How much do you spend on school supplies?

Question

I just heard that people spend an average of $874 on back to school supplies. I think that is nuts.

midnightmoon05 · Accepted Answer

When I just started teaching… first 2 years… maybe a thousand. That’s between laminating machines, ink for printer, class set stuff… we were giving $250. per teacher per year call teachers choice.

now…we don’t need anything more. We have way too much because they adapted a new program (from Columbia university, teachers college called units of study)

kids (parents) purchased class sets of tissues. Pencils, pens, post it notes, composition notebooks, folders, wipes, paper towels… we have so much… I used to store them till I have no more space… now… I send them home so they can use it in the future. I was trying to give away thousands of pencils to an after school program… they don’t need … kids have so much they break them or ended up all over the floor.
one reason I dislike Bureaucratic systems.

while other schools/teachers on the news that they have no money.

now we get $225. to spend… I don’t need to buy anything.

my school have so much money they have been buying every student a box set of school supplies.
our hallways are filled with snacks, justices, paper towels… other goods, I thought we are opening up a supermarket.

Iron_Man · Accepted Answer

Not a dime When I went to school, they made me spend $10 on towels in the locker room when I went to PE classes and I never took one shower there in three years. I refuse to get naked in front of other people

Advisor Smith · Accepted Answer

I agree, that number is high—but it often includes more than pencils and notebooks: clothes, shoes, backpacks, sports gear, calculators, tech, even dorm items for college.

For K–12, many families I’ve worked with stay in the $150–$300 range by:
- Reusing last year’s items
- Buying store brands
- Waiting for sales/tax-free weekends
- Avoiding “cute but unnecessary” extras

If you’re budgeting, list true essentials first, set a firm cap, and only then consider “nice-to-haves.”

TrueConfection · Answer

Way too much (back when my kids were in primary). I now have a cellar full of crayons, markers, pencils, backpacks, binders, and lined paper. Somehow all the pens and sticky notes are gone though.

In addition to my own kids’ school supplies, I would buy items for the teacher. Every year, the teachers would send letters home of what the students required and what was requested. For instance; a team of printer paper and printer cartridges for the teacher were required and Lysol wipes were requested.

Chazmatazz269 · Answer

That’s almost certainly high end of high end. People who think their kids need brand new fashionable clothing, shoes and backpack every year as well as the newest laptop with all the bells and whistles. Plus actual skool supplies. I also think buying skool supplies is different now. Like parents are requested to buy extras of things to be donated to the skool and/or classroom. Teachers who don’t get all of the necessary donations are sometimes expected to make up the difference out of pocket. I don’t think it was that way when i was young.
The public education system has truly been gutted in every conceivable way.

DishLady · Answer

Now? Zippo. Back in the day? I had to set aside $500, spend $300 on the supplies and the rest on setting up the meal plan, etc. ridiculous. And that was WITH the BOGO discounts, the corner-cutting on backpacks etc. I bet it’s all way more now.

AviatorTom · Answer

I don't have any kids in school, they're way past that.

I know some families in our area that have 2 kids in school. They probably spend about $100 per child for school supplies each year, not counting the tablet and laptop they bought when they first entered school. School clothes is another matter, more expensive. Kids grow and new clothes each year are a necessity.

Masie · Answer

It varies. I got a lot of the essentials for about $50. Things like pens and notebooks. Now the rest of it like books per semester and stuff like that is another story. Then the essentials for a dorm. Excluding books, I probably spend about $1000 for the year.

That is including clothing and other things. It is crazy expensive to go to college these days. It is why I have to work all summer and don't get much of a break to relax.

MrChinaski · Answer

It looks like a per household figure... so say you are looking at two kids = 2 laptops which might last 5 years so that's 40% of a macbook per year... that's a big step towards $874 already.

NathanDavis · Answer

I only sponsor the laptop, and that's it... should be good for the next three to four years

Anonymous · Answer

$874? We claimed $600 on school supplies for our tax returns but we didn't spend $100. A school bag and a few stationary from wallmart, maybe $20.

OlderAndWiser · Answer

Been a long time since I went back to school. . . 1983.

browsingthroughthe · Answer

For myself I really did buy a box of crayons 📝✏️ a few months ago or less 👀

CaptainSmartass · Answer

Nothing. Nowt. Nada. Bugger All.  Simples...

Jeff51 · Answer

Zero

Pterodon · Answer

Nothing.

canamlusciouslad73 · Answer

Zip.

How much do you spend on school supplies?

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