Back-to-school shopping used to just sting a little.
This year it’s hitting different.
I watched parents in stores this week doing something different — checking prices on phones, comparing across three stores before buying. Nobody was doing that last year.
Parents across the US are now spending an average of $489 per child on school supplies, clothes, and shoes. That’s up from $437 last year.
That’s not a small bump. That’s an 11.7% jump in one year.
Regular inflation right now is only around 4%. So something else is pushing these prices up faster.
Have you noticed prices climbing faster than usual lately, even outside of school shopping?
Here’s what’s really going on.
A lot of it comes down to tariffs — taxes on goods brought in from other countries. Average tariff rates right now sit at 10-13%. That’s the highest they’ve been since the 1940s.
When I realized tariffs were the culprit, it stopped being about “I’m bad at budgeting” and became about something completely out of my control. That’s a different kind of frustrating.
Clothes, shoes, and electronics are some of the categories getting hit the hardest. And a lot of school supplies fall right into those categories.
One estimate from the Tax Foundation says tariffs alone are adding about $700 in extra cost per household this year. That’s real money. That’s a car payment. That’s a month of groceries for some families.
And it’s not hitting everyone the same way.
Middle-income families — households making between $50,000 and $150,000 a year — saw their budgets jump the most. About 20% higher than last year, up to $495 per child.
Higher-income families are still spending more overall. But the percentage jump was smaller for them.
Lower-income families grew their spending the least — under 4%. Not because things got cheaper for them. Because they simply don’t have room to spend more, even when prices go up.
Does that sound familiar? Cutting corners not because you want to, but because there’s no other option?
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| Income Level | Annual Household Income | 2025 Per-Kid Cost | 2026 Per-Kid Cost | % Increase | Impact |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lower Income | $30K-50K | $450 | $468 | 4% | Least impact |
| Middle Income | $50K-150K | $437 | $495 | 11.7% | Hardest hit |
| Upper Income | $150K+ | $600+ | $650+ | ~8% | Most dollars, smaller % |
| Average | – | $437 | $489 | 11.7% | National average |
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So what are families actually doing about it?
A lot of them are shopping earlier than usual, trying to catch sales before prices climb further. Others are comparing prices more carefully, checking discount stores, or buying fewer “extra” items and sticking to just what’s needed.
None of it fixes the real problem. It just softens it a little.
If you’re a parent dealing with this right now, you’re not imagining it. Prices really did jump faster than normal this year. And it’s not just you being bad with money — it’s the actual numbers moving against you.
What would you cut first if your own budget got squeezed by 11% overnight?
Worth checking: Your Paycheck Isn’t Keeping Up With Inflation
Disclaimer: This article is for educational purposes only and should not be considered as financial advice. Tariff impacts, pricing, and cost data are subject to change. Consult with a financial advisor before making major purchasing or budgeting decisions.