Back To School... Stress?!?

I know most of you have already sent your kids back to school already, but we are late bloomers here in the Boston area. We start on the 7th of September. Ugh boy do I want to ship the 5 back now!

Anywho I wanted to touch on the subject of school supplies. Now this is HORRIBLE! I am married to a mail man we have NO money. So it is time to budget. The good thing is the four year old needs a back pack because she has loads of clothes. She also goes to this very "nice" preschool (you know "that" kind.) So she doesn't have to bring things like crayons and tissues. My son on the other hand is going into JR High (ugh) and its public yet they still ask for LOADS of stuff.
You know I think its ok to send in extra tissues, paper towels, art supplies and such but to MAKE everyone send in this stuff is a bit hard for me to handle. I am a mom who gets free lunch because of my income and you want me to send in all this crap!? So before I get upset lets look at what he needs and what I spent. Here is the "list."
Starting with the "Every Student" list.

-8.5”x11” (letter) loose-leaf notebook paper
-graph paper
-two 2” three-ring binders
-dividers for three-ring binders
-composition notebooks
-3x5 index cards
-12 ct. #2 pencils
-10 ct. blue or black ballpoint pens
-three ring pouch for pens/pencils
-highlighter pens
-colored pencils/markers/crayons
-standard/metric ruler

Now the 6th grade only list. (Yes we need to buy both.)

Math and Problem Solving:

- 2" Three-ring binder
- 8 dividers
- Scientific calculator (We recommend the TI-15 available at Wal-Mart and Office Max)
- Ruler (with inches and centimeters)
- Protractor
- Package of rings that open and clip together to hold flashcards

English:
- 1" Three-ring binder
- 5 dividers
-filler paper

Social Studies:
- 1" Three-ring binder
- 5 dividers
- World Map (for home)

Science:
- 1" three-ring binder

All Classes:

- Pencils, pencils and more pencils! (Seriously!)

- Pencil case

- Hand-held pencil sharpener

- Colored pencils

- Pens

- Highlighter

- PLENTY of lined notebook filler paper for all subjects

I went to Walmart for everything I didn't have coupons for so I needed the cheapest. At 97c a box for crayons I bought about half of it there. I spent $74.93! That was just the "everyone needs this" list.
I have done about 1/2 the other list (so I have about 75% done) and I did this at target with some coupons. It was another $62.37.
I have also bought a few outfits, luckily like I stated before Alora is fine and well Robert has enough pants to last him till he is married, so he needed new shoes, shirts, back pack and actually PJs. Another $325 later I am pretty broke. So total around $460.

Again public school here. I am so upset over this! Does anyone else have a problem with this? Oh also they asked us tonight at back to school night to make sure we send in tissues, paper towels, lysol wipes or anything like that. REALLY!? REALLY!?

So Yea. Anyone else have this problem?