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CLEVELAND – Your kids may not be ready to head back to class, but retailers are ready to lure you in with big sales. Parents told the National Retail Federation they’ll spend less this year and we know the stores that can help you do just that.

“I’m trying to find deals, deals and more deals to get them prepared for school,” mom Staci Simpson said.

Simpson typically spends $200-$300 on school supplies for her two children. But this year will be different.

“I plan on cutting that cost in half,” Simpson explained.

Knowing where to shop is the best way to cut your spending and we did the homework for you. We sent a secret shopper to Walmart, Target, Walgreens, Staples, Office Max and Marc’s to find the store offering the cheapest overall prices so you can stock up and save on a basic back to school supply list.

“The folders are 20-cents. I need to get some more of these,” Ashley Carthon-Jordan said.

So, who had the best prices?

In our test, Marc’s and Walmart offered the cheapest prices. Walmart offered a basic back to school shopping list for $18.61. The total at Marc’s was just 31-cents more.

“The earlier you come the bargains are better because you can find exactly what you want,” Kim Albritton said. “The children need different folders in different colors for different classes.”

This week, Staples is offering folders for a penny if you spend $5 in the store. While that’s a deal, Staples prices overall were some of the highest. The total was almost double Walmart’s prices.

But it wasn’t the loser. We paid the most at OfficeMax, spending $37.49.

“It’s been a while since I’ve been at Walmart. I kind of put it last and I can’t believe the bargains,” Simpson said.

But while moms and dads are looking for bargains, kids are looking out for the latest style.

“I like her bows and her eyes are pretty,” first grader Kaya McCluney said..

McCluney went with a Hello Kitty lunchbox and her brother went with Superman. Style and price aren’t everything when it comes to a backpack.

Walmart offers backpacks for just under $5. That was the cheapest price in our test. One family chose the backpack that’s a little larger and sturdier for $17.88. They hope the extra investment will keep them from having to replace a cheaper backpack midway through the year.

And the backpacks and binders really made the difference in our test. Target had similar prices to Walmart on crayons and pencils, but their backpacks and binders were higher.