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You all might be aware that I have a laminating…umm…problem. The fact that I have TWO Scotch Thermal laminators should be setting off warning bells for all to hear.
Really, I do. It truly has been a wonderful laminator and the second is just as a ‘back-up’, although I’ve never had a problem with the initial one I purchased {just can’t imagine NOT having it handy!}.
But I have a confession. Until recently, I was a laminating pouch snob. Maybe not so much a snob as a big ol’ chicken to try something different unless someone else convinces me. So I let a friend try out another brand first and then she convinced me that not only do they work great, these laminating pouches are WAY cheaper.
I ordered a pack of 100 {the Universal Clear brand laminating pouches are just under $10 for 100, compared to the Scotch brand laminating pouches that are a little over $12 for 50}.
Meaning I can laminate even more.
Not that I will {ahem}. But I CAN if I want to.
And I probably will.
The printables shared on this site are FREE of charge unless otherwise noted, and you are welcome to download them for your personal and/or classroom use only. However, free or purchased printables are NOT to be reproduced, hosted, sold, shared, or stored on any other website or electronic retrieval system (such as Scribd or Google docs). My printables are copyright protected and I appreciate your help in keeping them that way.
If you download and use some of my printables and then blog about them, please provide a link back to my blog and let me know - I'd love to see how you are using them! Please be sure to link to the blog post or web page and not directly to the file itself. Thank you!
You are too funny! Thanks for spreading the laminating love!
Yes! We buy ours from Sam’s Club and they are cheaper and work great! :)
oh THANK YOU!! I bought myself a laminator for Christmas and it’s SO MUCH FUN!!!! I was trying to be conservative, but now I DON”T HAVE TO!! :)
Yes! And free shipping with amazon prime makes them even better! They’re all I’ve ever used! PS- a little tip- you can get free Amazon Prime for MONTHS if you sign up for amazon mom. Just a little tidbit for the morning!
I did do that…but then broke down and bought prime. I use it enough!
I JUST started using those yesterday! I wasn’t sure how I would like them either, but they are fine for the job! And after realizing how many pouches I was going through, these are definitely a must!
Woohoo! Thanks for the tip!
Thank you for sharing. I normally buy a 100 pack for $19 on Amazon and I was afraid to try another. I will be buying this pack on my next order!!!
Wonderful to know! I am like you, I reseachered a cheaper way however was to afraid to actually try it! LOL thanks for the “review” I might honestly check it out since someone already tried it :)
LOL. Thanks Carisa for being the guinea pig ;-) I will have to order these next time!
It is early, I have only had one cup of coffee…do you use these with a laminator or are they the kind that just “stick” together so you don’t need the heated laminator??
I use them with my laminator
Thanks! This is a great deal ~ especially since I caught my almost ten year old laminating stuff the other day. Yikes – the addiction is hereditary!
Hilarious :)
Thank you! Thank you! I just printed out A LOT from your site (fantastic) & 1+1+1=1 and I am sitting here debating what I should & shouldn’t laminate. Now I can laminate it all!!!! Thanks!
Although I prefer Scotch laminating sheets, I was burning through them too fast to afford them. I found some at Sam’s for a very reasonable price…200 ct for $20.68 which is pretty much the same price you are posting about…just giving out another option. They are a little bit cheaper quality but I have not had any problems with them and I am almost through my 2nd pack.
Thanks for all you do!
I just ordered some of these after seeing them on Carisa’s website! I haven’t tried them yet, but I’m glad to hear they work great! I ended up buying 300 in order to get free shipping! I thought it would take me a long time to get through them, but I’m thinking it won’t take too long!! I pretty much laminate everything!!
I haven’t read all the comments but my invisible hand toolbar tells me it is $4 at comfortmarket.com :)
This is good to know. I bought a package of Royal Sovereign laminating pouches at Sam’s Club and am VERY disappointed. They don’t seal well at all, and only seals to itself, so the item is floating inside. Doesn’t work for flashcards that you want to cut apart after laminating. I thought I was going to have to go back to the Scotch brand, but am thrilled to have another economical alternative.
I bought the same ones by accident one time and I love them! I don’t feel guilty laminating everything. Again, not that I would either, but if I wanted to, it would totally be okay. :) Have a great day!
I have a question. When you laminate with the heat kind do you have to leave an edge around whatever you are cutting out. I laminated at the teacher store and it ended up peeling off…I assumed I cut too close. I have a cold laminator the sticky kind as mentioned above and you can cut right up to the edge with that. Thanks for any info.
