7 cheap school stationery shops in the UAE

Buying stationery is a big part of getting the kids ready for school. New bags, new pencil pouches, fresh notebooks, pens, pencils, colours and so much more - an exciting time for the kids, not so exciting for the parents. Not to mention the weekly run to the store for charts and materials for projects.

We have rounded up some of our favourite budget stores for stationery, which are also easily accessible and have all the items you need under one roof. Find the nearest store location using their websites.

1. Daiso Japan

This is my personal favourite (no longer a student, but crazy about stationary supplies) as you can find everything you need here. The variety is great and, as you know, everything starts at Dh7 or less. Daiso has expanded quite a bit in the UAE and most malls have them making the stores really accessible.

2. Mercado

Not to be confused with Mercato Mall in Jumeirah, Mercado stocks a variety of products including clothing, majority of them priced from Dh1 to Dh20. This one is located in Bur Dubai, near Burjuman Mall, on Khalid Bin Waleed Road. Walking distance from both Burjuman and Al Fahidi metro stations, the store is easily accessible and hard to miss with its yellow banners.

3. Carrefour

An obvious entry on this list, this mall department store is a favourite with parents and children. With a nice variety of products and brands across various budgets, you can find cheaper items here.

4. Lulu

Lulu supermarkets and hypermarkets are a great way to stock up on all school materials. Try a hypermarket, in Al Qusais, for example, or Mushrif in Abu Dhabi to find large sections for back to school purchases. Some branches also have huge discount offers right before school starts.

5. Day to Day

Another budget store for all kinds of daily-use items, they also stock great school supplies at a fraction of mall-store or brand prices. They have four locations in Dubai as of now and their usual price range is Dh1 to Dh20.

6. Al Muttanabi Bookshop

This store has been around for quite some time and also have regular discount offers and loyalty packages. Also known as Al Batra Bookshop, they have stores in Dubai, Sharjah, Abu Dhabi and Al Ain. You can also use their website for shopping, and you get free shipping for purchases above Dh250.

7. Dubai Library Distributors

Another chain which has stores across the UAE, they have everything from office/stationery supplies, school bags and lunch bags to art and craft supplies. With multiple stores spread across Dubai and the other emirates, the branches are easily accessible for residents.