It's time for our annual reminder ...
Back-to-School Sales on school supplies are not just for kids! These sales are for genealogists too!
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| Just a few of the many supplies a genealogist would use. |
They're here ... Back-to-School sales are out there. So prepare yourself for these sales AND for Amazon Prime Day 2026 which started today June 23 through June 26 this year.
Anyone who uses a lot
of common office
supplies should keep their eyes and ears open for some extreme savings
that are only around this time year for certain supplies. So be smart
and pay attention to those Back-to-School Sales going on for the next
couple months so you can partake in the savings too.
What would interest a genealogist? The
first things that come to mind are USB Flash drives (large sizes at great
prices and small sizes at even better prices); printer/copier paper;
pens and pencils; pencil
lead (for those mechanical pencils); highlighters; file folders or
pocket folders; paper and binder clips; index cards for those that like
old school ways; plastic
file boxes (keep that water damage away); sticky notes; binders; paper;
computer accessories (like mice, computer bags, external hard drives for backups and backups for the backups or to just expand your file storage capacity,
printers, software, large monitors, portable monitors, and more); etc. Even office desks and chairs can be
found on sale.
Yes, for some things it is best to
make sure you get acid-free versions, but that can get expensive and
sometimes compromises must be made. Note acid-free copier/printer paper
is much easier to find nowadays.
Computers and Associated Electronics
Also, at about this time of year
(July/August/September) computer manufacturers are about to release
their new models so good to great prices can often be found on this past
year's models. (If your computer is really old and can not upgrade
to Windows 10 11 because of old hardware or low-memory issues consider
these sales. Also if your computer is more than five years old consider
the changes currently taking place in Windows 10 11 updates that will not
account for older hardware.) Why risk continuing to use old hardware -- step into the modern technology world. Just remember to get as large of hard drive
and as much
memory as you are able to afford, and keep an eye on processor
speed/power. There are other factors to consider when buying a computer
-- these are three key ones. While desktop computers are a little
less expensive, laptops have the advantage of portability meaning you
can take them with you to the library or researching.
Laptops with DVD/CD readers/burners are much harder to find but you can find them though it may mean a larger laptop. Or consider getting a stand-alone DVD/CD drive to go with the laptop. Chrome books and tablet/laptop conversions can be cheaper but may not run your programs/applications. Make sure the device you are considering can handle your must-have program/applications.
A new thing to consider is the number of USB ports included in the laptop/desktop and even which other ports are included. Many of today's computers are now using USB-C (that smaller port) rather than traditional USB so you also want to keep an eye out for a USB hub or docking station which allows you to expand your plugin options using just one USB-C port. Some hubs simply give you more USB ports others also add HDMI ports, SD-card ports, ethernet ports, audio/mic port, etc. there are many combinations out there. Also, look out for adapter/converter pack that change USB-A to USB-C and/or the other way around. Or even ones that besides converting A and C also add USB slots.
And, do not
forget about those external hard drives for additional storage space AND
for backing up all your data. Lastly, you can always add a large-size
monitor to make viewing the screen easier.
And for those who shop Amazon. Hopefully,
you see this before the 2026 Prime Day begins. This time, Prime Day is
June 23 to 26 -- four days of savings. You can also use this tip for
Black Friday/Cyber Monday.
Put what you are eyeing in a shopping list and watch it for a while to
see how the price drops or rises. Click on the price history to see what the price was for the last 1 month, 3 months, or 1 year. Great deals can be found so keep an
eye out for those short term deals
but remember to do your
due diligence and make sure your sale price is indeed a good one.
And,
don't forget to check out those "competition" stores that are holding
similar sales during Prime Day time too -- Costco, Target, Walmart,
Kohls, Best Buy, etc. -- you may find the best deal at one of those
sites.
May you find the deals on what you need, not on what you don't need.
See you at our favorite library!
LE
