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The start of the school year can be exciting but comes with a daunting (and potentially expensive) task—back-to-school shopping.
As every major retailer offers deals on school supplies, clothing, electronics, and more, this time of the year comes with opportunities for big savings but also major overconsumption. The National Retail Federation tracked record-high back-to-school spending of $45.1 billion in 2023, up from $36.9 billion in 2022—despite financial analysts predicting a reduction in back-to-school spending due to high inflation last year.
Here are expert tips to simplify and save on back-to-school shopping.
Key Takeaways
- Budgeting is essential for back-to-school shopping.
- Making a shopping list can help you prioritize needs and avoid impulse purchases.
- Researching prices and brands of products at different retailers can lead to major savings.
- Taking advantage of sales, tax holidays, government programs, and credit card rewards can maximize savings and rewards.
- Purchasing used or secondhand items can help you cut costs.
Create a Plan
To make the most of back-to-school shopping, organization is a must. Creating a plan for your spending can help you feel confident and shop efficiently.
Start With a Budget
When planning for the back-to-school season, your budget will be your best friend. If you already have a personal budget with your expenses, debt, and income, you will want to examine it to see how much you can reasonably spend during back-to-school. This will help you to take advantage of sales while not overspending.
Tip
A budgeting app may simplify the back-to-school budgeting process and keep you accountable.
According to Tom Arasz, a certified financial planner and the founder of BMore Financially Fit, it is crucial to clearly communicate your shopping plans with your partner or spouse. “Communication between all parties is the first thing that we talk about and it’s the last thing that we circle back to at the end because it’s just that important,” said Arasz.
Budgeting for back-to-school shopping may mean cutting back on spending in other areas of your life, like food, or luxury purchases. Be aware of these tradeoffs, considering the longevity and necessity of different purchases. On the other hand, if you have been spending less than you expected in other areas of your life, you may now be able to splurge a bit more on back-to-school than you anticipated.
Arasz also recommends pacing your budget throughout the school year. “Don’t spend 100% of your budget in July or August or September,” he advised. “Try to spend 70% of it … hold back 20 or 30% for the inevitable ‘Hey, my crayons broke on day one’ or ‘Hey, I lost my folder or notebook on day two.’”
Consider including your student in the process of budgeting for back-to-school. Depending on their age, you can walk them through your budgeting process, give them a small allowance to budget how they want in the store or ask them to budget their own school spending by giving them a lump sum and list of items.
Make a Shopping List
Start making a shopping list for your back-to-school shopping, to avoid unnecessary purchases that you and your wallet may regret later.
Before you start shopping, family budgeting expert and blogger Andrea Woroch recommends taking inventory of the supplies you already have at home.
“Shop at home first to see what you have left over from last year that you could reuse,” Woroch said. “This is a good teaching moment for your kids…the money saved by reusing supplies can give you more money to put towards those new sneakers they want!”
Some schools provide parents with shopping lists ahead of the school year, and Arasz recommends contacting your student’s teacher, other parents, or past parents to determine how necessary each of the items on the list is or if there is anything left off of the list which would be good to own.
When including your students in the shopping process, Arasz also emphasizes the importance of setting up their expectations for what they will be getting during back-to-school shopping, so that they are not disappointed or surprised by what they are going to school with.
Shop With Intention
With your budget and shopping list in hand, you will already feel confident and prepared to make smart shopping decisions. However, before you go shopping, you may want to compare store prices, consider product reviews, and assess the value of different sales.
You may also want to sort your shopping list into wants and needs to reframe your spending.
“It’s important to identify the absolute necessities that your children need to succeed but remember that there are also alternatives even within those needs,” said Woroch. “For example, your child may need a backpack for school but he or she doesn’t need a new backpack. They may also need sneakers for sports and PE, but they don’t need the latest style from the most expensive brands.”
Plus, remember that back-to-school sales are just one opportunity to save throughout the year, so check your impulse to buy because of price reductions. “Before you’re ever trying to time sales you want to make sure it fits in your budget first and foremost,” said Arasz.
By taking this extra step to shop with intention, you can make sure that you are making the most of your shopping.
Ways To Save
Besides back-to-school sales, there are many more discrete ways to save money while upgrading your school supplies, electronics, and wardrobe. Here are some strategies to make your dollar go farther.
