Back-to-School Budgeting: Ways to Avoid Overspending

Sound Living

Summer has nearly come-and-gone and for students of all ages it’s time to start purchasing the required school supplies. While not required, new clothes, backpacks, lunch bags, and technology are often part of the back-to-school expenses. The National Retail Federation reports that families of kindergarten through 12th grade students are expected to spend an average of $875 on back-to-school essentials. K-State Research and Extension family and community wellness agent for Johnson County, Joy Miller, discusses ways to stretch the back-to-school budget and avoiding overspending.

Sound Living is a weekly public affairs program addressing issues related to families and consumers. It is hosted by Jeff Wichman. Each episode shares the expertise of K-State specialists in fields such as child nutrition, food safety, adult development and aging, youth development, family resource management, physical fitness and more.

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K‑State Research and Extension is a short name for the Kansas State University Agricultural Experiment Station and Cooperative Extension Service, a program designed to generate and distribute useful knowledge for the well‑being of Kansans. Supported by county, state, federal and private funds, the program has county Extension offices, experiment fields, area Extension offices and regional research centers statewide. Its headquarters is on the K‑State campus in Manhattan.