Make a back-to-school budget

Back-to-school arrives with a pile of costs at once: supplies, clothes, shoes, fees, a new lunchbox, maybe a laptop. A simple budget, started in early summer, takes the sting out of it.

List it all

• School supplies from the class list
• Clothes and shoes they've outgrown
• School fees, field trip deposits and yearbook
• Lunch money or lunch-packing supplies
• Activity sign-up fees that fall in the same weeks
• Technology the school requires

Spread it out

1. Total the list and divide by the months until school starts
2. Set that amount aside each month, starting in early summer
3. Buy supplies in two rounds: the basics at the summer sales, the rest after the teacher asks for it
4. Check your state's sales tax holiday dates; many states have one before school starts

Ask before you buy

Schools sometimes provide laptops or calculators, or have a supply closet for families who need help. A quick email to the school office can save money and a trip.

General educational information. Costs and rules vary by family, school and state. Family Nickel Saver isn't paid by any bank, plan or brand.