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US back-to-school spending trends

Updated 1 time since CLSTR started tracking revisions of this situation.

What changed

2026-07-28 22:19 UTC → 2026-07-29 23:45 UTC · added removed

July 2026 data show families starting back‑to‑school purchases early, with 62 % having bought items by early July and many spacing purchases to capture June sales such as Amazon Prime Day, Walmart Deals and Target Circle Deal Days. A National Retail Federation and Prosper Insights survey projects total U.S. back‑to‑school spending to hit forecasts confirmed a record $146.8 billion in 2026—$43.3 total back‑to‑school spend, roughly $43.3 billion for K‑12 and $103.5 billion for college students. Electronics remain the largest expense for K‑12 families, Early shopping accelerated: 62 % of families had purchased by early July and one‑third began by early June, the average college student is expected to spend highest early‑shopping rate since the NRF started tracking the metric in 2018. Price pressure remains; 78 % of shoppers expect higher costs and 47 % say they will buy only essential items. A Motley Fool Money survey of 2,000 U.S. parents found about $1,438. Affordability is one‑third will rely on a top concern, prompting shoppers credit card as their primary payment method, averaging $864 per family. Debit cards remain most common (49 %). Credit‑card use climbs sharply with income—58 % of households earning $150 k or more name a credit card as primary versus 22 % of those earning under $50 k. Fathers are also more likely than mothers to prioritize value, shop online, use buy‑now‑pay‑later options credit cards (42 % vs 25 %). These data extend earlier observations of inflation‑driven price rises, heightened affordability concerns and even work extra hours. families adopting frugal tactics such as re‑using prior‑year supplies and detailed purchase planning. Retailers are expanding continue to broaden assortments, launching broader launch wider promotions and adding add convenient shopping options to help families shoppers manage tighter budgets. New observations confirm that inflation‑driven price rises in supplies, clothing and technology are putting additional strain on households. Parents report higher budgets while overall outlays and are adopting frugal tactics—re‑using last year’s materials, inventorying existing items and creating detailed purchase lists—to stay within modest budgets, especially in larger families. Analysts note a divergence between waning consumer sentiment and robust spending, with CFO optimism seen as a more reliable near‑term economic indicator. spending stays robust.

Versions

  1. 2026-07-29 23:45 UTC US back-to-school spending trends
  2. 2026-07-28 22:19 UTC US back-to-school spending trends

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