I usually cut right up to the edge of whatever I’ve laminated and also along the inside lines of things like flashcards when there are several grouped on one page. I don’t cut them out individually to laminate, but laminate entire sheets at once.
THANKS! I was looking for a cheaper brand, because I recently have also become addicted to laminating! Thanks again!
I believe we had this conversation before! So glad you found the cheaper version works just as well!
Yeah!! I order three packs of 50 and have already used up one in a week! Thanks for the tip. Wish I would have seen the universals when I ordered the scottch brand.
Thanks! I’ve looked at other brands but always wondered how well they compared.
SA-WEEEET! Thanks for sharing!
Hi, I don’t have my own laminator. I wasn’t sure if I should. When I need some laminating, I go to Lakeshore Learning store and they charge $.29 per feet by 24 inches. Not sure if it’s cheap. Do you think? I know having a laminator at home is so convenient and can have it done right then, not having to wait until I go out to town. Umm…
the fact that I own two laminators means I might not be the best person
to ask {grins}
Sweet! I love laminating and am definitely interested in cheaper options!!
Thanks for sharing! Quick question. HELP! I am looking for a laminator that will allow me to laminate poster such as mentioned in the workbox book. Also needs to be affordable. Any ideas? Thanks. Alida w4
our local college {education department} and also a teacher supply store
laminate larger items…and sometimes copy centers like Staples, etc…
I bought my first (three) boxes of these when I got my Scotch laminator in February. Yeah, I’m on box 5 now. Had no idea I would “need” to laminate so much, but very glad that my habit is affordable.
We own two laminatorsl: a duck laminator and the Scotch brand. We use these laninating pouches and they work well. The savings on these are excellent!
oh mama! One of my girlfriends thinks I have a love affair with my laminator – I can’t wait to tell her about this! Thanks.
I bought a laminator not long ago and this is the brand we bought to go with it. I’ve been happy so far. :)
Great tip! I *might* have a laminating problem as well! I’m blaming it on you and others in the blog land that make such cute printables. I go through at least a package a month, so this would certainly save some money. Thanks!!
I bought my laminator around Christmas (thanks to Amazon and the Homeschool Fairy!), and used two boxes of the more expensive sheets. I found these cheaper sheets on Amazon and have been using them ever since. I think you and Carisa have brought out the Laminator Monster in me ~ LOL!!! My husband laughed at my purchae at first, but it’s sure funny how he’s had me laminate things not only for him, but our church as well!
haha!! gotta love it!!! so glad to be using these too!
Jolanthe, ran out of mine and ordered on Sunday (late night) through your code. I got mine with free shipping using Amazon prime. Even though these laminating pouches are thin (3 mil), ladies don’t understimate them because they are sturdy and work well on laminating machines.
the Scotch brand are 3ml too that I used before and I’ve LOVED the
cheaper ones! Loving the prime shipping too! {smiles}
Yay! Thank you for this post! I just went to Amazon and ordered 3 packs of 100 for $8.99 and got the Free Shipping…300 sheets for $26.97! I am so psyched! I was paying more than $14 at our Wal-Mart for the Scotch brand. Super deal! :)
which reminds me that I need to order more laminating film….
i love everything that you are doing!! thank you so so much!
no, not at all {grins}
I’m so glad to here that I’m not the only one that is obssessed with laminating….I’ve been going through about 100-200 pouches a month (I run a in-home daycare, so now I’ve been laminating all the learning packets I send home with the kids….once you start it’s hard to stop)
Thanks for sharing this! I can now laminate a lot more too!
I’m so sorry. :) hee hee….
Just recently discovered your site and I am in love!! You have some AMAZING stuff on here!! I was reading the above post and am curious about the laminating machine. I looked on Amazon and read the info. Is this a hard style laminating or the soft style? I teach in a public school and do many games at home with my kiddos and would love to be able to laminate more often. Thank you for the info!!
Jennifer
jennmom@comcast.net
Hmm..not sure what you mean about soft vs. hard? The sheets that I use and run through the laminator are soft and flexible, but when heated they get stiff. Does that help?
You can also buy the pouches that are meant to go through a laminator and seal them with your iron. I buy a pack of 200 at Sam’s for around $20. I place the items inside and then cover the pouch with a cloth (old t-shirt w/o design works well) and iron with my iron set on the highest setting and DRY. I have had one or two things come apart, but simply re-iron them and they are fine.
