I shopped for school supplies at Walmart and Target. One had better prices for nearly everything on my list.

I went back-to-school shopping for a few essentials at Target and Walmart.Savannah BornI shopped for school supplies at Walmart and Target to compare selections and prices on a few items.Target's selection of backpacks, pens, fashion folders, and mechanical pencils impressed me.

Sales will vary, but Walmart's prices were at least a few cents cheaper on most items I checked.Back-to-school season often requires a major shopping haul, and if you're debating between two stores, it's probably Walmart and Target.Both are go-to spots for all things school, but I was curious which offered a wider selection and better deals.

With Labor Day looming, I looked for basic school supplies at each store, searching for the same items in equivalent sizes.My list included everything from pens, pencils, and coloring supplies to notebooks, folders, and other essentials. I even sought out backpacks and binders.

Here's how each category stacked up on this particular trip.Walmart felt festive from the get-go.Savannah BornThe first thing I saw when I walked into my local Walmart was a giant "back to school" banner hung above the last-call fireworks,Signs led me to the back corner, where I found three full aisles of name brands and Pen+Gear, Walmart's private label.

It also had cardboard displays with plenty of goodies, from rulers to mini staplers.It wasn't hard to find the back-to-school section at my local Target, either.Savannah BornDuring my visit in mid-July, my local Target still seemed to be setting up some of its supplies.

However, the "school shop" was easy to find.In addition to big names, Target carried supplies from its in-house brands, Up&Up, Mondo Llama, and Dealworthy — the third being the most budget-friendly option.Mechanical pencils were first on my list.

Target had tons of mechanical pencils.Savannah BornSure, Walmart had mechanical pencils, but Target's overflowing pop-up display made a stellar first impression.It included my favorite Papermate Clear Point mechanical pencil