LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — There are only two-and-a-half weeks left before the first day of school in Clark County, which means it’s time for parents to go back-to-school shopping.
This year, families may experience sticker shock in stores as the prices of supplies have also risen.
According to the National Retail Federation, inflation is expected to hit back-to-school budgets hard this year — far exceeding last year’s record-breaking $37.1 billion spend.
With the drastic price increase in school supply items, parents and families should prepare budgets earlier than usual to ease financial stress as much as possible.
“I have children myself, so a lot of these tips we're also using. Write a budget, buy in bulk, and shop around at different stores,” said Brian Formisano, the Nevada regional president for Wells Fargo.
Families with children in elementary through high school plan to spend more than $850 on back-to-school supplies, clothing and technology this year, while college students and their families plan to spend more than $1,200 on items outside of tuition and books.
“I just bought three backpacks off Amazon and they’re typically, for my elementary kids, about $20 a backpack. Now we’re paying upwards of $30, almost $40 for that comparable backpack,” said Anna Binder, a mom to six kids.
HELP WITH SCHOOL SUPPLIES: Where you can find a back-to-school supply drive in Las Vegas
Binder suggests taking advantage of community supply drives. She also recommends checking in with your child's school before buying new things.
“Schools can be a great place to start. You’d be surprised at how many resources they have. A lot of times, parents donate gently used clothing that can be passed down,” Binder said.
“It’s times like these where funding for the education system really hits home for a lot of parents and teachers. Next year in the legislative session, that should always be the number one priority,” Binder said.
