SAN ANTONIO – Soon-to-be sixth-grader Jackson Boeve has a smart strategy for saving money on school supplies.
“Just stick to the list,” he said.
But his and his sister’s lists of spiral notebooks, markers, folders, colored pencils, glue sticks and more add up. Then there are the backpacks, shoes and new clothing.
Their mom, Amy Boeve, is doing the math.
“I would say $500 to $1,000,” she estimated for her family’s back-to-school haul.
That’s typical. Households with students in kindergarten through high school will spend an average of $890.07, according to the National Retail Federation. That’s $25 more than last year, and that was a record.
While inflation has had an impact, a quick check of the school supplies aisles found very little change from last year. A box of Crayola crayons is still fifty cents at Target, Walmart and Target. Elmer’s glue was eight cents less than last year.
We shopped a third-grade list for the North East School District to compare prices, getting the name brand when specified. Otherwise, we selected the best deal we could find on the shelf. We did not include tissues.
It was close. HEB was the bargain at $17.45. There was a readily-available paper coupon for $5 off a school supplies purchase of $25, too.
Walmart was only 12 cents more. Target totaled $20.25.
Every dollar counts, so how can you save?
Shopping strategists suggest starting by shopping your house. You may have glue or backpacks left over from last year.
And shop store brands. Savings can really add up if you’re shopping for several students.
For many families, electronics are the biggest expense. But there are ways to save beyond looking for sales.
“I think a really slept-on way to save is getting open-box or refurbished electronics,” said Retail-me-not’s Kristin McGrath.
She suggests getting used or open-box items from a reputable retailer that inspected or certified the device and offers protections such as easy returns.
If you’re buying new, ask for student discounts. Many retailers offer them and only require a student ID or student email address.
Clothing can add up, too. McGrath suggests waiting until after Labor Day. After all, it’s too hot for fall fashion now.
“Summer clothing is heading toward the clearance rack, so take advantage of that,” she said.
It can also pay to use online tools like extension browsers or apps that find coupons for you and give you cash back on your purchases.
And if you shop tax-free weekend, August 11-14, Texans pay no sales tax on most clothing, shoes, backpacks and school supplies.
Finally, sharpen your own new pencils. Pre-sharpened pencils can cost twice as much.