It’s almost back to school time! This is exciting for many children and parents; however, it is also a time that may require some extra budgeting for the expenses associated with the return to the classroom. Parents plan to spend $661 per child, on average, for back-to-school shopping this year, up 8% from 2021 and 27% from 2019. [1]
We’ve created a back-to-school money-saving checklist to help you and your student prepare for the first day of school, to make the transition simple and stress free.
Create a List of Supplies Needed
Many schools offer a recommended school supplies list, so be sure to get access to this list early so you can see what you already have versus what is still needed. This will help cut down on extra spending and help you to plan accordingly. It is also vital to consider what items are needed versus wanted, to resist the urge for impulse purchases at the store. Some items to consider include clothes, shoes, backpacks, school supplies, textbooks, and electronics.
Take Inventory of Your Current School Supplies
Before beginning to actual purchase items for back to school, check what re-usable supplies you may already have at your house from the previous school year. Donating your school supplies that are no longer needed is a wonderful way to help other families prepare for the classroom.
Set Your Spending Budget
Determine how much money you can allocate towards back-to-school purchases. You can easily view your account balances with our mobile banking app. Setting a budget helps you to prevent overspending since you know how much is available.
Explore Opportunities for Saving
Review if any stores or websites are having any back-to-school sales or coupons so that you may be able to purchase those needs at a lower price. It’s important to compare prices so that you can ensure that you are receiving the best deal. This is also a great financial learning experience for your children, so be sure to include them in the process.
Shop Local
Just like banking locally with Greenville Savings Bank, shopping locally helps support your community and the business owners in your town. Visit the Greenville Area Chamber of Commerce site to view a listing of local businesses for inspiration.
Back to school shopping all starts with checking your personal checking and personal savings accounts and creating a plan/budget. When your child is ready for their own savings account, be sure to visit one of our banks in Greenville, Hermitage, or New Castle where one of our friendly team members will be happy to assist you.
References
- https://fortune.com/2022/07/18/back-to-school-shopping-expensive-inflation/