New Survey Reveals That The Average Parent Will Spend Nearly $500 On School Supplies In 2023, So Caregivers Are Getting Creative With Sustainability To Save Their Budgets
Regardless of whether your child attends private or public school, the start of classes can burn a hole in many parents’ wallets.
According to a recent survey commissioned by Stasher and conducted by OnePoll, the average parent will dish out a whopping $489 on school supplies this year.
The survey included 2,000 parents who have children between the ages of 5 and 18, revealing that 50% of parents planned to save as much cash as possible by purchasing school supplies sooner than usual.
On the other hand, 45% of parents intended to save money in other ways– turning to meal planning and prepping.
Still, maintaining a budget was at the forefront of most parents’ minds. About 53% anticipated that extracurricular activities would make up the majority of their spending; meanwhile, 47% worried about books, and 42% believed devices such as smartphones and tablets would be budget eaters.
So, 44% of parents planned to purchase some items second-hand, while 38% of parents intended to have their kids reuse some school supplies– such as backpacks (68%) and lunchboxes (63%).
Using these methods, parents expect to save an average of $237 on school supplies this year.
One of the most notable ideas is getting creative with meal prep since 44% of parents plan to reuse leftovers for lunches. The kids don’t seem to care, either, since 88% of parents reported that their children currently eat leftovers that are repurposed.
“Parents are finding that leftovers are not just a time and money-saver for dinner– they can also be all or a part of tomorrow’s lunch,” said Hilary McGuigan, Stasher’s vice president of marketing and product.
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“Meal prepping and creative uses for last night’s leftovers is an easy way to save time and money and is better for the planet. You can reduce the amount of plastic waste your family creates by opting for a simple, reusable alternative to plastic bags and containers.”
Parents are already spending an average of $431 on groceries each week. Meat and poultry top the list of grocery expenses at 39%; meanwhile, apples and citrus fruits follow close behind at 38% and 35%, respectively.
Aside from repurposing leftovers, parents are finding other ways to save money on food expenses. For instance, 55% rely on refillable water bottles, 49% use the same ingredients each week, and 47% of parents opt to “batch cook” for the school week.
With all of this being said, it might not come as a surprise that 75% of parents claimed it was important to teach children about sustainability.
“Our research shows parents not only aim to be more sustainable but also pass these values on to their kids. Their biggest concerns around sustainability? Single-use plastic (47%) and food waste (42%),” said Shannon Morgan Stearns, CEO of Stasher.
“The great news is that there are easy ways to be more sustainable without sacrificing quality or without blowing the budget. By investing in reusable supplies like silicone bags, water bottles, lunch boxes, cloth napkins, and more, everyone in the family can cut down on single-use items while also making the daily task of prepping for school simpler.”
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