WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — Back-to-school shopping costs parents an average of $922 this year, according to a study from PricewaterhouseCoopers, and 47% of families expect to pay more than last year.
A father named Louis said the costs add up quickly for larger families.
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"We have four kids that are in school and guess you could say it's about $200 a kid maybe for school supplies," Louis said.
>> RELATED: WPTV partners with The Boys and Girls Club of Palm Beach County and Office Depot for a back-to-school supply drive | More Back to School coverage
The report said three out of four families are spending at least $100 on clothing and shoes, averaging $278 per household. That figure is more than twice what parents spend on actual school supplies like backpacks, notebooks, binders, pens and pencils.
Budgeting expert Andrea Woroch said parents who start shopping now can take advantage of early deals.
"I do see deals dropping in mid-July and then peaking through early August," Woroch said.
Woroch said online apps like Karma, Honey and Flipp can help parents find the best prices.
"The Flipp app aggregates store circulars all in one place so you can compare prices to figure out where to shop, so if you're not using AI this would be another way to create a shopping plan. With Flipp, you can see who has what for the best deals on your list," Woroch said.
Locally, Office Depot is teaming up with WPTV to support a back-to-school supply drive benefiting the Boys and Girls Club of Palm Beach County. The community can purchase items from a wish list.
"Our local community can shop and ship directly to the Boys and Girls Club. They can come in and visit us in-store, and we're just helping amplify what the needs are of the teachers and the students that are part of the club as they prepare and head back to school," Office Depot spokeswoman Britnye Kurty said.
With a few weeks before classes start, parents should focus on getting their children ready with what they need in the classroom.
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