It's time for the costly quest for school supplies
SUNDAY AUGUST 25, 2013, 10:50 AM
THE RECORD
Parents clutch The List and walk the aisles while kids rifle through folders looking for favorite colors or characters during the annual school supplies outing. With most schools opening a week later this year, the ritual is delayed as well. Some parents don't have the list for their child yet.
"If you try to get supplies in the middle of the year, nothing comes [in]," she said. "Everyone is in the mind-set in September to get everything."Clifton first-grade teacher Robyn Herman gives her students their supply lists on the first day of school and asks that the items be brought in within two weeks. Like most teachers, she asks for the year's worth of glue sticks, pencils, folders, etc.
As every parent knows, a year's worth of supplies can be costly.
According to this year's National Retail Federation Back-to-School Survey, families with school-age children will spend an average $634.78 on apparel, shoes, supplies and electronics. (Only $90.49 of that is on school supplies.) The total is actually down from $688.62 last year. Total spending on back-to-school is expected to reach $26.7 billion. Total back-to-school and back-to-college spending combined will reach $72.5 billion.
Sticking to the teacher's list and still missing a
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"If you try to get supplies in the middle of the year, nothing comes [in]," she said. "Everyone is in the mind-set in September to get everything."Clifton first-grade teacher Robyn Herman gives her students their supply lists on the first day of school and asks that the items be brought in within two weeks. Like most teachers, she asks for the year's worth of glue sticks, pencils, folders, etc.
As every parent knows, a year's worth of supplies can be costly.
According to this year's National Retail Federation Back-to-School Survey, families with school-age children will spend an average $634.78 on apparel, shoes, supplies and electronics. (Only $90.49 of that is on school supplies.) The total is actually down from $688.62 last year. Total spending on back-to-school is expected to reach $26.7 billion. Total back-to-school and back-to-college spending combined will reach $72.5 billion.
Sticking to the teacher's list and still missing a