With the return to school comes new routines, giddy excitement a few nerves — and a big hit to the family budget. According to experts, families in the U.S. will spend on average between $600 and $800 per child on back-to-school supplies, making back-to-school shopping the largest shopping event for families aside from the holiday season.
While the spend is stressful when life feels normal, with inflation and supply chain issues impacting the marketplace, families will feel the effect of back-to-school shopping even more as the 2024-25 year begins. Whether you’re doing the shopping or sending support to your family from afar, we’re here to help you meet your child’s school supply needs while still making healthy decisions for your family finances.
Here are a few ways to shop smart this back-to-school season.
Determine a Budget
Before you even click on the list of required classroom supplies, determine how much you can spend on each kid — and though it might be tempting, do your best to stick to it. With this framework in place, you can make the right choices about where you need to spend extra and where you can cut back.
What Can Be Reused?
Sure, a new box of markers or a brand-new tablet are much more exciting. But reusing last year’s supplies is a quick and easy way to save. Take inventory of last year’s materials and see what still has some life left in it. Have a partially used notebook? Tear out the pages and use it again. Highlighters and markers still work? Put them in the rotation. Folders still functional? Use stickers to cover up old class names or notes and use them again. Employing what’s already on hand will allow you to put your money toward other essential purchases.
Buy Now vs. Buy Later
Look over your list and determine what you can buy now, and what you can buy in a month or two. For example, it’s unlikely your child will need two packages of #2 pencils immediately; buy one now, and one later. Same goes for multiple packages of Kleenex, disinfectant wipes, glue sticks, erasers, and other items that are listed in multiples to provide backup. Scoop up the first round before school starts, and then purchase the second round of items in a month or two, when your spending has evened out.
Buy Resale
Every kid wants to go to school with a fresh new look. Fortunately, there are plenty of ways to score affordable resale threads. Check Facebook Marketplace for clothes, shoes and backpacks, or search thrift or consignment stores in your town for gently used gear. Or, gather a few favorite families together for a clothing swap, where you each bring what you’re looking to get rid of and allow everyone to take what now fits their own kids. Bonus: shopping used cuts your carbon footprint, too.
Sales Tax Holiday
Seventeen different states offer a multi-day tax holiday designed to alleviate the hardship of back-to-school shopping. Often taking place over several days in August or September, the tax exemption applies to clothing, computers, books, school supplies and more. Price exemptions can apply, but looking into whether or not your state participates could save you a few dollars at the register.
Price Match
Find a product online for less? Most large brick-and-mortar stores — including Target and Walmart — will price match if you find the same product at select competitors. (For both retailers, this includes Amazon.) Restrictions apply, so you’ll want to check their websites to confirm the product qualifies before you go in.
Coupons
Whether you’re saving a quick 10 percent for signing up for a weekly newsletter, or scoring a buy-one-get-one deal on shoes in the Sunday Paper, savings from paper and online coupons can add up when it comes to back-to-school shopping. Keep an eye out for school supply coupons at non-traditional retailers, too. Places like grocery or hardware stores often have — and offer deals on — essentials like notebooks, folders and pens.
Pro tip: To save on online shopping, download a browser extension like Honey, which automatically scours the internet for coupon codes to apply to online purchases.
Use this as a teaching moment with your child.
If you have an older child, incorporate them into the back-to-school shopping process. Working together can help kids learn the value of budgeting, make financial compromises, and provide an opportunity to learn valuable skills that they’ll carry into adulthood. Plus, it’s also an opportunity for bonding before schedules get extra-busy again.
Remember that back-to-school supplies are just the start of school-related expenses for the year. Resist the temptation to spend more than you can and start off the year on a smart, budget-friendly note — you’ll be grateful once those sports fees are due.
