As a parent, I had a love-hate relationship with the end of summer.
I was giddy that it was time for my kids to return to school. Summer could be frustrating, trying to find affordable camps to keep them occupied while my husband and I worked.
But then the back-to-school supply lists would be sent home or posted online. My husband and I would groan. Every year, the lists would grow longer as they moved up a grade and the costs would rise.
It’s not the teachers’ fault their lists have grown. The costs of many goods are rising, and school systems are providing fewer supplies as state and local budgets are pinched.
When my eldest was in high school, I took it upon myself to supply copy paper for my daughter’s Advanced Placement Government and Politics class. Her teacher was old-school (pun intended) and gave out extra study handouts for AP students. The school couldn’t provide enough paper, so I purchased what was needed for the school year. I did it again when my youngest took the same class a few years later.
The cost of a typical list of 21 basic school supplies rose 7.7 percent year over year, bringing the average basket total to $173.45 per student, according to a report by the Century Foundation and Groundwork Collaborative, both of them progressive economic and public policy think tanks.
The largest cost increase was for lunch boxes, up nearly 27 percent. One-subject notebooks have increased 23 percent, and notebook paper increased 20 percent.
The current price surge stems in part from the Trump administration’s tariffs, as many products are manufactured overseas.
The National Retail Federation’s annual Back-to-School survey reported that 78 percent of families expected higher prices for back-to-school supplies. This fall, the group projects, total spending on these supplies will hit a record $43.3 billion. Price increases for footwear, electronics and classroom essentials account for much of the boost, and for the average family with kids attending elementary, middle and high school, that translates to a projected $863.86 this year.
Instead of buying just for their own child, parents are asked for shared supply piles — multiples of tissue boxes, wipes and hand sanitizer. It’s a well-meaning effort by educators, but it shifts the bill to families who can buy extra to cover those who can’t. And when those shared supplies aren’t enough or run out, teachers end up spending their own money to fill the gap.
The financial stress of school shopping is driving a troubling shift in parents’ finances.
According to an online survey of more than 1,000 parents conducted by Qualtrics for Intuit Credit Karma, 57 percent of parents already carry credit card debt. Nearly half have opened a new credit card or plan to do so for the current back-to-school season, or have requested a credit limit increase, to pay for school-related expenses this year. That’s up from 34 percent two years ago.
Here’s something else I found concerning: 54 percent of parents admitted that they would rather take on debt than say “no” to their children’s requests for trendy items they don’t need.
My children have long since passed the point when I have to worry about the back-to-school budget. But I’m still very sensitive to the tightrope parents have to walk. You need to buy certain things and overcome the guilt of disappointing your kids when they ask for things you can’t afford.
It can be overwhelming when every item feels essential and the budget is already stretched. If you’re trying to keep costs manageable and avoid taking on more debt, here are some strategies that worked well for my husband and me.
Do a supply audit
Every year, we would have the kids go through their closets and the bins in the basement where we kept their overflowing school stuff, and then we would take an inventory.
Gather every binder, pair of scissors, box of half-used pencils and pens, and folders. If it still works, you aren’t buying a new one. Reusing supplies isn’t just smart for your wallet but also environmentally conscious, keeping perfectly good plastic and paper out of landfills. A scuffed binder can get a makeover instead of being thrown out. Only put items on your shopping list that are genuinely needed.
Shop with cash
If you rely on credit cards for back-to-school shopping, a 20 percent interest rate will turn a 7.7 percent inflation increase into a long-term debt trap.
Create a budget and set that amount aside in an envelope. When the money runs out, shopping is done. Using plastic can weaken your resolve to stay within your spending limit because you don’t feel the pain of parting with your cash right away.
One thing my husband and I did was give our kids a fixed allowance for their purchases and let them make the choices. It’s amazing how much smarter they shop when they see how little money they have or how far it can stretch. They understood better that if they bought an expensive pair of pants or sneakers, they would have less to spend on everything else on their list.
Wait out the first weeks of school shopping
Outside of basics such as a new lunch box (because last year’s was totally gross), a backpack and notebooks, hold off on nonurgent supplies for the first week or two of class. Teachers often clarify what is strictly required versus what was merely suggested.
Waiting also gives you time to take advantage of clearance sales as retailers clear out leftover inventory. This may mean your kid won’t get the brand-name item, but it teaches a valuable lesson: how to set financial boundaries rather than spending money they don’t have to impress people they probably don’t like anyway.
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