Back-to-school savings: an exhaustive guide

If you're gearing up for the new school year, you're going to need some fresh supplies, and we all know that's not cheap. Here are some of our best back-to-school deals and student freebies to help you maximize your money throughout the year!

Fall is fast approaching, and soon students of all ages--from kindergarten to college--will have to say goodbye to the carefree days of summer, and hello to a new semester.

If you're gearing up for the new school year, you're going to need some fresh supplies, and we all know that ain't cheap. Here are some of our best back-to-school deals and student freebies to help you maximize your money throughout the year!

School Supplies

• Barnes & Noble -- Save up to 90 percent off used textbooks.
• Microsoft Store -- Students can save $30 on Windows 8.1 Pro AND get a free upgrade to Windows 10 Pro when they order online and enter the name of the school they'll be attending in the fall.
• MYHABIT -- Shop durable SwissGear backpacks starting at just $19.
• Oakley Vault -- Get an Oakley Streetman backpack in lightning green or pacific blue for just $18!
• Office Depot/OfficeMax -- Shop select Texas Instruments calculators starting at $12.99.
• Personalized Planet -- Make your mark with a personalized backpack for just $23 when you promo code BRADBTS at checkout. Best of all, shipping is free!
• Staples -- Through August 8, you can get a 60 pack of BIC Round Stic Ballpoint Pens for just $3 online, and shipping is free for Staples Rewards Members.

Dorm & Apartment Essentials

• Choxi -- Get a 48-piece Essex Kitchen Knives & Utensils Starter Pack for just $33!
• Designer Living -- Select Intelligent Design comforter sets have dropped from $95-$120 to just $39.99, and are available in twin, twin XL, full and queen sizes.
• Macy's
  • Get a solid or printed Microfiber Sheet Set starting at $9 when you use promo code RENEW at checkout.
  • These Charter Club Classic Pima Cotton Bath Towels start at just $6.
• Walmart
  • Get an 83-piece Gibson Home Essential kitchen combo set for just $50!
  • Futons are on sale starting at just $98!
  • Snatch up this versatile Techni Mobili Retractable Comupter Desk for just $81 (down from $106) while supplies last.
  • The Kebo Futon Soft Bed has dropped in price from $149 to just $87 online.

Student Freebies & Discounts

• Academic Superstore -- Students and teachers can save up to 75 percent off Adobe software.
• Amazon -- Get a 6-month free trial of Amazon Student when you sign up with a valid .edu address.
• ASOS -- Students take 10 percent off all online purchases.
• Best Buy -- Best Buy is currently having a sale for college students who follow the link and sign up with a .edu address.
• Levi's -- Students can save 15 percent off sitewide.
• Microsoft -- Spend just $80, and students can get four years of Microsoft Office 365 University.

Many states offer tax-free holidays on a wide variety of back to school items from computers to apparel to supplies. Ditching the tax on your back to school shopping can save you big time, so here is a list of the remaining tax holidays around the country:

• Alabama -- August 7-9
• Connecticut -- August 16-22
• Florida -- August 7-16
• Iowa -- August 7-8
• Louisiana -- August 7-8
• Maryland -- August 9-15
• Massachusetts -- August 15-16 (unconfirmed)
• Missouri -- August 7-9
• New Mexico -- August 7-9
• Ohio -- August 7-9
• Oklahoma -- August 7-9
• South Carolina -- August 7-9
• Tennessee -- August 7-9
• Texas -- August 7-9
• Virginia -- August 7-9

For more information on these upcoming tax-free holidays, check out our recent blog post on the subject. For more college student discounts, take a look at our list of more than 40 student discounts for everything from restaurants to apparel to travel and everything in between, and click below to browse our entire collection of back to school deals for the 2015-2016 school year!

This article first appeared in Brad's Deals.