Back-to-school spending will increase this year: poll

Whether we like it or not, summer is coming to an end, which means parents are hitting the stores to do their back-to-school shopping.

“Throughout the summer, we see a constant flow of parents,” Jennifer Whyley, the general manager of the Blairmore Staples in Saskatoon, said.

“Definitely in the last week or so we’ve seen it ramp up, we’re really starting to see it pick up for back-to-school.”

READ MORE: Parents spend more on back-to-school than holiday shopping: survey

But a new poll shows that Canadian parents are planning to spend more to meet their child’s school supplies list.

“It is outpacing inflation,” Caval Olson-Lepage, a financial planner with TCU Wealth Management Financial, said.

“Part of it would be stores are raising their prices a little bit, it might be a bit more expensive to produce the supplies.”

While the poll from Ebates suggests the average amount Canadians will spend is $183, some parents are expecting to spend upwards of $300.

Dads are likely to spend an average of $190, which is more than moms at $178.

Despite the numbers, experts say there are ways to fulfill the school supplies requirements.

“You get your back to school list, and it’s very detailed,” Olson-Lepage said.

“You need to buy Elmer’s glue, you need to buy this type of pencils, you need to buy this type of scissors. But in the actuality do you really need to buy those?”

“No, you can buy the no name equivalent which is usually at a much reduced cost.”

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WATCH BELOW: Save money on your back-to-school shopping

4:04 Save money on your back-to-school shopping

Olson-Lepage is also recommending parents take a look in the storage closet before heading to the store.

“Check your school supplies from last year,”  she said. “I don’t know if anyone else is like my kid, but he came home with a full pencil case, so to me that means I don’t need to buy pencils again this year for him.”

According to the poll, school supplies remain the most popular items sought by parents, followed by clothing and shoes.

But bigger-ticket items are making their way into the budget.

“What we’re really seeing this year is starting to trend toward technology,” Whyley said.

“We’re seeing a lot more Chromebooks and laptops going into the classrooms.”

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Sixty-seven per cent of parents say they plan to do some of their back to school shopping online, a big jump since 2014.

Other methods to save include searching retailer websites for deals, using coupons or promo codes, and even including your child in the budgeting process.

“Do the research, if you take the time to do the research and you plan, you’re going to come out spending less than you originally planned,” Olson-Caval said.

Parents are also recommended to check with their schools to see if they support programs that provide students with school supplies for a flat fee, saving parents time and money.