Consider Used or Secondhand Items
While buying new can be important to make investments, you may also want to consider purchasing used and secondhand items. Secondhand items can be more affordable than new ones while working just as well. Here are some places to find specific items:
| Item | Where To Find It |
| Furniture, clothing, bags, and sports gear | Local thrift stores, swap meets, Facebook Marketplace, and hand-me-downs from friends and family |
| Textbooks | eBay, used textbook websites, public libraries |
| School and office supplies | Local thrift, clearance, and dollar stores |
| Electronics | Refurbished electronic stores and websites |
Take Advantage of Sales and Discounts
There are countless back-to-school sales each year, but it can be hard to determine which discounts are the best for your buck. Price comparison tools, such as Google Shopping and Bizrate, can help you compare prices between stores during sales.
Andrea Woroch advises stacking coupons and cash back through sites like Couponcabin.com. Plus, Woroch suggests using free rewards apps like Fetch to earn free gift cards to major retailers, like Target, Walmart, and Amazon.
“Just upload pictures of your various receipts to earn points to go towards free gift cards to a variety of stores which you could use to pay for school needs,” Woroch said.
Savvy price comparisons especially help in stores with price-matching, meaning that if a competing store is selling the same good as them for a lower price, the price-matching store will sell you that good at the competitor’s rate. Best Buy, Target, and Walmart are some big box stores that offer price matching but make sure to read about the specific policies at each retailer before shopping in person.
Woroch also suggests purchasing winter and spring clothing on clearance during back-to-school, since these purchases will be useful later in the school year.
Use Credit Card Rewards
Credit cards can be a great way to maximize spending on back-to-school. Check your credit card rewards and bank-specific retail discounts to see how you can get cashback, airline miles, or special sales. However, make sure to keep your credit card spending limit and interest rate in mind to make sure that you don’t spend beyond your means or damage your credit score.
Research Government Programs
Taking advantage of government programs for food and healthcare can cut costs and allow you to budget more on back-to-school shopping.
The National School Lunch Program provides low-cost and free lunches for students, depending on your family’s income level. Enrollment is year-round, and the program is a great way to save time and money during the school year.
Going back to school also often comes with CDC-required immunizations and doctor’s visits. Make sure to research your state’s specific immunization requirements before the start of the year.
You can find low-cost or free healthcare programs for children through Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program for your state, which may cover:
- Vaccinations
- Doctor visits
- Prescription drugs
- Emergency care
- Hospital Care
- Dental services
- Vision
- Hearing
Plus, be aware that under the Affordable Health Care Act, young adults can also stay on their parents’ medical insurance plans until they are 26 years old.
More Tips
- Spread out your shopping and repeatedly review your shopping list to make sure that you don’t over-purchase or under-purchase.
- Buy in bulk to save costs on school supplies and everyday basics, so you don’t have to repurchase later.
- Buy generic brands, which provide the same products as name brands but with lower prices.
- Reuse and recycle items you already have and go “shopping” in your home by looking for old supplies that you may have forgotten about.
- Start saving for next school year as soon as possible. Use your experiences this year to inform practices next year, so you can make the most of back-to-school.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What Are the Most Expensive Back-To-School Items To Be Aware Of?
Electronics are often some of the most expensive back-to-school items, but while these items are expensive investments, they can be used for years. If you plan to buy electronics during back-to-school sales, make sure to budget, save, and do in-depth research on the products that you plan to purchase. Also, keep in mind that back-to-school is not the only opportunity for big discounts. The holiday season is just one other major discount period that you may want to take advantage of.
How Much Should I Spend on Back-To-School?
How much you spend on back-to-school depends on person to person. Back-to-school sales can be a great opportunity to buy clothes, electronics, and school supplies, but your personal spending limit will depend on your financial goals, personal budget, and specific needs. Most importantly, if you are shopping with a partner, make sure to fully communicate your budget and shopping lists to one another before deciding how much you can and want to spend on back-to-school.
What Are the Advantages of Shopping Online for Back-To-School Shopping?
Online shopping can be a very convenient option for many families. Not only are your items shipped directly to you, but also you will be able to quickly compare prices between different retailers online. Online shopping also allows you to add and remove items to your cart over a long period of time, which can prevent impulse purchases and overspending. That being said, many people prefer shopping in person, as there may be specials that are not available online. Moreover, you can take advantage of price matching when making in-store purchases, and you can turn the shopping trip into a financial educational experience for your student. Both forms of shopping are great, and the choice comes down to preference.
The Bottom Line
Back-to-school shopping can be busy and complicated, but it provides a great opportunity to save money on many daily essentials. As you approach the start of the school year, carefully plan your shopping list and budget with your partner. Then, take advantage of money-saving strategies, like price comparison sites, credit card rewards, tax holidays, government programs, and second-hand shopping to make the most of back-to-school discounts this year.