With a fresh school year on the horizon, advance planning can help save on back-to-school essentials.
According to the National Retail Federation, households with elementary through high school students spent an average of $890.06 on back-to-school costs in 2023.1
With spending trends on the rise, this guide looks at how to save on school supplies, offering helpful strategies and handy FAQs to keep costs down.
Planning ahead for back-to-school expenses is essential. Consider the following pointers:
Before splashing out on new items, take stock of what’s already there – clothing, stationery, and other usable goods can be easily repurposed without the need for additional costs.
Shopping for back-to-school items on a budget also means managing unnecessary spending by maximizing existing resources and avoiding duplicate purchases.
How much should parents spend on back-to-school clothes and supplies? It all depends on the household budget. Budgeting is a core part of any cost-saving plan and helps to discern realistic spending limits and avoid unnecessary purchases. One effective budgeting technique is to group funds according to expense type, for example: clothes, supplies, electronics, etc.
Back-to-school supply lists can be extensive. While it’s wise to not overlook anything, use the list to identify the essentials, the desired additions, and the less crucial items to check unnecessary spending.
Consider some of the following shopping methods to uncover back-to-school shopping deals and keep costs down:
Keep in mind that some generic brands offer similar or identical quality to name brands at a fraction of the price, particularly stationery items like notebooks, folders, and binders.
For thrifty spending, smart shopping strategies help streamline the purchasing process. These approaches may save money:
Want to save and earn cash back this back-to-school season? We’re here to help, regardless of if you shop online or in-store.
The PayPal app is a valuable tool that offers hundreds of cash back rewards from the brands you love. Unlimited offers can be saved, and they’ll be applied automatically at checkout.
And with the PayPal Cashback Mastercard, you can earn cash back whether you’re shopping online or in-store. When you check out with PayPal and pay using your PayPal Cashback Mastercard, you’ll earn 3% cash back2, on top of cash back from any offers you’ve saved in the PayPal app. Win-win!
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