Dealing With Back-To-School Shopping Costs

Our Oklahoma's Own Focus on Kids takes a closer look at the cost of back-to-school shopping.

The National Retail Federation estimates back-to-school spending to reach $39 billion this year. That's an average of $875 per household, up nearly $200 from 5 years ago.

Experts say if you have older kids, it could be a good idea to involve them in your budget.

"And there are certain things which say, hey, we will spend X amount on a backpack. If you want something nicer than that, you can go buy it out of out of your budget," said Sterling White, Certified Financial Planner. "And so it teaches them the value of work."

Some other ways to save money include buying in bulk, searching several stores to get the best deal and creating a list of essential supplies.