Back to School Spending

[libinatorsmom]

I am sure this is been talked about before but what do you honestly appox spend on your kids for back to school shopping???? My DD and I are going this Saturday to get her clothes, supplies, etc... and I am currently putting together a guestimate and list of what we will get as well as a budget I and checking online stores and seeing appox what things are costing and I am freaking out that its not enough - I just wanted to see what other parents spend.

My DD is in Elem School as I know that makes a difference...

 

[java]

Middle school daughter- I spent a little under $200 clothes and shoes. Grandma is buying her coat for her birthday(is that lame?) but that saves me like $100.

Then about $50 for the rest of her stuff- like binders and paper. She is reusing her backpack so that saves a ton.

For my soon to be 1st grader. Not as particular clothing still mostly fits from last year- so no big spending-
new backpack and supplies I am hoping all for under $100.

My high schooler- Who knows- He's growing like crazy so I know he'll need all new jeans and sneakers. But thankfully he'll wear shorts for a while. No need to rush out and buy just yet for him.

 

[libinatorsmom]

Thanks so much -I am looking the school supply list and I think I can do it pretty resonably plus I already picked up some of it when I saw sales.... My daughter is all about fashion and clothes... and shes only 5!!! LOL

 

[java]

Thanks so much -I am looking the school supply list and I think I can do it pretty resonably plus I already picked up some of it when I saw sales.... My daughter is all about fashion and clothes... and shes only 5!!! LOL

Oh it'll get worse!
Just a tip that Justice is having a 40% off sale right now. I got the card in the catalog- but if you go in and say ERIN called you they usually will give you the discount. I have seen lots of younger girls in there lately. Although I know I was still pushing Gymboree on my daughter at 5

 

[maddiesmom0116]

Thanks so much -I am looking the school supply list and I think I can do it pretty resonably plus I already picked up some of it when I saw sales.... My daughter is all about fashion and clothes... and shes only 5!!! LOL

I understand mine too. She gets it from me. My DD is starting Kindergarten and I think as far a school supplies go it looks like about $60-$70 with a nice rolling backpack from disney.com. The clothes are another story, it will be 5 or 6 hundred to start with if it is anything like both the spring and summer trips this year. Then add in coats, shoes, and a new purse - girls are not cheap.

 

[owensamo]

I've spent about $20 on supplies, and might have another $5 to spend. With breaking up stuff we'd get at Costco, I'd say I've spent about $30 on her supplies by the time all is said and done.

As for clothes - she goes to a catholic school, so it's all uniforms. We picked up a bunch of stuff at the end-of-year used uniform sale (to replace what little she's outgrown) for under $100. She might need one or two more shirts, but not until it gets colder in the fall.

Yes, I do consider myself lucky. Of course, she's 7 and addicted to Justice, so I don't get off easy - we've still probably spent $200 on clothes at Justice this summer. Plus her dance stuff is starting to get expensive... Especially since we'll have 7-8 costumes this year!

Amanda

 

[Dani C]

I would gladly trade places with any of you.

My school supplies list for this year is anticipated to be over $150 and that doesn't include clothes, shoes, accessories, the athletic physical or the new notebook computer (which is practically a requirement at her school).

Obviously, I have a high school student (a girl that, by the way, told me at the age of 2 "mommy I need new Nike's" not shoes, not tennis shoes, Nike's) but middle school wasn't really any cheaper.

 

[sabble]

i am spending a lot on school supplies. target seems to have the best deals around.

 

[KAMKIM]

I spend about $100 on supplies (including lunchbox and backpack) and $500 on clothes not including a coat. This is pretty much the fall/winter wardrobe and I always buy them new pjs socks and underwear come fall anyways....girls are not cheap at all...

 

[Darcy03231]

Mine always varies from year to year. Before we do any clothes shopping we go through the clothes we have to see what still fits and what doesn't. Then I go from there. One year DD had a huge growth spurt over the the summer and none of her fall/winter clothes fit. That year we spent a lot of $$$. Also, I don't buy the fall/winter stuff now. I wait until about mid-October when the stores start marking it all down. For the start of school I usally get them a couple of new things and their school supplies.

 

[kinntj]

I just bought 3 back to school outfits for DD5 for Kindergarten for $127 from Gymboree. I most likely will get 3 new outfits for DD7 from Justice. They get 2-3 new pairs of shoes to go with various outfits.

So far I've only spent less than $5 on supplies. We'll see what the teacher requests at open house.

I need to go through the girls room to see what they need.

 

[delmar411]

spent about $35-ish on school supplies(includes lots of extras), just shy of $100 on 5 pairs of sneakers. $32 for 5 pairs of khakis (had a free GC plus coupon code), and DD has a GC from her g-ma to get her polos, younger DD I already got her khakis and polos in the spring for very little with various deals(khakis were free after GC, polos were like $5 each). The boys already have enough clothes. We're good on coats except older DD needs a new one but they aren't out yet to pick one.

That's it. The girls wear uniforms to school (khakis and polos) and the boys will go to preschool so they will wear play clothes.

So total right now I've spent: $167 on 4 kids plus another $30-50 to be spent on a good coat. And I'm trying to decide if I should pick up younger DD's long sleeve polos now through gymboree. They are on sale for $10 plus I've got that 20% coupon so $8 plus tax for each for good quality shirts.

