Back-To-School Shopping Costs Projected to Be The Second Highest on Record

Back-to-School Shopping 2024 — Are back-to-school shopping lists becoming too demanding? According to many parents, they are.

Parents nationwide are getting ready for back-to-school shopping. The National Retail Federation reports that over half of parents have already begun their shopping, but there’s still time to tick off those remaining items from the school list.

Shoppers are expected to spend around $38 billion for the upcoming school year through various online stores.

Last year’s 2023 school year set records for both total and per-household spending. While this year’s numbers may not surpass those records, they are expected to come close.

“Families with children in elementary and high school plan to spend about $875 on average for clothing, shoes, supplies, and electronics—the second highest amount recorded in our survey’s history. Total spending is anticipated to reach $38.8 billion, following last year’s $41.5 billion,” said Katherine Cullen from the National Retail Federation.

The survey indicates that most spending will go towards electronics, totaling approximately $14 billion, followed by clothing at $11 billion, and shoes at $8 billion.

Parents are also shopping for college, with those figures expected to hit around $90 billion in total spending, averaging $1,065 per household.

Feeling overwhelmed? You’re not alone. A quarter of shoppers finish their school shopping just one to two weeks before school starts. If you’re still looking for those final deals, there’s still time!