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 While many are still dreaming of summer vacations, the back-to-school season is just around the corner for many families. With schools in 16 states starting classes in early August, Staples (NASDAQ: SPLS) is making it easy for parents to get a jump on back-to-school by offering essential supplies for less than the average price of a gallon of gas.(a) Staples' Extreme Deals this week kick off the back-to-school season with popular items such as pencils for a penny and a free 12-pack of pens via Staples' Easy Rebate(R).

"We know how expensive it can be to outfit kids for the upcoming school year," said Staples' Vice President of Merchandising Petter Knutrud. "We're offering parents an affordable solution to gear up for the back-to-school season while leaving money for life's other necessities - like gas for the car."

A sampling of deals this week at Staples, with a total price tag of $2.91, plus tax and after rebate, cost less than the average price of a gallon of gas:

-- Mead(R) Five Star(R) Premier 3-subject notebook ($1.49)

-- Staples 2-pocket portfolios with/without fasteners (20 cents each)

-- 1" or 1/2" flexible plastic 3-ring binders (25 cents each)

-- 12 Staples yellow No. 2 pencils (1 cent per 12-pack)

-- Staples manual pencil sharpener (1 cent)

-- 2-pocket folders with/without fasteners (1 cent each)

-- 12 PaperMate(R) Flair(R) assorted pens (Free after Staples Easy Rebate)

Other great deals include backpacks as low as $9.98, colorful one subject fashion notebooks for $1.99, and a two-pack of Staples 100-sheet composition notebooks for $1.28. Styles and selection vary by store, and Staples reserves the right to limit quantities.

Throughout the season, Staples will feature a broad selection of hot products leveraging style and color to make it easy for students to be both organized and "cool" for a successful school year. For additional information on Staples' new back-to-school products please visit http://www.staples.com.

About Staples

Staples, Inc. invented the office superstore concept in 1986 and today is the world's largest office products company. With 69,000 talented associates, the company is committed to making it easy to buy a wide range of office products, including supplies, technology, furniture, and business services. With 2005 sales of $16.1 billion, Staples serves consumers and businesses ranging from home-based businesses to Fortune 500 companies in 21 countries throughout North and South America, Europe and Asia. Headquartered outside of Boston, Staples operates 1,786 office superstores and also serves its customers through mail order catalog, e-commerce and contract businesses. More information is available at http://www.staples.com.

(a) Based on the national average price for a gallon of gasoline as of July 3 at $2.93 per gallon, according to The Energy Information Administration (EIA), a statistical agency of the U.S. Department of Energy.