Back-to-school shopping might put a bigger-than-usual dent in families’ budgets this year, thanks to trade tariffs on essentials such as clothing, school supplies and electronics.
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But you can avoid much of the impact by shopping sooner rather than later and pulling out all the stops to save money. Here’s how.
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How Are Tariffs Increasing Back-to-School Costs?
“For many back-to-school items, we are not experiencing the impact of tariffs — yet,” Mary Clements Evans, founder and president of Evans Wealth Strategies, told GOBankingRates.
“Upon the tariff announcements, many of the large retailers stocked up on goods at pre-tariff costs. You can see evidence of this from the increased traffic we had in the ports,” Evans said, referring to the sudden increase in shipping container volume early in the spring.
Once that inventory is depleted, retailers will have to pay the higher costs, at least some of which will be passed onto consumers. Evans expects that to happen in time for back-to-school shopping.
“If you see a sale for items you need later this year, buy them now,” she said. “Don’t wait in the hopes that you will get a lower cost.”
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Evans also recommends bargain shopping, acknowledging that it can be time consuming but noting it’ll be worth it this year, and not only for big-ticket items.
“Use this process for shoes, clothes and school supplies. Many small savings will make a big difference,” she said.
How To Save on Back-to-School Shopping Amid Tariffs
Here are more strategies you can use for maximum savings on back-to-school shopping.
Shop stores that have frozen or rolled back prices. Target is carrying over its 2024 prices on back-to-school items. Dollar General recently cut prices on 1,000 items for a summer-long promotion that will also include digital coupons and other specials.
Use cash-back shopping tools. Cash-back shopping websites like Rakuten, Ibotta and Swagbucks save you money with cash-back rewards for purchases on sites you already use. For example, Rakuten’s partner sites include Adidas, Aeropostal, Groupon and Nike, so you can stack savings if those retailers are offering deals.
Add money-saving coupon extensions to your browser. Browser extensions like Capital One Shopping automatically look for coupons while you’re shopping online.
Ask AI. Try asking Claude, ChatGPT or another AI tool to find back-to-school coupons, coupon codes and other discounts for items you’re looking for. AI can also recommend less expensive alternatives to items you’re considering buying.
Try new brands. When shopping for back-to-school, more than three-quarters of parents buy the same brands each year, according to the 2025 Back-to-School Forecast Report from Inmar Inc. Consider shopping outside of your comfort zone to find better prices.
Ignore the hype. The Inmart report also found that parents’ purchase decisions are heavily influenced by social and creator content, and also by their kids — who, in turn, are influenced by social media. Ignore the influencers and focus on what’s practical and realistic for your family.
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This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: Tariffs May Spike Back-to-School Costs in 2025 — Here’s How To Save Big
