As summer winds down and school routines kick back in, parents across the U.S. and beyond are feeling the pinch of rising prices. Tariffs on imports and a resurgence of inflation are fueling a sticker shock that extends from notebooks and uniforms to high-tech essentials.
In Chicago, the Smiths discovered their usual back-to-school haul had jumped nearly 15% in cost at checkout. Halfway around the world in Berlin, the MĂĽllers faced a 12% increase on school uniforms, and in Bengaluru, electronics tariffs have pushed basic tablets up by 8%.
Crunching the Numbers
- U.S. spend: Parents plan to shell out an average of $800 per child, marking a 10% rise from last year.
- Europe: Families in the UK note a 12% jump in stationery and uniform bills.
- Asia-Pacific: Tariffs in India drive an 8% spike in tablet prices.
Smart Savings Strategies
From swapping gently used gear in online communities to exploring rental programs for textbooks and tech, parents are getting creative.
- Community swaps: Local groups are booming with secondhand backpacks and uniforms.
- Subscription boxes: Curated kits for supplies and snacks help spread costs across the year.
- Digital deals: Price-tracking apps and back-to-school promos are more in demand than ever.
As families adapt to these economic headwinds, the back-to-school season is becoming a real-world lesson in budgeting and resilience—skills that students and parents alike will carry far beyond the classroom.
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Parents struggle with rising prices during back-to-school season
cgtn.com
