Back-to-school budget hacks: How Kentucky parents can save on supplies amid rising costs

LEXINGTON, Ky. ( FOX 56 ) — Summer break is winding down, with some schools in central Kentucky already back inside the classroom.

Of course, that means back-to-school shopping is in full swing.

It’s different for every student. A college student may need a new laptop or dorm essentials, while K–12 students may need a new backpack or notebook.

No matter the age, parents are feeling the financial pressure.

“We’re seeing parents shopping sales, buying items secondhand, and taking advantage of tax-free weekends, which for many states are coming up around this time,” said personal finance expert for NerdWallet Sara Rathner. “There are a lot of ways that you can stack savings on top of savings and use that to your advantage so you can limit your back-to-school budget.”

School supply cost-saving tips from NerdWallet

1. Sales tax holidays
2. Student discounts on electronics
3. Buy-nothing groups
4. Credit card bonus
5. Buy in bulk
6. Cash-back apps and websites

One of the biggest cost-saving tips from NerdWallet is to use what’s already in your inventory.

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“Maybe school supplies that your student didn’t use last year; maybe they have an older sibling who has some items that they can pass down to younger siblings,” added Rathner. “You might also have friends with older kids who have these items collecting dust at home that they’d be happy to pass along to you.”

A lot of parents feel societal pressure to get their kids the “trendiest” item, with 42% of parents saying they’d go into debt to pay for back-to-school items that would help their children fit in at school.

“You feel the pressure from your own friend circles and it’s double the pressure when you’re thinking about your kids; you don’t want them to feel left out,” said Rathner. “Going into debt for those things means you have less money to afford other bills, you have less money to save for major financial goals and it could hurt your family over time.”

According to a NerdWallet survey, parents will spend $541 on average on school supplies and clothing for their kids’ upcoming school year, with 16% of parents buying fewer items due to inflation.

“Other day-to-day expenses like groceries are still expensive, so you’re still buying those things plus having these big back-to-school shopping lists on top of that,” added Rathner. “So it’s really hard for families who feel stretched thin and who just feel like their budgets aren’t going as far as they have before.”

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