Big buys and savings for back-to-school shopping

Summer activities will soon be erased from your schedule, and instead, you’ll be penciling in some time to cash in on school supplies.

A recent survey shows the average American spends almost $430 for back-to-school shopping. There are a few things to consider before whipping out your wallet.

“The last few years, we overbought and things just sat there, so we’ve decided to wait and see what teachers actually wanted for their classroom,” said Debra Christensen, who has daughters in middle school and high school.

Local teach and parent Tammi Matson agreed, “High school you wait for the syllabus. 100 percent.”

But you don’t want your child to show up empty-handed either. Parents CBS Local 2 spoke with agreed a strong, durable backpack was a necessary purchase.

“They’re carrying multiple books, plus their lunch bag, plus their water bottles, and I try and and pick up their bag and it’s probably 30 pounds,” said Christensen.

“You want a nice backpack,” Bergen Carey, a parent of four children, said. “Spend a few extra dollars. Get something that works well. Otherwise, you’re going to have to buy another one halfway through the year.”

You will definitely want something sturdy if your student is transporting some more technical gear. Parents say Chromebooks and laptops offered in the classroom sometimes require students to bring their own earbuds or a wireless mouse.

“It seems like technology is taking over and paper and pencil are going extinct,” Olivia Ocampo, a local parent, said. She said her money will go toward one big purchase this year. “He [her son] did get a laptop last school year, and my daughter will get one this school year.”

Speaking of computers, trying to beat the crowds? Consider buying in bulk online when it comes to supplies you know you’ll need. You can also take advantage of browser extensions like Honey that can find you coupon codes for your purchase or Camelizer, which keeps tabs on Amazon price changes.

If you buy from a store’s website, think about saving on shipping by selecting in-store pick up. Should you decide shop the aisles, check and see what smart phone apps that retailer partners with, like the Cartwheel app at Target.

“Cartwheel is a free app you can download on your smart phone. There’s tons of back-to-school deals all the time, especially on pens, pencils, all sorts of products that we sell, so that’s literally free,” said Casey Maltz, a Target store manager in La Quinta.

Parents also said it’s important to remember the teachers. Teachers often need sanitizing wipes, tissues and additional pencils to share with the class.