You walk into the store with a list from the school, a kid who has "a few extra things" in mind, and a budget that looked fine at home. Sound familiar?
You've got company. Back-to-school spending for kindergarten through 12th grade is forecast to hit a record $43.3 billion this year, up from $39.4 billion last year. College shopping is set to top $100 billion for the first time. And 78% of shoppers told the National Retail Federation they expected to pay more for school items (Retail Dive).
Where prices actually went up
Yesterday's inflation report shows what changed over the past year (BLS):
| Category | 12-month change (July) |
|---|---|
| Apparel | +3.9% |
| Computers and accessories | +3.9% |
| Footwear | +3.4% |
| Educational books and supplies | +1.2% |
| All items | +3.4% |
Here's the thing: notebooks and pencils barely moved. Clothes, shoes and laptops are where your money goes, so that's where to focus.
7 moves that can help
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Shop the school list, then stop.
- Why it works: the list is what the kids actually need on day one. The National Retail Federation found that 46% of shoppers who hadn't finished are holding out for deals ( Retail Dive ). Buying only the essentials now and the rest later lets you catch those sales.
- What it can save: whatever you don't buy twice.
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Do a "closet audit" before buying clothes.
- Why it works: with apparel up 3.9%, every item you don't need to buy saves more than it did last year.
- What it can save: skipping two shirts and a pair of jeans can easily keep $50 to $75 in your pocket. (Illustrative.)
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Check your state's sales tax holiday.
- Why it works: some states drop sales tax on clothing, shoes and school supplies for a weekend in late summer. Check your state's revenue department website for dates and price limits.
- What it can save: the full sales tax, often 6% to 9% depending on where you live.
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Hand down, swap, or buy used.
- Why it works: kids outgrow things long before they wear them out. School swaps, community groups and thrift stores are full of nearly-new backpacks and jackets.
- What it can save: often half or more off the new price.
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Don't buy a new laptop before you ask the school.
- Why it works: some districts lend devices to students. If yours does, that could cover the biggest single item on your list.
- What it can save: hundreds of dollars.
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Price-match and compare online.
- Why it works: prices for the same item can vary widely between stores and websites.
- What it can save: 10% or more on bigger items.
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Spread out the restock.
- Why it works: you don't need a semester's worth of glue sticks in August. Buy what's needed now and restock in October.
- What it can save: it smooths out the August hit, and fall clearance prices are often lower.
Who this helps most
- Families with more than one kid: hand-downs (move 4) and the list-only rule (move 1) multiply fast.
- College families: the device question (move 5) applies to campus computer labs and software deals too.
- Anyone already stretched by gas prices this summer: spreading out the restock (move 7) keeps the budget breathing.
Try this this week: take the school list, cross off everything you already have at home, and only then go shopping. You'll probably find a few things you don't need to buy.
Small moves, real money.
Sources
- Retail Dive, Back-to-school spending forecast to reach record highs , July 17, 2026 (reporting the National Retail Federation forecast)
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Consumer Price Index, July 2026 , released August 12, 2026
- National Retail Federation, Early shopping marks the start of 2026's back-to-class shopping season , June 25, 2026
Prices change and vary by location. Savings are not guaranteed. This article is for general information.