I am going to try this!!
I do the same thing ;)
Clear contact paper!!! :-)
how much does contact paper usually cost I can’t decide if I want to use that or but a laminator
hmmm…I’m not really sure. I want to say it’s under $5 – and usually in the kitchen section with the cupboard shelving paper at Walmart. Not sure how big the roll is though. Sorry I can’t help more!
I use the duck laminate rolls and they are just over $5 at walmart for an appx 12in x 40ft roll. a little time consuming though. i may try jolanthe’s approach.
I had to laminate almost 25 pages today – so glad for those cheaper sheets!!
we use clear shelving paper!!!
Thanks for Sharing! I have been very unsure for a long time about what laminator to buy. I’m going to buy a laminator today!
Have fun with it. :)
I do too……..cheaper and makes cents to me ;D
You both are hilarious. :)
ok… just showed the hubs how cheap this would be for us… hoping he gives me the thumbs up.
AWESOME!!!!
Most of my laminating is done with the cheap sheets, but I also put whole printables back to back, laminate, and cut off the edges, then cut out what I printed. Still sturdy, but half the laminating sheets used.
great idea, Missy! :)
i have a Xyron (sp) it was cheap from office Depot, my old office bought it for me when in property management and since they closed down I got to keep it,place paper in, line it up, hand turn and out comes your laminated sheets, cut as you need to as close as you need to. I even put smaller things in side by side, run them through a bit, add more and run through, sometimes have 3 feet of laminated stuff to just cut up as I need. works great.
OMG!!! By chance I came across your site today, and I absolutely LOVE it! You’re so organized and have so many fun ideas that I can’t wait to try! I’m so excited I can’t hardly contain it!!!
Thanks, Stephanie – let me know if you need help finding anything. :)
What is the model of your laminator? Just curious.
Thanks.
I have the Scotch Thermal brand – the one that is mentioned in this post. You can also find it at Walmart/Target, but sometimes Amazon has it super cheap too!
Thanks for your reply :)
Amazon has Scotch Thermal in several models. The one I see at this moment is
Scotch Thermal Laminator 2 Roller System (TL901) which is on SALE right now at the Amazon – yoohoo!!! but I’m not sure if that is the one you were talking about.
Thanks!
That is the one I have. :) LOVE it!
Yeah! Great!
Thanks Jolanthe. I think I’ll get it :-)
Thanks for all the wisdom and ideas you share in your website. I’ll be visiting it again.
Have a blessed home school year.
I love my laminator too. Last fall I found laminating sheets at Aldi for 4.99 for 50 8-1/2×11 and a multi pack of 5×7 and 4×6 for 4.99. I figured that it is melted plastic no matter what. I think the actual machine makes all these sheets work.
That is a GREAT deal. I really wish we had an Aldi’s near us!
I just bought that laminator too and I laminate EVERYTHING. I’m glad to hear about some new stuff. Thanks!!
Thank you so much for the laminating pouch savings info. I operate a
home daycare (18 years) and not only do I make most of my own learning
activities and purchase laminating pouches to protect them, all costs
are on me, so this info is very much appreciated!!!
Yay! Saving money is always a big help! ;)
Thanks for this tip. I ordered these pouches and they work great for our homeschool stuff, and now I can LAMINATE ALL THE THINGS! without feeling guilty :)
We love these pouches and they have saved up much!
4 years ago??? Where have I been?
I truly love your sense of adventure. I teach preschool and have a 2 1/2 year old grandson. We will enjoy your lessons while I pick up a laminator as well. Never can have enough. Love your blog. God bless!
Oh my laminator. :) We got something stuck in it a few months ago and I thought it was a goner, but my 12 year old daughter worked and worked on it and fixed it for me. She knows how important that thing is!
I use Laminationers pouches. I order by the 5-pack…500 for $49.99. And you get free shipping on orders over $35.
Great deal!!
I can’t wait to laminiate everything! lol A sad update for 2020 is that these pouches are now over $17! I guess they figured out they could make some money off of us addicted laminators? lol
We have one laminator for a school that has PreK – 8th grade. No one is exactly sure how old it is, just that’s its an archaic dinosaur. It is difficult to use – changing rolls is beyond troublesome; heating up takes forever, etc. We desperately need a new laminator!
This laminator has lasted us FOREVER. I was worried about it initially and purchased a spare when it went on sale for under $20 – and it’s still in the box!! :)