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Do you love getting things on sale? How about free? I think we would all say, “YES, of course!” We work hard for the money we have and we want to spend it wisely. So it makes sense that we want to save money on TpT.
But have you ever wondered, “How can I save money with Teachers Pay Teachers? There are actually quite a few ways to get yourTeachers Pay Teachers (TpT)resources for free or at least cheaper than the listed price.
Want to know my secrets to rarely paying full price for the TpT resources I buy?
I'm going to give you three tips to save money on Teachers Pay Teachers.
But before you start talking about how to get amazing deals, read the other two posts in The Essential TfT Guide, including:Find the perfect resources, youMaximizing your TpT searches🇧🇷 These posts will help you take full control of your Teachers Pay Teachers experience, directing you to the exact features you want in a fraction of the time!
Don't worry, I'll be here waiting for you when you get back. 🇧🇷
So are you ready to tackle the last piece of the puzzle? Let's start saving money!
How to save money on TpT
1. Store sales

This may seem too obvious, but bear with me. TpT has site-wide sales pretty consistently, and sellers can launch sales whenever they want. This begs the question… when do these sales take place? Well, site-wide sales usually happen in the next few months.
- August (back to school)
- Novembro (Black Friday, Cyber Monday)
- February (Valentine's Day)
- May (end of year)
It is up to individual sellers to decide to launch a "store" sale during these periods. However, most sellers will choose to coordinate in-store sales with site-wide sales.
This means that a seller can have a 20% discount on their store and TpT will provide a code to get an additional 10% discount in total. This is a pretty substantial discount when you combine the two.
Sellers also have the freedom to launch their own flash sales whenever they want. They can choose to make a sale for one day or for one week. Some sellers also have a reduced rate on new products for the first 48 hours after items are posted on TpT. (I'll give you more info on each of these in tip three!)
2. Leave comments

Every time you spend money on TpT by purchasing a resource, you have a chance to immediately earn TpT Credits to use towards future purchases. For every dollar spent, you earn 1 credit.
So let's say you bought 3 items. Prices for individual items were $3.00, $5.00 and $7.00. If you rate each product and leave appropriate feedback, you can earn 15 credits. You might be wondering what proper feedback looks like.
It can be as simple as "thank you" or "I love it". Those are completely appropriate responses, but sellers really appreciate meaningful responses like "My students are going to love this activity!" or "We just talked about frogs, and this project will wrap up our study nicely!"
In both cases you get credits, but it's very encouraging for sellers to get genuine feedback.
how to leave comments
Well, if you've shopped before and never left feedback, you can access all of your purchases by clicking the dropdown box next to your name. You will see the section that says "My purchases". This is where you can find all the resources you've invested in. (By the way, my dropdown menu looks different than yours because I'm a seller. I have several sections that buyers don't!)
If you haven't left feedback yet, you'll see a place below each product title that says "Give Feedback". Clicking this link will take you directly to the rating section for that item. (Obviously, I've already given feedback on this feature, but here's the link. Once you leave your rating, you'll get this message.)
Once I download my purchase and check it out, I take a few minutes and leave feedback. So I don't forget!
TpT Credits
After submitting your feedback, you can check your TpT credits by going back to your account at the top. In the drop-down box, you will see the heading "TpT Credit Balance". You can check your current balance at any time. As you earn and redeem credits, your balance will reflect changes so you don't have to keep track of your total.
Clicking on the link will take you to a screen that shows your current credit balance. In your balance you can read all about how they work and how to redeem them. One thing to note is that you must have a minimum of 20 credits before you can redeem them.
However, the credits are cumulative, which means that if it takes you a year to accumulate 20 credits, you can use them at that time. This is also great news if you want to store them. Personally, I tend to spend mine as fast as I earn it.
But whether you spend them right away or save them for a bigger purchase, they're still one of the easiest ways to save money on TpT.
I love providing feedback because sellers work so hard on the products and features they post, and I love showering them with well-earned praise. It also doesn't hurt that the credits are like free money!
