PHOTO: Courtesy of WLUK
APPLETON, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) — If you haven’t already, now’s the time for back to school shopping.
Whether you’re just starting or already done, you’ve likely noticed an increase in prices.
According to the National Retail Federation, back-to-school spending is expected to reach a number never seen before.
“Total spending on back to school is expected to reach $41.5 billion, this is about $4.7 billion more than we saw last year,” said Katherine Cullen, Vice President of Industry and Consumer Insights with the National Retail Federation.
Cullen says families with children in elementary through high school plan to spend an average of $890 on back-to-school items this year, about $25 more than last year’s record. It’s also new high.
“The biggest reason we’re seeing such growth in back to school spending is that there’s higher demand for big ticket items like electronics,” said Cullen.
This is Brenna Casey’s second year being a teacher.
“Last year my budget was $250 and that was given to each teacher in the whole district, and then my budget this year is about $40 but that’s given from our principal,” said Casey. “I have definitely spent way less this year on supplies than I did last year.”
Casey used to teach in Texas, but moved back to Wisconsin this school year.
“I reuse almost everything and anything I could,” said Casey. “My last district let me take a lot of stuff too. I got buckets and buckets and buckets of Post-It notes, highlighters, crayons, markers and that cut down on probably like $500 worth of supplies that I didn’t even have to buy for this year.”
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistic’s Consumer Price Index report, inflation had been decreasing over the last year. But it spiked again by 3.5% in July.
“My Amazon wish list did way better last year than it did this year and I think partly it’s because stuff is more expensive now,” said Casey.
When it comes to getting a new wardrobe for school, clothing prices are also up.
“Having one of the largest mall complexes in the state, we definitely get a lot of traffic,” said Maddie Jack, marketing communications manager at the Fox Cities Convention and Visitors Bureau.
The cost for girls clothes are up 7.2%. Boys’ apparel is costing 3.4% more compared to last July.
Jack says many residents from central Wisconsin and Upper Michigan make their way to the Fox River Mall for school shopping.
“A lot of people kind of turn this into their last family vacation or summer trip as well so when we can get people to spend a couple nights here in addition to doing their shopping or whatever else they need, that just really helps strengthen the economic impact of those visits,” said Jack.
To read the National Retail Federation’s full report on back-to-school shopping, click here.
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