Back-to-School Spending Is Set for a Record, With Families Budgeting Up to $1,437

Families are preparing to spend more than ever on back-to-school shopping this year, according to National Retail Federation data cited in an NBC News shopping guide published this week.

Households with children in elementary through high school plan to spend an average of $863.86 on supplies, the federation's data shows. Families with college students plan to spend an average of $1,437.79. Total expected back-to-school spending will be higher than ever this year, according to the same data.

The rising totals reflect how quickly a school list adds up once pens, pencils, notebooks, tablets, calculators, clothing and dorm essentials go into the cart. NBC News reported that shoppers are broadly looking for deals to offset those costs, and its guide draws on interviews with experts about which supplies to buy immediately and which to hold off on until later in the season.

Clothing and shoes top back-to-school shopping lists this year, according to data from RetailMeNot, which the guide used along with NRF figures to identify the categories consumers are most actively shopping.

The recommendations are organized around three groups. For students, the guide highlights sneakers, gel pens, insulated stainless steel water bottles and backpacks with dedicated laptop and water bottle compartments. For teachers, it points to multipacks of dry erase markers, sticky notes, a faux suede tote large enough to hold a 13-inch laptop, and a portable electric lunch box that heats food at a desk without a microwave — a product the guide says teachers frequently praise on TikTok because it discourages buying lunch at school.

For parents, the guide features a Wi-Fi-connected digital family calendar with a 15.5-inch touchscreen that syncs Google, iCloud, Outlook, Cozi and Yahoo calendars into a single hub and allows parents to assign chores and plan weekly meals.

Alongside the recommendations, the guide advises readers on timing purchases and finding exclusive discounts, arguing that some categories are better bought after the school year begins than in the late-summer rush.