SEATTLE — Schools across Western Washington are set to return to class, with districts including Bethel, Renton, Kent, Franklin Pierce and Issaquah planning to resume classes before September.
But for many other families, Labor Day weekend will mean a back-to-school shopping spree, with families spending big bucks — about $875 per household, according to the National Retail Federation.
“We have three kids and it’s a serious situation right now and it’s expensive,” Auburn University parent Melanie Rodrigo said.
Bianca Juarez, manager of the Kent Target store, said the backpacks are selling like hotcakes and there has been a lot of last-minute buying.
“I’m excited to see the back-to-school excitement this year. It feels a little different. It’s a little busier,” Juarez said. “I’ve helped a lot of kids and parents find specific pens and pencils this year. They’re definitely on everyone’s hot lists,” she said.
Some parents are a little burned out.
“It’s a little hard this year because my kids are going to kindergarten, but we also have a new kid starting high school so it’s double the work,” said Lillian Steward, a mother in Kent.
Adding to the anxiety is inflation, which, although slowing, is still trending upwards.
“Kids’ clothes were like $400, and they were just basic tops and bottoms. Then you have to think about backpacks, and everything gets expensive,” said Juarez, who had also been to the Kent Target looking for dividers.
“I just came from another store, Office Depot, and it was so expensive there, so I had to come here, and it was still expensive,” Juarez said.
Tip: To save time and money, use price comparison apps and websites like Google Shopping to check out specific products before you go out. Type in what you’re looking for and Google will tell you the price and availability of the product in stores near you.
Experts also recommend checking your home for things you already have: those Post-it notes in the junk yard, highlighters, and last year’s lined paper all pile up. Sarah Lassner, personal finance expert at Nerd Wallet, suggests checking or asking around for things you need in your local “Buy Nothing” Facebook group, where people are given away free items.
“People are donating the wealth they have,” Ratner says. “If you have something that your child needs that you no longer need, you can ask for it,” she says.
Plus, where you shop matters: The website Finance Buzz added up the combined costs of 20 basic school supplies to create a list of the cheapest stores to get ready for back-to-school.
The results showed that “Walmart had the cheapest back to school supplies, with 20 common school supplies priced at just $67.37 (37% less than average).” Dollar General and Target followed in second and third place on the list.
Target says sales will surge as the new school year begins, making it the best time to shop their back to school sales.
“There’s always going to be a period after school where everything goes down,” Juarez said, “so you definitely want to be prepared for that down time and make sure you have supplies for next year,” she said.
One final piece of advice from experts and family? Spread out your shopping if possible.
“We tend to do a lot more throughout the year, especially with clothing,” Tahoma High School parent Angie Jones said.
“That means you’re not sacrificing yourself to make your kids happy, although of course you would want to,” Steward said.
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