Families Set to Spend $700 on School Supplies
The National Retail Foundation says $688 is the average amount a family will pay for school supplies for every student between kindergarten and 12th grade.
Families with children in kindergarten through senior year of high school are set to spend nearly $700 on school supplies this year.
The National Retail Foundation's annual report on back-to-school spending says $688 is expected to be the average per-student spend for the 2012-13 school year. And, more than in years past, parents are turning to the Internet, catalogs and department stores to find the items their children need.
One interesting tidbit: Online shoppers are increasing, with nearly 40 percent of parents saying they'll click to fill supply lists, but online shoppers are also expected to spend more than those who will shop in brick-and-mortar stores.
Where will you be shopping for your family's school supplies? Tell us in the comments—especially if you have a great place for a bargain.
Greg
10:08 pm on Saturday, July 28, 2012
School supplies????? Reading is fundamental.
"Not surprising, parents will spend the most on clothing, accessories and electronics this summer. Realistic about the cost of select items and the necessities needed for the school year, parents estimate they will spend an average of $246.10 on clothes and $217.88 on electronics. Nearly six in 10 (59.6%) will invest in some sort of electronic device, a sharp increase from the 51.9 percent who planned to do so last year.
Additionally, the average person with children in grades K-12 will spend $129.20 on shoes and $95.44 on school supplies such as notebooks, pencils and backpacks. "
Johnny Paycheck
11:55 pm on Saturday, July 28, 2012
Perhaps "school expenses" would be a better term to use here... Clothes can hardly fit the definition of 'supplies'. Are clothes included in that number? What supplies could possibly cost $700 that kids need for school? This number must include expenses such as deposits and lab fees and stuff as well... A new computer doesn't need to be bought but once every 3 or 4 years, so what "supplies" for school can possibly cost $700?
Heather in Caledonia
9:03 am on Sunday, July 29, 2012
I used to work at OfficeMax and I would guess the average person filling their school supply list spent about $75 per kid. In today's money, that's probably around $100. The rest of that money is spent on clothes so kids can look cool and what are those electronics? Cell phones? Ipods? MP3 players? We have to buy a few spiral notebooks and some glue sticks. I'm guessing it will all cost under $20. Ahhh... the benefits of online schooling. :) My kids don't need new designer clothes to look (and be!) cool and no fancy gadgets to keep up with the other kids. The school already gives them laptops to use, anyway. :)
Craig
10:20 am on Sunday, July 29, 2012
If your children go to Bay Lane, Lake Denoon, Mill Valley, Tess Corners, Lakeview or Big Bend, you can buy your supplies at aplussuppliesonline.com. Supply packages have most items on the back to school list and the school gets a donation for each kit sold!
Mike in OC
10:22 am on Sunday, July 29, 2012
wow.... i hope my kids dont read this article....
SkinnyDude
10:37 am on Sunday, July 29, 2012
No Way they spending 700 on basic school supply items. People tend to by far more than they need and call luxuries expenses. That figure certainly represents that concept. Clothes are not school supplies. Clothes are expense we have with or without school etc......and today they got to be this brand etc......Life was so much easier 20 years ago ! :)
Jamie
11:31 am on Sunday, July 29, 2012
The only truly expensive school supply I remember ever needing was my TI-85 graphing calculator for trigonometry and calculus. Back in 95 it was well over $100. Of course I dropped it down 3 flights of stairs 2 weeks before my ap calc exam and couldn't afford a new one so I used my scientific calculator and A LOT of scrap paper! $700/year? Easily...in college.
Heather Asiyanbi
12:07 pm on Sunday, July 29, 2012
I agree that $700 is really high. We have 3 kids and even when all three were in elementary school - which is when I felt we spent the most on stuff - we never spent anywhere near $700 and that includes their clothes. Most parents I know, including us, never went school clothes shopping until well into Sept and Oct. because the weather is too summer like at the beginning of the school year. By the time we went shopping for jeans and long-sleeved shirts, we hit major sales and filled in what didn't fit from the year before.
Karen Itzenhuiser
10:53 pm on Sunday, July 29, 2012
If this $700. figure includes clothes then make them start wearing uniforms to school. Get real! Curb these unnecessary expenses. Designer clothes that make your kids look cool? Clothes shouldn't be an issue in school. They're not there to look "COOL". Actually designer clothes are a distraction and lead to competition among students. We all know the benefits of uniforms: 1.Reduces distractions 2.instills a sense of community 3.better classroom management 4.decreases violence, bullying and theft of clothes and shoes 5.helps schools recognize those who do not belong on campus. 6.they're a super savings.
Heather in Caledonia
7:56 am on Monday, July 30, 2012
Karen, yes, that number does include clothing and shoes. The quote Greg, not greg used above came from the report. With public schools, keep in mind that the school would be supplying most of the uniforms because many of the students would qualify for them for free (just like they qualify for free lunch and breakfast.) Those are also the students who would probably go through 3-4 sets a year because they would loose or damage them. I like the idea of uniforms, but am not sure how to get it to work for public schools.
Lauren
2:14 am on Monday, July 30, 2012
I spent $41 on supplies for two kids: first grade and 4K. Walmart.