Yes, I actually like to save money on TpT. And when I save, I have the opportunity to buy more resources for my children!
3. Follow sellers
You might be thinking, "How does following a seller help me save money on TpT?" I'm so glad you asked because it has a lot to do with it!
By following sellers, you will receive automatic emails from TpT every time they post a new product. Remember in the first tip I said that some sellers listed new items for sale within the first 24-48 hours?
Well, getting those emails gives you a head start on resources you might want to check out. If you see something you like, buy it at a reduced price!
In addition, following your favorite sellers, you will receive correspondence on TpT about product updates and in-store sales. This is different from emails you receive from TpT to your email provider.
As TpT does NOT provide your email address to sellers, the only way for a seller to contact you is through your TpT inbox.
Access your TpT inbox
To find your inbox, go to the dropdown next to your name (again) and just below the "TpT Credit Balance" link is the "Inbox" link. By clicking here, you will be redirected to the TpT inbox.
Remember, this is the only way for sellers to contact you and all emails are moderated by the TpT team before being sent out to store followers. If you have new notifications about messages, a number will appear next to the "Inbox" link.
Please keep in mind that this will be the only place you will receive these targeted notifications as sellers do not have a direct link to your primary email provider.
When it arrives in your inbox, it looks similar to any other inbox. You can read, check, and delete as normal.
Be sure to mark your calendars now with all important sale dates. That way you save money on TpT every time you shop. Next, make sure you've left appropriate feedback on all of your purchases. Finally, follow all your favorite sellers.

The point is to spend your hard-earned money wisely, and using these three tips is guaranteed to save you money on TV.

FAQs
How to get free credits for TPT? ›
The primary way you can earn TPT Credits is by leaving ratings and reviews on your purchased resources. You may also receive TPT Credits on your account because they're added by Team TPT, for example as reimbursement — those will be listed "Credits added to your account by TPT Staff."
How can I get more money from TPT? ›If you want to sell on TpT, you have to have unique products to sell. This can be anything from bulletin boards to lesson plans, clip art to digital product creations, or teacher toolbox labels to homework assignment plans. The point is you want to have a few products already created before you open your shop.
Where can I find TPT credits? ›Your TPT credits are shown in U.S. Dollar (USD) amounts as part of your account balance. To apply your account balance (which includes TPT credits and TPT ClassFund contributions, if applicable) to a purchase, select the "Use Account Balance” option under the "Checkout" button in your cart.
Can you make a living off of TPT? ›The first question everyone asks is: “can I really make money selling on Teachers Pay Teachers?” The answer is YES. It is a great way to start up a small business and earn extra income for teachers. I won't sugarcoat it though, you will have to put a lot of hard work into it.
How much do most people make on TPT? ›According to TpT, the top seller has made over $2 million, 164 teachers have earned over $50,000, and thousands more bring in a few hundred dollars a month, which can make a big difference when you're living on a teacher's salary.
Can I use images from Google for TPT? ›When you're looking for images to include in your resource, it's tempting to turn to Google images. Don't do it. Just because you can access an image for free doesn't mean you're free to reuse it in your TPT resources.
How much money do people make on Teachers Pay Teachers? ›The average Teachers Pay Teachers salary ranges from approximately $55,325 per year for Sales Representative to $149,000 per year for Sales Director.
What is the lowest salary for a teacher? ›Arizona ranks lowest in teacher salary when adjusted for cost of living and quality of life. The state with the lowest average teacher salary in the US is Mississippi, at around $48,000 a year. However, $48,000 in Mississippi may look very different from $48,000 in New York.
Do TPT credits expire? ›These credits do not expire, so keep leaving feedback to gain more points! For every dollar spent on TpT, you earn one point.
Is a TPT store worth it? ›If you are willing to put in the upfront work of polishing your lessons up, writing descriptions, and creating cover images, opening a TPT store is definitely worth it.
