“Just Paid R1K for Both My Kids”: Mom Bags R484 Stationery in Back-to-School Video, SA Divided

• A local woman shared her stationery price comparison journey after visiting multiple stores in Pretoria to find the best deals for the new school year
• The informative clip appeared on TikTok, where it sparked a debate about which retailers offer the most value for money, advice she was willing to try next time
• Social media users flooded the comments section, sharing other outlets which sell stationery at lower prices, and others celebrated the availability of affordable items for left-handed learners

A budget-conscious shopper documented her experience hunting for school supplies at the Menlyn shopping centre in Pretoria.

The video was shared on TikTok by @miss.king02 on January 3rd and gained over 19.8K views from parents looking to save money, and others who offered free advice.

The clip begins with the content creator about to go into a PNA, but quickly notices that printer paper was priced at R99.99 while competitors offered the same item for R79.99. She decided to move to Checkers, where she managed to find a wide variety of pens, pencils, notebooks, and files at more competitive rates. A major highlight of the trip was discovering left-hand scissors for only R29.99, which TikTok user @miss.king02 said were usually more expensive than the standard versions.

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Price comparisons reveal hidden savings for parents

While browsing the aisles, she found that rulers were priced at R15.99 but remembered seeing them for only R4 at the previous store. She eventually located a cheaper ruler for R4.99 and added coloured pens and pencils along with markers to her basket. After searching through the exam pads, she found an option for R8 instead of the R15 one she initially spotted. The entire back-to-school haul reached a total of R484.78 at the checkout counter.

SA reacts to the stationery price hunt

The online community appreciated the transparency of the price breakdown, and many people shared their own tips for finding cheaper supplies. Many viewers pointed out other specific wholesalers that they believe offer even lower prices than the major supermarket chains. Some agreed that specialised stationery stores were a bit steep and admitted that they also preferred to shop around before making a final purchase. One follower expressed pure excitement over the left-handed scissors and thanked the creator for pointing out where to find them.

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User @Deolynn Megan commented:

"Walton’s is way cheaper. I got my son’s stationery there."

User @💚Nishi_Nish💚 said:

"Makro all the way 🙌."

User @Ayanda Maseko-PCOS Girl added:

"That’s true. I also bought at PNA, and it was cheaper."

User @ladyDi said:

"You found left-handed scissors at Checkers? That’s amazing. I always battle."

User @ri_ri_ commented:

"Value Co is the most affordable with the stationery than this here."

User @💚Nishi_Nish💚 shared:

"Paid just over R1000 for both my kids."

User @BabyLove added:

"Amazon has a super nice special on stationery."

Watch the TikTok video below:

3 Briefly News articles about stationery

• A resourceful content creator shared a money-saving tip, highlighting a 46-piece stationery value pack from a local store for only a little over R100.
• A local mom showed a list of school stationery that was returned unused on the last day of school, excited that she won't have to buy some things.
• A Johannesburg mom plugged other parents with an affordable stationery distribution centre in her city called Packaging & Stationery Distributors.

Source: Briefly News