher, one actually wanted a pay stub -not sure what planet he is from, but when I showed the Lakeshore card they accepted it without further issue.

How did I not know about JoAnn's? this is going to save me $$$. Thanks!

[Dakota's Mom]

Originally Posted by IlluminatedAttic

FYI - You may be able to use one card as "proof" to obtain another. I've used my Lakeshore card to do this at B&N and at two small local shops. The managers said they needed paperwork to prove I was a homeschool teacher, one actually wanted a pay stub -not sure what planet he is from, but when I showed the Lakeshore card they accepted it without further issue.

How did I not know about JoAnn's? this is going to save me $$$. Thanks!

A friend of mine had this happen at B & N. They asked for a pay stub so she pulled out her checkbook and wrote herself a check right in front of them. They looked at the check and gave her her discount card.

Kathi

[tayndrewsmama]

Originally Posted by Dakota's Mom

A friend of mine had this happen at B & N. They asked for a pay stub so she pulled out her checkbook and wrote herself a check right in front of them. They looked at the check and gave her her discount card.

Kathi

That's pretty funny. A clerk at B&N told me that I needed to present my homeschooler tax id number. I told him there was no such thing and he proceeded to insist that people present those to him all the time. Then I told him that they were lying and asked if he wanted me to lie or to show him the registration paper with the state.