Team up with parents to cut Back-to-School costs

SPOKANE, Wash. – With the first day of school just a week or two away for local districts, parents are scrambling to complete back-to-school shopping lists. One financial expert suggests that waiting might actually save families money this year.

Jon Maroni, a dad and financial engagement manager with Numerica Credit Union, recommends shopping in between major holidays to take advantage of clearance season.

“Labor Day weekend can be a great time to shop for your school supplies,” Maroni said. “They’re going to be liquidating that stuff in order to get ready for Halloween.”

Before heading out with shopping lists, Maroni also advises parents to contact their child’s school directly to verify which items are truly necessary.

“That’s not because you’re cheap, you have limited dollars and want to put them toward what’s essential,” he explained.

Another money-saving strategy involves coordinating with other families. Start a group chat with other families in your child’s classroom to organize bulk purchasing.

“Maybe bulk shop with a group of parents and say hey, we’re going to buy a bunch of stuff, but it’s going to cover each kiddo, and by buying in bulk, you can drive those prices down,” Maroni said.

Beyond saving money, Maroni sees the back-to-school season as an opportunity to teach children financial literacy. He recommends involving teenagers in budgeting exercises.

“Especially if you have like a middle school or high school student, take them to the grocery store with you, and say hey we need to buy a meal for the family, this is the budget and here are the items that we need to get, kiddo you’re in charge of shopping for it,” Maroni suggested.

High school students can also start planning for college expenses. Maroni recommends using websites like Fastweb.com and Scholarships.com to search for scholarship opportunities.

Once students receive college acceptance letters, families can also contact financial aid offices directly. Maroni suggests asking a simple but potentially valuable question: “Is there anything else you can do to make this more affordable?”

This direct approach can sometimes result in additional financial aid or payment plan options that weren’t initially offered.