Going Broke With Back-to-School Spending

Parents, have you started your Back-to-school shopping yet?  The sales have already kicked into high gear at retailers.  We've already started shopping in our house, just to make sure that supplies that are required by teachers will be available.  I've noticed a big hit in the bank account because of it too.  Did you know that National Retail Federation is predicting the average parent will pay $688.62 in back-to-school costs this fall?  That's up more than 10 percent from the previous year!   Part of the costs include school fees, where parents are asked to not only buy school supplies for the classroom but pay fees for extracurricular activities since school budgets have been cut so much.

For example, at Brecksville-Broadview Heights High School in Ohio, you'll pay $130 to be in the spring musical, $50 for student council, $60 for the math club and $250 for fall cheerleading. At Fulton High School in Tennessee, you'll pay $30 for art supplies, a $5 "technology fee" for math class, a $10 lab fee if you're taking web design, and $30 for cleaning your band uniform.  You get the idea.  Schools just aren't able to pick up the tab for everything anymore.  So get ready to grit your teeth when you hit the stores for back-to-school shopping, but also keep in mind that there are many area families who can barely afford to put food on the table, let alone pay for school supplies.  There are local stores that typically have  school supplies donation bin.  Be generous and donate if you can to lend a helping hand to those struggling families.