How much did you buy for back to school shopping?

[Anonymous]

This is the first year where we didn't buy new clothes. I'm down to only one kid left at home, and I'll be honest, she dresses like a half-naked hobo most of the time. She and her friends a very much into turning their noses up at "fast fashion" and are all about thrift shopping and swapping clothes.

She's been living in flipflops and Birkenstocks this summer, so we did buy a new pair of sneakers that are needed for PE.

She bought jeans last year and they all still have the tags on them. She lived in leggings and PJ pants all last year. I can't stand the PJ pants trend, but pick your battles and all that...

My adult kids in college bought some new clothes, but again, I think it's just this younger generation, they don't place a big emphasis on new things to go back to college. They probably spent less than $100 each on new clothes and shoes. One of my sons used to be a huge sneakerhead with a big collection, but he chose to sell his collection while a senior in HS because he realized he'd fallen victim to "the system" and was wasting money on shoes that mostly sat on display in his room. He took a finance & econ class that year in HS and learned all about assets and liquid vs illiquid assets.

[Anonymous]

I spent about $200 on my 7th grade boy. New shoes and an overpriced trip to Nordstrom Rack. There was a Nike hoodie he really wanted. Sigh..

I spent maybe $150 on my 10 grade boy. New shoes, a couple pairs of shorts on sale, and one new pair of jeans from AE. He will wear those jeans once or twice a month.

[Anonymous]

I bought generic supplies -- mechanical pencils, pens, paper, highlighters, folders and binders because that's how my kids prefer to organize themselves for classes. They're both in HS and we'll find out at the open house if their teachers want anything specific beyond what I've already got (not likely). DD1 needed a new backpack, so we ordered that.

My standard BTS shopping is: One new outfit for the first day, new athletic shoes, and a pair of fun/casual shoes that they can alternate with their sneakers. Plus replacing worn out/outgrown underthings. DD2 got new shoes over the summer for XC training so her new athletic shoes are already taken care of, but I'll probably get her a pair of spikes for meets.

[Anonymous]

My teen girl needed some shorts that are a school appropriate length, so she got two pairs, otherwise we'll wait til things go on sale.

[Anonymous]

probably too much because we went from private to public. she didn't have a lot of non-uniform clothes.

few items from lulu, athleta, jcrew. new sneakers.

even with above, still cheaper than the tuition we were paying.

[Anonymous]

Nothing really. He didn't grow. Grandparents bought another pair of shoes.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Did you buy 1-2 pair of shoes? Did you buy enough outfits for a week? Two weeks?
Do you just buy throughout the year when they need an item? How many items did you buy for the beginning of the school year?

$1

Zero for clothing/shoes as we just buy through the year as needed.
About $150 for "supplies" but we overbought and it should have been closer to $120. Folders, notebooks, desk calendar, graph paper, lined paper, highlighters, pens, pencils, glue sticks, a binder, and some sharpies.

[Anonymous]

DCPS MS with uniforms and free lunch, and co-parenting 13yo boy. I bought a few pairs of pants and a few polos. I sent the links to his dad who might order more. Also got new shinguards and socks for soccer.

Bought new sneakers and a hoodie last month before a trip, and new cleats when the last pair died.

Pencils, pens, highlighters. His dad said he'd get a new backpack but we haven't seen evidence o that yet.

[Anonymous]

Oldest DD: One pair of linen pants, one pair of shoes, one shirt.
Younger DD: Two shirts and two sweaters

We don't buy a ton of clothes at one time. Their clothes from last year fit them fine.

[Anonymous]

We still wear mostly summer stuff the first month. I buy 1 new pair of shoes, school supplies and maybe one special expensive thing like $$$ jeans. My girls have tons of clothes and wear the same size and have for years.

[Anonymous]

I gotta ask--people who say they bought pens--don't you have pens in every drawer of the house? I feel like we do and I refuse to buy them. Same with pencils. We have tons. Folders wear out but pens? Why?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I gotta ask--people who say they bought pens--don't you have pens in every drawer of the house? I feel like we do and I refuse to buy them. Same with pencils. We have tons. Folders wear out but pens? Why?

You probably have black pens around but some schools/ teachers want a red and blue pen as well.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I gotta ask--people who say they bought pens--don't you have pens in every drawer of the house? I feel like we do and I refuse to buy them. Same with pencils. We have tons. Folders wear out but pens? Why?

I'm a pen and paper geek and introduce my kids to the nice stuff, just like my father did with me. We need to replace what we have after a few years. So it's not every year that we buy new.

[Anonymous]

My teenage kids are huge and still growing. Went to the Nike outlet today and got $350 of just clothes. Went to Target also, $200 of BTS supplies and toiletries and a 3-shelf on wheels cart for DS heading to college Saturday. Next need new underwear and socks, it's been a couple of years so they are desperate. Another $100. Ordered sneakers online and got some great deals, but $300 on 4 pairs of shoes. I have to stop!

[Anonymous]

I bought the school supplies from the list provided for my elementary school kid.

Things like clothes, shoes, and lunchboxes get replaced as needed, not necessarily at the start of school. Backpacks last for years… my high schooler is on his third one ever, and his younger sibling is using the one he outgrew.