I can’t believe it’s back to school time already. It feels like it’s getting earlier every year, because it is. My son only has two years left in high school! I don’t even want to think about it so let’s talk about shopping. I’m still so happy with that tweezer set I recommended a few weeks ago! There are four different tweezers to get just about everything. Also I like the bath overflow blocker that lets you take deeper baths! That was a reader suggestion and it works great.

A portable wireless photo and document printer

I’m using an over five-year-old Kodak printer that’s decent, but ink cartridges are getting harder to find and I’ve been burned buying them off eBay. I’m looking for an under $300 printer that has affordable and/or long-lasting ink cartridges and can also scan and copy. I was looking at the Epson Eco printers but none of them have decent Fakespot ratings. This HP Tango was recommended by my Twitter friend but I’m pretty sure they still screw you on ink! Let me know if you have any other printer recommendations. This is only $150, it has 4 stars, 130 ratings and a B from Fakespot. People write that it’s very easy to set up and that “the print quality is very nice and photos come out very nice as well.” This has some kind of “instant ink service” which is supposed to be much cheaper than buying ink cartridges and is 2.99 a month. I’m really skeptical of this claim but some people seem to like it.

A set of 10 pairs of cotton underwear for just $20

College students always need extra underwear as it’s a pain to do laundry in college. I bought this set of 10 pairs of bikinis about a month ago and they’re now my go-to underwear. (I got the warm/cool prints, which are not currently available, but these colors are nice too.) They might run small, but they’re comfortable, I never notice I’m wearing them, and my size fits me well. (I’m in between sizes. One woman who is a size 6/8 says the medium fits her perfect.) I don’t put them in the dryer and just wash them on cold and hang them to dry. Reviews call them “soft and breathable cotton” which is “gloriously comfortable.” Some people say they fall apart, and I suspect that’s because they’re putting them in the dryer. Not all underwear holds up to that so it may be something to consider.

The best overall pencils

Oandlomom on Twitter recommended these Ticonderoga pencils and it reminded me of this viral photo of the best pencils. These pencils are called “the gold standard” and “best” pencils and several teachers mention that they’re the only pencils they get for their classroom. They’re also said to “sharpen flawlessly” and “erase well.”

A cute and useful pencil and accessories case

I need one of these for my car! I am always looking for scissors, pens, pencils and sharpeners when I’m on the go. (BTW this trunk organizer is easily in the top ten best purchases I’ve made on Amazon.) This pencil case will get you organized for school or the office. It’s is called “very cute,” “versatile” and has compartments to organize all sorts of small items like makeup brushes, markers, sticky notes and pencils.

A colorful stainless steel insulated water bottle

My son has a Mira water bottle which has lasted years! These 17 ounce reusable insulated stainless steel water bottles by Mira are under $16 and come in over 25 color options. They’re also available in 25 ounce versions for under $19. People call them awesome and say they keep drinks cold all day. They’re said to be lightweight, great for traveling and to clean up well with a little dishwashing soap and a capful of vinegar. The Swell water bottles are a little more expensive but come in so many pretty prints and colors.

Self-tanner that looks natural

Ok so this isn’t a back-to-school product necessarily but I saw this on Instagram stories and it looks interesting to me. This self tanner by Tanceuticals is dark, keep that in mind, but reviewers and my Instagram friend love it. It has over 1,500 reviews, 3.9 stars and a B from Fakespot. People call it “perfect natural color” the “best self tanner” and it’s said to have a nice coconut smell. One woman writes “I’m very fair and this product is described as “dark”, but it’s perfect [and] not too dark for me.” She also says it’s not orangey and “lasts a few days” as long as you reapply every 2-3 days.

The number one bestseller in laptop backpacks

This water resistant laptop backpack is affordable at $32 to $40 for the 15.6 inch version depending on the color. It also comes in a 17 inch version. It has so many different compartments and pockets for organizing all your stuff including a separate laptop area. It’s said to be “the perfect bag” which “holds alot” and balances weight well to avoid back and shoulder strain. People also like how padded the laptop area is.

Help a teacher with their classroom supplies

You can help teachers through DonorsChoose.com. You can also browse Teacherlists.com for wish lists on Amazon. (Most of what I found locally were supply lists but you may have more luck.)

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