 

[mindyd]

I spend about 400-500 on clothes including shoes per girl and then around 30 a kid on supplies. We don't get a list or anything I buy them stuff jsut to have it but the school supplies the stuff for the classroom.

 

[kydisneyfans]

After spending .42 for 8 wired notebooks at Meijer, my supply list has increased to 48 cents. I may need to spend another buck or so to complete the list. The list is about 15 items.

We spent just under $50 a Penneys for shorts, pants, and shirts. We got some imitation crocs at Meijer for 4.00 that our DS liked. We will probably spend about $15 on tennis shoes. We got free underwear and socks by spending $10 on Kimberly Clark products at Meijer. 8 pairs of underwear and 6 pairs of socks came to nothing, the KC products were 7.00 after coupon.

We really don't spend much for school stuff. He has to wear clothes regardless of where he is at, and the supplies have been free or just pennies at CVS, Staples, and Meijer.

 

[MelAnderson]

School supplies should be under $25. I've been doing pretty good at catching the sales.

Clothes will be a little higher this year as DS needs new sneakers and a good quality backpack. This year, I'm getting LL Bean's $60 one because I don't want to have to buy another one 1/2 way through the school year. I would estimate no more than $200 for clothes, shoes and a backpack.

 

[briarrose]

My Ds is starting middle school and I wrongly assumed that his supply list would be minimum since he doesn't stay in 1 classroom all day. His supply list is over 35 items and that's not counting the amounts for each item. Plus his school fees have another $20 for classroom materials. I don't know how he is going to get all to school in 1 trip, just the 4 reams of computer paper will fill his back pack.

 

[libinatorsmom]

Mine always varies from year to year. Before we do any clothes shopping we go through the clothes we have to see what still fits and what doesn't. Then I go from there. One year DD had a huge growth spurt over the the summer and none of her fall/winter clothes fit. That year we spent a lot of $$$. Also, I don't buy the fall/winter stuff now. I wait until about mid-October when the stores start marking it all down. For the start of school I usally get them a couple of new things and their school supplies.

I went through my daughters clothes last night and boy she needs a lot... I do have a few pairs of pants for her that I bought big and they are now fitting her just needed to do some shortening... but she needs a lot of stuff EEEK so hopfully I will find some good sales!!!! I am looking for coupons now!!! She has a few tops and thats it... crossing my fingers I can stay within budget.... NO I HAVE TO STAY WITHIN BUDGET

 

[XYSRUS]

Our school supplies are ridiculous. My 8th grader alone needs a $100 graphing calculator. What am I suppose to say? No son, stop pretending you're so smart!?! Really, each kid has about 20-30 items each. It's out of control. I don't buy new clothes until winter starts and then add on boots and coats etc...UGH!

 

[Kickapoo Joie Juice]

School supplies should be under $25. I've been doing pretty good at catching the sales.

Clothes will be a little higher this year as DS needs new sneakers and a good quality backpack. This year, I'm getting LL Bean's $60 one because I don't want to have to buy another one 1/2 way through the school year. I would estimate no more than $200 for clothes, shoes and a backpack.

I have to tell you this was the best thing I ever did for the kids' supplies! I bit the bullet two years ago and bought them each a rolling backpack from ll bean, the total cost was like 169 dollars but I was so sick of buying them a $20 backpack from target and having to duct tape it back together after three months and then buy them new ones by winter break.

They will be going on their third year of using the same LL bean backpacks and they are in perfect condition still. Seriously, I wouldn't have believed it, but I swear to god they can't kill these backpacks. So, I look at it like instead of buying 2-$20 backpacks per year, per kid, I've actually saved money by buying the one $80 backpack for each of them three years ago, with no end in sight in terms of the backpacks wearing out.

The girls and I are going to go through all their clothes today and see which winter clothes still fit, which summer clothes are suitable for school, and make a list from there for what they need, and bring the clothes that no longer fit to goodwill.

I've already bought them each some shoes that happened to be on sale, but for the bulk of it we're going to the outlet mall here tomorrow to take advantage of the tax-free holiday our state is running. I basically give them a copy of their lists (they're 9 and 10), and I have veto power, but I let them pick (they know the school dress policy).

I'm still anticipating being totally exhausted by the end of tomorrow, and several hundred dollars cheaper. I usually try for, eh, 5 new pants/kid, 5 new skorts/kid, 5 new longsleeves/kid, 5 new shortsleeves/kid, a new pair of sneakers, a new pair of boots, and a new pair of sandals (we live in the south, it stays warm here until november). Oh, and 3 or 4 sweaters. Their jackets still fit from last year. And probably a few other pairs of shoes here and there if they're a good deal.

I'd say we'll spend more than $200 but less than $500 for two kids for 6 months worth of clothing.

 

[kfeuer]

I just completed getting the supply lists for my 1st and 3rd graders, and I probably spent about $20 (a lot of the items they needed were the things you can get for $.01 to $1). The most expensive things on their list ironically aren't even for schoolwork, it's the Ziploc bags and hand wipes that add up.

They both have plenty of clothes to start school in, and I bought their fall/winter things at last January's clearance sales, so I'm not buying them any new clothes. My mom volunteered to buy them new sneakers so I'm getting off very cheaply this year (thank goodness).