Ready or not, back-to-school shopping season is here. It’s time to break out your supply list — and your wallet.
NerdWallet's 2026 back-to-school survey, conducted online by The Harris Poll in June, found that parents who plan to do back-to-school shopping this year expect to spend $611, on average.
Popular money-saving approaches mentioned by back-to-school shoppers included shopping sales (62%), seeking out free options for school supplies (21%), and purchasing back-to-school clothes secondhand (19%).
Consider these strategies as you tackle your back-to-school shopping list.
Audit what's already in your house
Supplies with some life in them may have come home with your child at the end of last year. Some may even be unused.
Check closets and last year's backpack for leftovers — and while you're at it, see if that backpack is good for another year of use.
Check the sales, spread out the shopping
Watch for weekly ads from your favorite stores and check them for deals on the school supplies, clothes and electronics your student needs. Check online, too.
Rather than make one massive shopping trip, selectively pick up on-sale items in any given week. Although it takes a while to assemble everything on the list, this approach spreads out the hit to your budget.
Nerdy Perspective
My husband and I have racked up thousands of rewards points on our retailer-branded credit card. We use them to trim a few of our biggest shopping bills throughout the year. This summer, we're cashing in some of those points to pay for new lunchboxes and other school supplies for our kids."
Use technology to save money
Think about using cash-back apps like Rakuten or Ibotta to boost your savings.
If you’re shopping online, take advantage of tools like Google Shopping to compare prices. You can also use browser extensions like the Camelizer, which gives information on Amazon pricing, to spot whether you’re getting a good deal.
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Keep sales tax holidays in mind
Several states have tax holidays that coincide with back-to-school shopping time. Depending on your state, that could translate to as much as 7% savings on your purchase.
See if your state has a sales tax holiday, and check details such as what purchases qualify and in what amount.
If the holiday comes before your school releases its supply lists, try buying according to last year's list or stick to key items you're certain your child needs. Hang on to receipts just in case you need to exchange or return something.
Be strategic about clothing purchases
One pair of everyday shoes, new gym shoes and a new outfit or two may be enough to get the year started. Let older kids get a sense of what's in fashion during the first few weeks of school, then shop. That delay guards against summer purchases they later decide aren't what they wanted.
As the year progresses, you can shop Black Friday deals (which start in October) or Veterans Day sales to fill in what's needed.
Get secondhand gear for cheap (or free)
You may be able to source school supplies, clothes, backpacks and more from thrift stores or resale sites like ThredUp.
Check out your local Buy Nothing Project group on Facebook or the BuyNothing app. Members request and give away things for free.
Similar groups can be found on Facebook Marketplace, Nextdoor and Craigslist.
Buy in bulk, then split costs
The parents of your kid’s classmates may want to join forces to buy certain supplies. It may be cheaper to buy in bulk and split those supplies up across families for a lower per-unit cost.
This approach works well for classroom supplies like tissues, plastic storage bags and hand sanitizer — especially if a parent has a Costco or Sam's Club membership.
Reach out to community organizations
Check whether your public library, local community center or place of worship is leading a back-to-school supply drive.
About 1 in 5 back-to-school shoppers (21%) in the survey say they’ll seek out free options for this year’s school supplies and 19% will purchase at least some back-to-school clothes secondhand.
As school gets closer, contact the school office or your student's teacher. They may be able to suggest sources for discounted supplies or let you know which items on the supply list can be brought to school later.
For example, it's unlikely the classroom needs 30 boxes of tissues all at once in late summer or early fall. The teacher may welcome reinforcements when cold season starts.
Be cautious about debt
The survey found that 19% of parents planning to do back-to-school shopping this year say they'll likely go into credit card debt. Be prepared with strategies for paying credit card balances down, such as the debt snowball payoff method.
About a quarter of back-to-school shoppers (24%) say they'll likely use buy now, pay later services. Short-term “pay in four” plans are usually interest-free, but many charge late fees — and longer-term plans may carry interest. If you take out several BNPL loans, it could be difficult to stay on top of payments.
Pay close attention to terms and payment due dates.
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