Think a penny can’t buy much these days? If you’re a back-to-school shopper, think again.

Major office supply retailers–Staples, Office Depot and OfficeMax–are offering some basic school supplies for a penny and have marked down other items to give consumers relief from higher gas and food prices and to try to lure shoppers over the next couple of months.

OfficeMax is cutting prices on more than 100 back-to-school supplies and said it would feature a “penny offer” each week. It is also running bundled specials that include a one-cent item with the purchase of one or more regularly priced products.

Office Depot said it has penny specials that will alternate each week. Current one-cent offerings include a 12-pack of eraser caps (Office Depot branded, of course) and an Office Depot ruler. The retailer is also providing a “Free Item of the Week” during back-to-school season.

Last week, Staples kicked off its back-to-school promotions by offering an eight-pack of No. 2 pencils for a penny. That chain is also offering 10-cent and 25-cent specials for back-to-school shoppers.

(Photo: Reuters)