6 Tips to Help You Save on Back-to-School Shopping

Back-to-school shopping has long been a rite of passage for families and it can be exciting to anticipate selecting the latest must-have tech, fresh school supplies, and the perfect first-day-of-school outfit. But added to the many other costs of raising a child, it also come with a dose of anxiety for many parents, as purchasing the gear you need can potentially put a significant dent in your family budget.

This year is no exception, especially considering that Americans continue to cite inflation as their top concern. In fact, a June 2026 survey from Ibotta found that an overwhelming 93 percent of shoppers expect rising prices to impact their back-to-school purchases. And while nearly half of respondents say they intend to spend more this year, 76 percent of that group believe it will be due to inflation, rather than an expanded list.

Even though it probably feels like summer has just begun, if you’ve already started eyeing classroom lists and sale content for next year, you’re not alone. A survey from the National Retail Foundation found that 32 percent of back-to-school shoppers had already started browsing and buying by early June—this is the highest percentage since it started asking the question in 2018. So it’s no surprise that Amazon, Target, and Walmart all launched serious sales in June, accelerating from the traditional July timeframe.

But if you’re feeling behind, don’t fret. Those blowout deal days are just the opening bell for creative savings tactics. Here are six back-to-school shopping tips to try.

6 Tips to Help You Save on Back-to-School Shopping

1. Shop your home first

Before you put anything on your back-to-school shopping list, check your own closets, desk drawers, and discarded backpacks—you might have more on hand than you remember. And while you want to adhere to the suggested list, you probably don’t need to buy scissors every year.

Then, move on to clothes. Have your children stage a fashion show with everything in their closets so you can see whether those jeans they barely wore last year still fit. The goal is to avoid buying duplicate items, but also to have a clear picture of what you need so you don’t discover your child has outgrown their entire wardrobe just after a fantastic sale ends.

If one of your kids has sized out of some outfits, don’t be too quick to donate them if you have younger children. Special occasion items and winter clothing typically don’t change styles significantly (and often don’t get much wear) so they are great choices to keep on hand to pass down to a sibling. In fact, this is a good time to check the items you’ve squirreled away in the past so you don’t miss their window.

2. Scour regularly for discounts

By signing up for your favorite retailers’ emails, you’ll get alerts for upcoming sales so you can plan accordingly. To avoid inbox overload, filter them into one folder you can quickly search by brand. Or create a free email account you use solely for promotional emails. If you’re offered a sign-up bonus, save it for a larger purchase.

Scrolling through brands’ social media accounts will also keep you updated on the latest discounts and promotions or flash sales. You also might consider signing up for text alerts that can yield on-the-spot savings. Then, take a scroll through an aggregator site such as CouponCabin or install the Honey browser plugin, which automatically alerts you to savings as you check out. You can also ask an AI shopping assistant like Chat GPT— PwC’s 2026 US Consumer Poll on Back-to-School Shopping found that nearly three-fourths of families intend to use AI in some way during their back-to-school shopping.

However, make sure to put some guardrails in place before your kids start browsing their favorite influencers as the PwC survey also found that 61percent of parents plan to let their kids add items directly to online carts. Consider having them make their choices, then discuss them together.

Even if you prefer making your purchases at a brick-and-mortar location, take a beat to compare the cost to what you see online. Some items might be priced differently on the brand’s various channels, and many stores will also price match.

3. Time your purchases carefully

Most retailers are likely to be pulling out all the stops to lure shoppers in, so you may be able to score significant savings. But you need to be strategic about when you click “purchase.” Sites such as CamelCamelCamel (exclusive to Amazon) and PayPal’s Honey track an item’s price history to identify the ideal time to buy, helping to ensure you don’t miss a big drop.

Also note whether your state has a ”sales tax holiday” planned; many stores also offer special sales on these dates.

Once school starts, you’ll often see another round of price reductions. By then you’ll know more clearly what you actually need, and you can verify that your kids’ “must buy” items are on trend among their friends.

Save all your receipts: Some stores may make a price adjustment if the item you bought eventually goes on sale within a certain time limit. If you do need to make a return, watch the dates carefully: Many retailers have dramatically tightened their policies on this practice, such as reducing the eligible time frame to 30 days from the purchase date.

4. Combine your efforts

Buying in bulk can be a great way to save. But while you probably don’t need a huge quantity of glue sticks or notebooks, other families will also need a few, and you can all split the savings. This works well with snacks, too, especially those variety packs where your child’s favorite could be the one everyone else snubs.

Another option is to swap gently used items that your kids no longer need, such as sports equipment from a long-abandoned activity, a class-specific graphing calculator, outgrown school uniforms, or other clothes and gear, in exchange for these extra items you’ll need. One person’s post-violin-playing era trash might be your new-music-loving-child’s treasure.

5. Try before you buy

While it’s pretty common for a kid to go all-in on an activity, and parents appreciate the benefits they bring, kids can be notoriously fickle and may want to abandon their newfound interest after a short time. So, before you invest in a musical instrument or hockey skates, ask if you can borrow from the school or a sponsoring facility first—or perhaps consider renting what you need for a trial period. This will also help your child figure out which equipment features they like or dislike before you purchase a personal item.

It’s certainly important to encourage your child to try new things, but there are times you have a sneaking feeling they might be signing up because all their peers are. If you’re not feeling confident your child will enjoy the activity, see if they can sit in on a class or lesson or have them watch some YouTube videos to get a feel for it first.

If the activity comes with accompanying fees, sign up for the minimum number of hours at first. That way, you won’t have spent too much money on your would-be ballerina—who is now set on being a star softball pitcher—before the semester of expensive dance classes is over.

6. Get paid to shop

As a final note, it you’re going to be spending money anyway, you might as well be rewarded for it. On cash-back shopping portals such as Ibotta or Rakuten, you can choose the brands you’re interested in and shop as you normally would. You’ll automatically earn rebates that you can redeem for cash or gift cards. Other apps such as Fetch allow you to earn points you can redeem for gift cards by scanning receipts.

Many stores offer rewards in the form of future discounts when you shop during specified time periods. Amass the dividends and set a reminder to redeem them in the future.

If you’re planning to use a credit card, check your provider for exclusive deals and see if they have a shopping portal that rewards you for shopping through their storefront. And if you’re in the market for a new credit card, look for one that allows you to earn cash back when you shop—although you should always aim to pay the balance in full each month as interest charges can negate those perks.