Office supply expenses can fluctuate throughout the year, especially when it comes to bulk orders, electronics, or seasonal items. If you’re not tracking prices, you might be overspending—sometimes by 10% or more on the exact same item. Whether you’re buying for a business, classroom, or home office, price tracking can help you identify the best time to restock.

Here’s how to make smarter purchases by monitoring prices and combining tools that maximize savings.

Why Price Tracking Works

Office supplies, like any other consumer goods, follow patterns of demand and pricing. For example:

• Printer paper and binders often go on sale during back-to-school season
  
• Tech products and chairs drop in price around Black Friday and Cyber Monday
  
• Basic supplies like pens and planners are frequently discounted in January during organizational promotions
  

By understanding these cycles and tracking prices, you can plan purchases when costs are lowest.

Best Tools to Track Office Supply Prices

Here are some of the most effective tools for keeping an eye on price drops:

• CamelCamelCamel: A free Amazon price tracker that shows price history charts and lets you set alerts
  
• Keepa: Another detailed Amazon tracker that shows price drops, daily deals, and trends over time
  
• Slickdeals: Community-powered platform that highlights current sales and lets you set keyword alerts for specific office items
  
• Google Shopping: Compare prices across major retailers like Staples, Office Depot, Amazon, Walmart, and Target
  

These tools can be used alongside your retailer accounts and cashback platforms to determine the best time to buy at the best value.

How to Combine Price Tracking with Cashback Apps

Once you’ve identified a price drop, make your purchase count even more by stacking rewards:

• Use Fluz to earn instant cashback on digital gift cards from retailers like Staples, Office Depot, or Amazon
• Shop through Rakuten to earn additional cashback for online orders
  
• Redeem Ibotta rewards when applicable, especially for in-store supply purchases
  

This strategy lets you secure the lowest available price while earning a portion of your spend back.

Additional Smart Buying Tips

• Buy in bulk when price tracking tools show a seasonal low
  
• Create a supply forecast for your team or classroom to avoid last-minute purchases
  
• Use browser extensions to get price drop notifications for items you routinely buy
  
• Track tech accessories (monitors, mice, keyboards) during major sales events rather than on-demand
  

Final Thoughts

Price tracking is one of the simplest, most effective ways to save money on office supplies. When combined with cashback platforms like Fluz, Rakuten, and Ibotta, it turns your everyday purchases into long-term savings. A little planning today can lead to lower costs all year long—without compromising on quality.