Every August, new and returning students and parents embark on an age-old, sometimes daunting task: Back-to-school shopping. Parents often spend precious time – and money – gathering classroom essentials for their children to thrive in the new school year. According to a recent KPMG survey of 1,000 U.S. households, parents are expected to spend an average of $268 on school supplies for each student this season – a 32% jump from 2020.1 As costs continue to rise, it is important to do your homework before beginning to shop.

Preparing for the new school year does not need to drain your budget. Keep your spending in check with our seven tips to hunt for bargains and maximize savings.

1. Start at Home

Take inventory of what you already have lying around your house for supplies you can repurpose from previous years. Any art supplies, notepads, binders, lunch boxes or backpacks can be used to make this school year great!

2. Compare Prices

Ensure you are getting the best bang for your back-to-school buck by comparing prices on items before you check out. Whether in-store, online or within apps, do a quick search for your item online and compare prices at other stores. For convenience, speak with an associate about price-matching your item to avoid running from store to store.

3. Plan Ahead

Expenses specific to your student’s activities may not be included in the list provided by their teacher. Sports equipment and fees, field trips, book fairs, teacher gifts and more can be easily overlooked during back-to-school shopping and creep up on you throughout the year. Take a look at the school calendar and your expenses from the previous year, if applicable, to get a better idea of what you will need on your shopping list.

4. Take Your Time

While getting every item checked off of your list in one visit to the store is tempting, you may be able to save more by spacing out your buys. Check out the front page of your store’s circular to find the heavily discounted items for the week.

5. Show Your Status

Many stores offer discounts to college students or educators simply by presenting acceptable identification. At APGFCU, we offer exclusive discounts to help educators in our community stock up on supplies without breaking their budget. Learn more about how we work to support our teachers.

6. Shop Together and Split

Shopping in bulk can be a great way to save, but may be wasteful if you cannot use all of the product. Consider going in on bulk items with other parents and splitting the supplies. This offers a great way to get the items you need while saving money!

7. Know When to Buy

Shopping back-to-school sales may seem like a great time to purchase everything for the upcoming year, but some items will be discounted after school starts. For example, autumn apparel is typically highest when it hits the shelves in early August. Consider waiting until October or November to purchase fall necessities.

Visit our website to learn more about how we can help you save.

1https://nypost.com/2021/06/30/inflation-expected-to-ratchet-up-back-to-school-costs-survey-says/