Do you have to pay taxes on TPT? ›
TPT Money Mistake #2: Not Claiming TPT on Taxes
Sorry, honey, but you do. Whether you're making $2 or $20,000 a year on Teachers Pay Teachers, TPT money qualifies as income. And in the United States, we have something called an income tax. In teaching, your district removes your income tax for you.
TPT IS YOUR LOCAL PBS STATION. TPT is one of the preeminent PBS affiliate stations in the country, producing and broadcasting public media programming in the Twin Cities and its surrounding areas.
How much does TPT take from a sale? ›However, to list products for sale on the site, you must become a member. There are two membership options. One has no upfront fee, but charges a 45% commission, plus 30 cents per item, on everything the educator sells. The other option requires a $60 annual fee, but drops the commission rate to 20%.
What happens if you share TPT resources? ›Your license doesn't cover use by another friend or colleague. If you want to share a resource for others to use, you can buy additional licenses. On TpT, additional licenses are often priced at a discount. Discounts are set by the Seller, but the default discount is 10% off the original list price.
What is the highest paid teaching state? ›...
Best States for Teachers 2022.
State | New York |
---|---|
Overall Rating | 60.86 |
Opportunity & Competition Rank | 3 |
Academic & Work Environment Rank | 3 |
Average Pay | $92,222 |
- High School Chemistry Teachers: for this position the salary range is $39,000-$72,000. ...
- High School Math Teachers: for this position the salary range is $37,000 – $66,000. ...
- Special Education Teachers: for this position the salary range is $37,000 – $78,000.
The answer is yes! You can definitely sell your Canva designs on TPT. In fact, many teachers do just that and make a decent profit off of their designs. Canva is a great platform for creating professional-looking designs, and TPT is a great marketplace for selling those designs.
Is there an app for TPT? ›The TpT iOS App is the best way to access all that TpT has to offer on the go, allowing you to find resources when YOU need them. In addition, the app also includes a Freebie of the Day, a Daily Dose of Inspiration, Trending Search Terms, and Teaching Ideas from other teachers around the world.
Can anyone sell on teachers pay teachers? ›Yes! TPT is an open marketplace, and we welcome Teacher-Authors from around the world. A large number of TPT Sellers and Buyers are English speakers, so many of the resources you'll see posted on the platform are in English, but you're more than welcome to post resources in any language.
How do I start a successful TpT store? ›- Step 1: Realistic goals and dreams for starting a TpT store. ...
- Step 2: Create your TpT Seller's Account. ...
- Step 3: Do a quick set-up of your TpT store information. ...
- Step 4: Upload your first free product to your TpT Store. ...
- Step 4: I know you want to start making products, but let's talk copyright first.
What type of teacher is most in demand? ›
- English as a Second Language (ESL). ESL educators are some of the most in demand teachers. ...
- Math Teaching. Another teacher subject in demand is mathematics. ...
- Science Teaching. What about science teachers? ...
- Social Studies Teaching. ...
- Special Education Teaching.
OCCUPATION | 2021 MEDIAN PAY |
---|---|
General internal medicine physicians | This wage is equal to or greater than $208,000 per year |
Family medicine physicians | This wage is equal to or greater than $208,000 per year |
Emergency medicine physicians | This wage is equal to or greater than $208,000 per year |
Rank | State | Overall score |
---|---|---|
1 | New York | 3.80 |
2 | Massachusetts | 4.20 |
3 | Connecticut | 4.33 |
4 | New Jersey | 4.77 |
Premium Seller Membership ($59.95 per year) — To become a Premium Seller, you'll pay an annual subscription fee of $59.95. As a Premium Seller, you'll earn a higher payout rate, and you'll enjoy access to features and tools available exclusively to Premium Sellers.
Can you buy gift cards for TpT? ›Yes! Just click "Gift Cards" on the top right of the site, next to "About Us." TpT gift cards are available in increments of $5, $10, $25, $50, $75, $100, $200, and $500. They can be emailed or downloaded to print at home.
How many products should you have on TpT? ›For Starters. If you are just beginning your TpT journey, you need to focus on the number of products in your store. You need to get to close to ten different products before you start directing your attention to other places.