Dave
6:57 am on Monday, July 30, 2012
Dear Dumb A$$e$ school fees are 160.00 sport fee 80.00 Parking 50.0 student activity pass for sporting event 45.00 lunch 3.25 a day Bus pass 160. Yes supplies are 75.00.
Heather in Caledonia
8:01 am on Monday, July 30, 2012
Dave, did you actually read the article from the National Retailers Foundation? And, yes, just by the name of the group doing the report, you should be able to tell that this doesn't include school fees at all. It's the RETAILERS foundation. Ahem. And, as for our online school, we have a fee of about $30 a student to borrow laptops and a printer for the year. That fee is deducted from the internet reimbursement we receive, so we get a check from the school twice a year for around $125. I know brick and mortar schools have fees - went to one myself. The sport fee and activity passes are entirely optional. If you're taking the bus ($160), you won't need the $80 parking fee. Not nice to call people names, Dave. :)
Greg
12:34 pm on Monday, July 30, 2012
Dave, What school district are you in?
Terry
8:02 pm on Thursday, August 2, 2012
Dave attends a "special" school...
Dave
8:45 am on Monday, July 30, 2012
So your kids sit in the basement and watch school on a computer that is great .My son drives and takes a bus when a car cannot be given to him .He as most kids play sports or band thaey all have fees.
Greg
11:14 am on Monday, July 30, 2012
I bought my kids cars, so their school fees were as much as $9500. Then I put that addition on the house, so they have a nice area to study. That was another $38000 in school fees. My youngest is talking about joining the swim team, I don't know how much it is going to cost to build her an indoor pool. All these fees...
Heather in Caledonia
8:52 am on Monday, July 30, 2012
Oh, Dave. Really? My kids sit in a room full of windows (with them actually open to fresh air when it's nice out) and do work with their teacher, myself, and other students on laptops and in workbooks. Sometimes they take their work to the deck or the yard. When they're done, they run errands with me, play with friends, go on field trips, visit family, etc. They both take piano lessons and play sports in the summer (RYS has very reasonable fees.) The real expense here is the pay I forgo to give my kids a good education and an understanding of how the Real World works outside of a classroom. Once again, though, those fees are still OPTIONAL. Those kids don't have to take band or play sports through school.
Dave
11:10 am on Monday, July 30, 2012
Heather it is good you let your children into your own little vision of the real world.Puppies and Unicorn.Have they ever been bullied faced a choice on drugs ?Have another boy or girl you have not picked like them ?
Heather in Caledonia
11:47 am on Monday, July 30, 2012
Dave, this is supposed to be a discussion on the cost of back to school. Believe me, my kids have many friends they have picked for themselves (and a few who are kids of my friends - they like each other, too.) No, they have not faced a choice on drugs - they're in elementary school!! BTW, I went to a public school and didn't face a choice on drugs until 11th grade, thanks. Bullied? That depends on what you call bullying. No, they haven't been beat up by some punk kid, but they've had to defend their opinions and learn how to deal with teasing and being ignored by older kids. Don't you worry about my kids - they will do just fine. Worry more about those kids who's lives are Everyone For Themselves and have to face those drug choices at 8 years old, watch their single-parent mom struggle to feed and house her kids, get beat up on the playground because they look or speak differently, and who learn that it's more important to have $150 designer shoes than to have some money in the bank for a rainy day. Those are the kids who need to learn that life can be better than what they see daily - it's all about those choices.
Melissa Patterson
11:10 am on Monday, July 30, 2012
I am a teacher, and I spent that much getting back up supplies for the kids who bring nothing. My son started k4 last year and I probably spent $25 on supplies. I compare sale prices and don't buy anything unless it's on sale. I stock up when prices are really low to replace supplies throughout the year.
tom
11:55 am on Monday, July 30, 2012
This by far has to be one of the dumbest articles I have read on here!!
There is no way just "supplies" cost even near $700 for each child. The ONLY way you can come close to that number is if you buy each of your children a laptop.notebook as well as a cell phone for school, and then throw the cost of buying brand new clothes for them into what you call "school supplies."
It is so disgusting to see such misleading newsarticles like this!! You really should be ashamed of what you print on here.....
superdavefive
12:28 pm on Monday, July 30, 2012
If you think this is the dumbest article on Patch you haven't read anything by Lyle Ruble.
Steve ®
12:01 pm on Monday, July 30, 2012
These are expenses, not supplies. Just because some group with a fancy name came out with a report, doesn't mean it was worded correctly.
Heather in Caledonia
12:10 pm on Monday, July 30, 2012
Steve, you're right. I think the title should have read something like "Families Set to Spend $700 To Send Kids Back to School" or something like that. It's certainly not school supplies. Maybe "...department stores to find the items their children need." should have read "want" instead of "need." I think that's what the discussion here has mainly be about. Most of those items are a "want" (especially when it's designer clothes over off-brand), not a "need" for school.
Emily Koehler
12:36 pm on Friday, August 24, 2012
I think i spent about $75 last year, and that included clothes. I'm not ashamed to shop the Dollar Store, and thrift stores.