Here Are The Best Back-to-School Deals

The best back-to-school deals
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We know. Summer vacation seems like it just started. But in a few weeks, parents — and students — will have to start their back-to-school shopping. 

So rather than wait till late-August, we're rounding up the best back-to-school deals you can get this month.

First, there are a few things you should know. Amazon has a special Prime membership plan that's tailor made for students. Prime Student lets college students enjoy the same Prime membership perks of a regular membership, but at 50% off. The plan costs $59/year (or $6.49/month if you want a monthly plan). Even better, it includes a free 6-month trial. (Normal Prime memberships cost $119/year and you only get a 30-day free trial). 

In addition, Prime Student members get exclusive coupons, deals, and bundles that regular Prime members don't get. For instance, students get to shop from Amazon's Off-to-College Store. The only catch is that students must have an edu email address and they're only eligible for Prime Student for four years or until graduation — whichever comes first. After that, the membership will auto-renew itself at $119 per year (unless you cancel). 

If you don't want to go the Amazon Prime membership route, there are plenty of Walmart deals you can also take advantage of. Walmart has no membership fees and many items are eligible for next-day shipping (minimum $35 orders). 

Below you'll find the best back-to-school deals from a variety of retailers. 

Acer Chromebook R 11: was $279 now 229.99 @ Walmart
$209.99 at Walmart

Acer Chromebook R 11: was $279 now 229.99 @ Walmart
This Acer Chromebook R11 features an 11" touch display, a Celeron N3060 Processor coupled with 4GB Memory and 32GB of SSD storage. For a limited time, save $50 on this Chrome OS powered laptop. 

Panasonic ErgoFit Earbuds: was $15 now $8 @ Amazon
$8.42 at Amazon

Panasonic ErgoFit Earbuds: was $15 now $8 @ Amazon
We know. These days it's all about the wireless buds, but the Panasonic ErgoFit Earbuds are so cheap and sound so great that they're worth having as a backup. (I own this exact pair and love the audio quality they provide).

Acer CB3-532 Chromebook: was $199 now $149 @ Walmart
$149 at Walmart

Acer CB3-532 Chromebook: was $199 now $149 @ Walmart
This might be one of the least-expensive laptop deals we've seen. Power users should look elsewhere, but if you need a basic machine for a student or the coffee table, this is it. It undercuts Amazon's price by $41.

Samsung 128GB microSDXC: was $24.99 now just $19.49
$19.49 at Amazon

Samsung 128GB microSDXC: was $24.99 now just $19.49
We've seen this price before (on Black Friday), but it's such a great deal for anyone who wants to bump their device's storage capacity. It also comes with an SD adapter. 

Plantronics FIT 3100: was $149.99 now $89.99 @ Amazon
$99.99 at Amazon

Plantronics FIT 3100: was $149.99 now $89.99 @ Amazon
You don't need to spend $200 to get a solid pair of wireless buds. We love the FIT 3100 wireless earbuds because the feature great sound, offer a snug fit, and they're sweat/water proof. Also, they don't cost a fortune. 

Apple MacBook Air w/ Beats 3: was $1,099 now $999 @ Apple
$999 at apple.com

Apple MacBook Air w/ Beats 3: was $1,099 now $999 @ Apple
Amazon has dropped the MacBook Air's price to $999, but the Apple Store has it for $999 with a free pair of Beats Studio 3 Wireless Headphones. You'll need an edu e-mail to snag this deal, but for once — Apple has the best deal.   

Samsung Chromebook 3: was $229 now just $159 @ Walmart
$159 at Walmart

Samsung Chromebook 3: was $229 now just $159 @ Walmart  
The Samsung Chromebook 3 is one of our favorite budget machines providing enough horsepower for everyday tasks like streaming and working in the cloud. 

Lenovo Chromebook C330: was $299 now $258 @ Amazon
$258 at Amazon

Lenovo Chromebook C330: was $299 now $258 @ Amazon
The Chromebook 330's battery can last a stunning 9 hours and 51 minutes. It also sports an HDMI port, which is rare for this price point.

Louis Ramirez

As deals editor-in-chief at Tom’s Guide, Louis is constantly looking for ways to avoid paying full price for the latest gadgets, appliances, and apparel. With over 10 years of deals-hunting experience, Louis price checks against multiple retailers and searches high and low for the best deals to bring readers. He's also always on the look out for the best coupon codes to use when shopping. A born-and-bred New Yorker, Louis is also an avid swimmer and marathoner. His work has appeared on Gizmodo, CNET, and Time Out New York.