Who is the owner of TPT? ›TPT was founded by Paul Edelman, a New York City public school teacher who saw incredible, untapped potential in the work that teachers create for every lesson, every day. Paul quickly realized that his students did the best when he incorporated ideas from other educators.
Why is my TPT listing free? ›We ask that all Sellers offer their first digital resource as a free download to our members. This is called your Primary Free resource. We think this practice benefits the whole TPT community.
Why does TPT need my Social Security number? ›To comply with applicable laws, we may collect federal tax identification information from Sellers, including your social security number or employer identification number, to verify your identity and issue tax documents.
Do you have to be a teacher to use TPT? ›Nope! We encourage everyone to use TPT for any resources they may find useful for various projects, classes, etc. You can sign up for TPT via this direct link.
Why do teachers use TPT? ›
TpT for Schools allows the administrator to look at materials that are being used in one classroom and purchase an additional license for the next teacher for those students. This way there is continuity in the instruction. So the students get what they need.
Who are the top TPT sellers? ›- Parent Reminder Notes. Author: Teacher to the Core. ...
- End of the Year Awards. Author: Teaching With a Mountain View. ...
- STEAM Bins. Author: Brooke Brown – Teach Outside the Box. ...
- Digital Brag Tags Bundle #1. Author: Lucky Little Learners. ...
- Teacher Planner | Digital & Printable Editable Binder.
There is an annual fee of $59.95 to become a premium seller, and it is definitely worth it. Becoming a premium seller will you to receive 85% in royalties without transaction fees for the products you sell. You will generate more income, and make up for the fee that you paid sooner.
Do you need a business PayPal for TPT? ›No, you don't need a PayPal account to buy or sell products on TPT. To buy products, you may have the option to pay with PayPal but you can also use a credit card, Venmo, or if you're spending $20 or more, a school purchase order.
Can I use Canva for TPT? ›The answer is yes! You can definitely sell your Canva designs on TPT. In fact, many teachers do just that and make a decent profit off of their designs. Canva is a great platform for creating professional-looking designs, and TPT is a great marketplace for selling those designs.
How do I promote myself on TPT? ›- TPT allows you to promote your products outside of your store through our advertising program. ...
- Promo spots are released for purchasing at 12:00AM Eastern time on the 20th of each month. ...
- To place an ad, you must have sufficient earnings from monthly sales in your Seller account.
However, to list products for sale on the site, you must become a member. There are two membership options. One has no upfront fee, but charges a 45% commission, plus 30 cents per item, on everything the educator sells. The other option requires a $60 annual fee, but drops the commission rate to 20%.
Do you need a business PayPal for TpT? ›No, you don't need a PayPal account to buy or sell products on TPT. To buy products, you may have the option to pay with PayPal but you can also use a credit card, Venmo, or if you're spending $20 or more, a school purchase order.
What program do people use for TpT? ›TpT Easel is best used with purchased Teachers Pay Teachers Worksheets. TpT Easel works best when used with worksheets you purchase on the Teachers Pay Teachers website. They would call this “seamless integration,” but this pushes Teachers to spend more money on their website.
Is there an app for TpT? ›The TpT iOS App is the best way to access all that TpT has to offer on the go, allowing you to find resources when YOU need them. In addition, the app also includes a Freebie of the Day, a Daily Dose of Inspiration, Trending Search Terms, and Teaching Ideas from other teachers around the world.
Can I sell on TPT if Im not a teacher? ›
Nope! We encourage everyone to use TPT for any resources they may find useful for various projects, classes, etc. You can sign up for TPT via this direct link.
What are the best selling items on TPT? ›- Parent Reminder Notes. Author: Teacher to the Core. ...
- End of the Year Awards. Author: Teaching With a Mountain View. ...
- STEAM Bins. Author: Brooke Brown – Teach Outside the Box. ...
- Digital Brag Tags Bundle #1. Author: Lucky Little Learners. ...
- Teacher Planner | Digital & Printable Editable Binder.