Updated

Updated · USA TODAY · Aug 20

Back-to-School Supply Lists Near $175, Squeezing Families and Teachers as Prices Jump 8%

Updated

Updated · USA TODAY · Aug 20

Back-to-School Supply Lists Near $175, Squeezing Families and Teachers as Prices Jump 8%

Q: Beyond notebooks and shoes, what hidden daily expense is silently draining parents' wallets long after the back-to-school shopping is done?

The quiet budget drain is the daily cost of getting children to and through the school day, especially gas and lunch. In the North Carolina story, the most immediate hidden expense is transportation. Gas prices are running about 25% higher than a year ago, and UNC Asheville economist Robert Tatum specifically advised families to combine errands and school-related trips to cut fuel use. That matters because school drop-offs, pickups, after-school activities and repeated store runs keep costing money long after notebooks and shoes are bought. Lunch is another recurring expense that can add up quickly. Additional reporting cited with the story notes that packed lunches now average about $6.33 a day nationally, while school cafeteria lunches average roughly $3.15. Even lower district prices can still mean $13 to $20 a week per child if a family pays full price. Grocery inflation in staples like bread, lunch meat, fruit, peanut butter and drinks is pushing those costs higher. Together, these everyday costs help explain why parents feel squeezed even after the main back-to-school shopping is over. The burden is not just the one-time purchase of supplies, but the ongoing rhythm of fuel, food and other school-day logistics. Experts say families can reduce some of the pressure by planning trips efficiently, buying only essentials, using school meal programs when eligible and turning to local assistance such as school supply drives or charities for broader household support.

3 articles · Updated · USA TODAY · Aug 20

$175 is now the cost of a typical school supply list, nearly 8% above 2025, with lunch boxes, notebooks and tissues up 20% or more and headphones up 6.6%, according to a new analysis.
Major brands including Newell and ACCO have raised prices, citing inflation, higher fuel costs and Trump tariffs; Newell alone said it increased consumer prices to offset more than $170 million in tariff costs.
57% of parents already carry credit card debt heading into the season, Credit Karma found, and nearly half expect to seek new credit as families hunt for sales, buy cheaper items or skip shopping altogether.
Teachers are getting hit too: one Kentucky teacher's annual classroom allowance is $200, while donation drives are falling short and some schools may trim field trips or leave supply closets thinner.
The squeeze lands after five straight years of inflation and amid higher gas and food costs tied partly to the Iran war, pushing more households toward debt, donations and tougher trade-offs.