Families in metro Detroit area look for bargains as back-to-school shopping hits inflation

(CBS) – It’s peak back-to-school shopping season, and as inflation concerns continue, families are doing what they can to stock up on back-to-school essentials.

“I don’t necessarily go to dollar stores or thrift stores because I know I’m participating when I pay attention to Facebook and look at the pages that are offering free things to the community for the kids to go back to school,” says mother Ecora Foshee.

Foshee is just one of many parents in the area looking for back-to-school options.

According to the National Retail Federation, back-to-school shopping will exceed $39 billion this year, up from $26 billion in 2019.

“Families with children in elementary through high school are expected to spend an average of about $875 on clothing, shoes and school supplies,” says Katherine Cullen, vice president of industry and consumer insights at the National Retail Federation.

According to the NRF, this is the second highest value ever recorded.

According to experts, families looking to save money by reselling clothing stores are increasingly looking for bargains at a fraction of the price.

“For example, our children’s clothing starts at 50 cents; the most expensive items, I think, are $10 or maybe $12. We’re a third of retail,” says Melanie Williams, co-owner of Regeneration.

New inflation data shows that consumer prices rose 2.9% in July compared to last year, falling below 3% for the first time since 2021.

Thousands of families in the Detroit metropolitan area are filling stores to check off their school supply lists. According to the NRF, school supplies such as pens, pencils and paper cost the average American parent about $141.

“The most popular destinations for school and college shoppers are online stores, followed by department stores and discount retailers,” Cullen said.

In the ongoing race for the White House, the American economy is an important issue.

As some retailers raise their prices, the shopping season becomes even more stressful for families on fixed incomes.

“It’s killing the poor person who’s barely making ends meet, and even in dollar stores it’s 1.25 cents, whereas it used to be 99 cents,” Foshee said.

According to a recent survey by Credit Karma, Gen Z and Millennial parents said they are more willing to go into debt to afford school supplies.