Back-to-school season can bring a concentrated wave of expenses, including supplies, clothing, technology, transportation and activity fees. Deloitte's 2026 Back-to-School Survey found that parents plan to spend an average of $557 per K-12 student. Half of respondents said they plan to cut back on other expenses, including dining out and entertainment, to make room in their budgets.
Your job as the parent is to manage your cash flow so that you have the money you need to take care of your family, especially during the school season. If you are living paycheck to paycheck, managing that cash flow can be even more difficult.
Below are simple tips that can help families separate must-have school costs from optional purchases and spread spending across the weeks before classes begin.
1) Small Savings Make a Big Difference
Whether you keep a box or a bank account for loose change or spare dollars, don’t minimize the value of small savings. Find a way to put money aside that works for you in a way that lets that money grow. The two most important steps to this is putting the money aside and not touching it for random purposes. These small steps can help you start saving toward an emergency fund or your financial goals.
Consider setting aside a small amount each week in a dedicated school fund. Even modest contributions can help cover costs such as field trips, replacement supplies, activity fees or new shoes later in the year.
2) Create a Budget for the Full School Year
Back-to-school costs do not end after the first day of classes. In addition to supplies and clothing, parents may need to plan for school lunches, transportation, field trips, sports, extracurricular activities, technology, class photos and other fees that arise throughout the year.
Start by listing the school-related expenses you already know about and estimating what each one may cost. Separate immediate purchases from expenses that are likely to come later, then decide how much you can reasonably set aside for each category.
Review the budget throughout the school year and adjust it as new costs come up. A plan that accounts for the full year can help prevent smaller school expenses from becoming unexpected financial pressures.
If you haven’t already, start by creating a budget that works for your lifestyle. There are a lot of different budgeting methods out there, but something you might want to consider is a zero-based budget. This method helps you make sure that every dollar you have goes towards a specific goal. Check out the example below:
3) Stock up on Basics and Necessities During Sales
This includes school supplies and seasonal items. School items are standard and shelf stable. The sales are whenever they happen to be. The savings can be significant depending on the item. We kept a couple of shelves and a box for school supplies that we stocked up when items were on sale. Our children could come “shopping” there when they needed supplies for school.
We know birthdays and holidays are going to come every year. Buy the paper goods and decorations when they are on sale and put them away in a closet or drawer. It might be a financial stretch in the moment but in the long term you save money.
4) Manage your Due Dates
Did you know that you can call most of your credit card companies and utilities companies to request changing your due dates? If you have too many bills coming due around the same time each month, contact the vendor and see what your options are. Spreading out your billing due dates can ease your monthly financial stress significantly.
5) Be More Thoughtful about Spending on Non-Essential Items
We need so much less than we think we do. That is why so many people are surprised at how well they do, and how much they save, when they do a no-buy challenge. It is not about depriving yourself of a necessity but encouraging you to be more intentional about spending money.
Maybe you set a dollar and time limit — for example, anything over $50 requires sleeping on it before making a decision. Anything other than necessities requires discussion, and you can figure out what might work for you and your family to bring down spending on non-essential items. These money saving tips and ideas help you stay mindful and focused on what really matters.
6) Buy-Nothing and Free-Cycle Groups
I am a big fan of the local buy-nothing and free-cycle groups. They are an online resource for things, typically household items, that have a longer life cycle than one user. Whether these are kids’ toys, furniture, clothing, books, sports equipment, or the boxes these things came in, people are getting rid of items they no longer have use for that are typically in good condition or better.
These groups are also a good way to get rid of your own excess stuff. Pro tip – you would be surprised how often these groups have brand new items, proof that we buy more than we need.
Review Your School Budget Throughout the Year
A school budget should change as the year progresses. After the first few weeks, compare what you actually spent with what you planned. Review which categories cost more than expected and set aside room for upcoming expenses such as field trips, winter clothing, sports registration and year-end activities.
There are many different ways to learn about budgeting for parents:
1 - CreditFresh has some good articles and resources on budgeting tips in the Money 101 section.
2 - Check out online financial education and websites.
3 - Talk to your friends to find out how they budget.
4 - Find a money mentor. This can be a friend, a relative, or part of a community group.
5 – Check if your public library has resources and programming. Sometimes libraries offer free financial programs with professional speakers.
6 – Check whether your local community education has classes on budgets and personal money management. These classes are usually inexpensive and can be well worth the cost.
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