Navigating the world of school supply lists, new clothing, and the not to mention the tech world is becoming increasingly stressful, and costly.
A RetailMeNot survey suggests North American parents will be spending an average of $507 on back-to-school shopping.
“We have four kids so it’s probably close, but we do a lot of recycling and reusing, and I spent the whole day yesterday going through all my stuff,” one concerned parent said.
When broken down, $507 looks like $200 will be spent on school supplies and accessories, and the rest on technology.
Companies like Staples understand the costs and have started programs to help accommodate the spending.
“We gain monetary donations from our wonderful customers and businesses around us to support buying school supplies for children in need in our area,” Crystal Cavers, a general manager at a Staples, said.
One way to tackle shopping might be to use it as a learning opportunity for your kids.
“Showing them the cost difference may be between brand name versus generic, you giving them a budget, you know this is how much we have to spend on school supplies and clothes and let them make the decisions on where they’re willing to make a bit of a sacrifice so that they can have the item that they really want,” Tanis Ell, a Credit Counselling Society credit counsellor, said.
Sticking to a budget for September, and looking at what can be reused from last year could benefit parents’ wallets for the year ahead.
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