Back-to-school costs are up. How 2 Latina moms are coping with the expense
Inflation has affected prices of just about everything, from durable goods to gas, utilities and groceries.
Readying children for the school year has been no different.
According to Deloitte, an audit, tax and consulting conglomerate, costs of school supplies have risen 24% in the past two years — no small thing considering back-to-school is the second-biggest spending event for families, topped only by the holiday season.
The impact hits lower and lower-middle-income parents hardest, including a disproportionate number of people of color.
The Arizona Republic asked two Latino parents in metro Phoenix to share their experiences.
Cristina Pacheco, a mother of three, lives in Glendale. Yahira Felix and her family live in Phoenix. Both are part of the LIBRE Initiative, an advocacy group committed to empowering the Latino community.
Did you spend more for back-to-school than last year?
Pacheco: I feel like I spent almost double that of last year. School supplies are running close to $100 per child this year.
And as single mother of three, including one with special needs, these rising costs are hitting us extra hard. We have had to cut back on how much we are driving and we’re staying home more.
Felix: It’s been roughly three times as much as what I spent last year. It’s been terrible.
We opted for the generic brands and the items that are on clearance to reduce our costs. And then on the items that are optional, or they might be able to get at school from others — we decided against buying them altogether this year.
Did you do anything differently to look for deals?
Pacheco: We shopped around quite a bit to see who had the best deal. We also looked for coupons to see if that could reduce the cost. What was challenging was hearing about places that were cheaper, but farther out. Then it became a question of driving farther to save money but paying more in gas. Sometimes it was cheaper to shop closer to home.
Felix: We shopped around to look for deals and opted for the cheaper options whenever possible. For example, we decided to buy the cheapest notepads possible.
What splurge or higher-cost items did you still buy for your children?
Pacheco: Clothing. We cut back on other things or got cheaper alternatives to save a few dollars to then use those savings for back-to-school clothes.
Felix: School uniforms. They’re expensive, but there are no cheaper alternatives. We also opted for high-quality shoes because buying the cheaper shoes will mean having to replace them sooner — and then you’re paying double the amount.
How else has inflation affected you this year?
Pachecho: Inflation absolutely affected the way we shopped and budgeted for this school year. These high prices are a real source of stress for our families.
Felix: Inflation and higher costs have meant that we have had to move one of our children to school closer to home to save on driving farther out and paying more in taxes. It breaks my heart to move my child to a new school because of money concerns.
What else stands out about shopping for your kids' school needs?
Pacheco: It feels lonely sometimes when you are working hard every day to make ends meet as a single mother. Nothing seems to be changing from our local leaders and those in Washington.
That’s not to say that I want money from them. I just want to work and feel like the money I am earning can cover the costs of everything that seems to be getting more expensive.
Felix: A few years ago when we lived in Mexico, we used to travel to the U.S. to buy school supplies because things in the U.S. were cheaper. Now it’s the opposite. Things here have gotten more expensive and that worries me. I am anxious about the future.
Share your thoughts at cristypacheco@gmail.com and yahaira.felix20@gmail.com.
This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Back-to-school costs are up. How Arizona Hispanic parents adapted
