BOSTON (WHDH) - Back to school is nearly here, and many families are just starting their shopping.
It can get pricey, but 7NEWS’ Juliana Mazza has found some ways to save as kids head back to class.
From markers to Macbooks, the cost of school supplies are sky-high — especially if you’re shopping in these final days of summer.
“I’m a last-minute person, so I usually get it from Amazon and break my budget,” said Van Hoang, a mother of two.
Because inflation is so high, the math of back to school shopping doesn’t add up for a lot of families.
According to a Bankrate survey, 31-percent of adults doing school shopping will go into debt to pay for supplies.
14-percent of adults say they feel pressured to spend more than they’re comfortable with.
And, in Boston, a survey by Deloitte found parents here expect to spend an average of $668 per child this year.
“We really can’t control inflation, right?” said personal finance expert Rachel Cruze. “So, what are the things you can control? You can control how much money you spend on back to school, you can control where you’re shopping, you can control hey I’m going to have to tell my kid no in certain areas.”
There are smart ways to save – like buying in bulk with other families.
“Let’s look ahead of time and figure out hey can we actually split the costs of some of these and that’s actually a really smart way to do it,” Cruze said.
She advises parents and caregivers to steer clear of fads and brand names.
“That gets tough because you know they want the name brand Birkenstocks and the Crocs and even their water bottles like the Stanley water bottle,” said Kelly Protasewich, another mother.
“I do see certain categories that can get out of hand really fast because of a certain label,” Cruze said.
Save your reciepts.
“Especially if it’s a big purchase, you know like a laptop or an electronic device, talk to the store and say hey if there’s going to be a sale maybe after Labor Day and I come back would you guys honor the sale price if I had the original receipt,” Cruze said.
And don’t forget to have fun! It’s a great opportunity to *chalk up* some quality time with the family.
“It’s kind of fun, I mean I love shopping for myself but I don’t do that anymore but it’s fun to get the shopping bug out with my kids,” said Kelly.
And here’s another idea – a family scavenger hunt! Have your kids search through old backpacks, desk drawers and the basement.
The person who finds the most usable back to school stuff gets a little prize.
Here are some more tips from Rachel:
Create A budget for what you need:
1. List your income and expenses to create a zero-base budget and add a line item for back-to-school shopping. You can click here for a free budgeting app.
2. Take inventory of what school supplies you already have vs. what you need.
3. Find the cheapest places to shop, order online pick up, and avoid impulse buys from shopping with kids.
Know Where to Buy and What to Buy:
1. Pay attention to the bullseye section in Target for cheaper options you may not find in the school supply aisles .
2. The dollar store is a good stop for simple items like loose leaf paper, pens, notebooks and coloring books or markers.
Make it a Family Experience:
1. This is a great opportunity to teach kids about money-let them in on the process of making a list, picking out items, creating a budget and paying in cash.
2. Include the kids in brainstorming a list by letting them choose which items they want, based on the budget they have.
3. Take them with you to either pay in cash, or let them watch you order online, so they can see the tradeoff of money for product.
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