It happened at our kitchen table last week. I was going through the school supply list — the long one — and my husband asked how much we had set aside for it. The honest answer was: not really. We’d already said yes to the sneakers, and the list was about to turn into a credit card swipe we hadn’t planned on.
Turns out we’re not alone. Back-to-school debt is climbing fast in 2026, and more parents are financing the season instead of budgeting for it. So I sat down with this year’s numbers, did the math the way I always do — on paper, where I can actually see it — and here’s what I found, plus the plan we’re using to keep August from becoming a balance we’re still carrying at Thanksgiving.
What back-to-school actually costs in 2026
The National Retail Federation’s 2026 back-to-school survey put the average spend for a family with kids in kindergarten through 12th grade at $863.86 this year. Nationwide, families are on pace to spend a record $43.3 billion on the season.
Here’s the part that worried me: a growing share of that total is being put on credit instead of coming out of savings. Forty-five percent of parents say they plan to take on debt for back-to-school shopping this year, up from 34% in 2024. Fifty-seven percent already carry a credit card balance before the shopping even starts, according to a Credit Karma survey of parents released this season. And nineteen percent told me — well, they told the survey — that they have no money saved for these costs at all.
If you’ve ever stared at a June statement and wondered where the money went, that last number is a mirror, not a judgment.
Why we charge it instead of saving for it
The drivers are more emotional than financial, and I think that’s the whole story. Sixty-three percent of parents expect to add school costs to an existing credit card balance this year, and 48% have opened a new card or raised a limit just for these purchases.
Fifty-four percent say they’d rather charge the purchase than tell their kid no. I get it. Watching your child’s face when you say “not this year, honey” is a specific kind of pain. But here’s the tension: 64% of parents say taking on more debt makes them anxious — even as they do it.
And the tension is getting worse, not better. Fifty-four percent of parents say they dread back-to-school season because of the financial pressure, up from 44% in 2024. Thirty-nine percent say the costs have caused an argument or tension at home. None of that means a parent is failing. It means the season costs more than most household budgets set aside for it — and a plan matters more than willpower alone.
How parents are actually paying for it
Credit cards are still the top method: 43% of parents plan to rely on one to cover school costs. Sixteen percent plan to spread purchases across buy now, pay later apps — splitting one shopping trip into several smaller loans due on different dates. That structure makes the total easy to lose track of, especially once a few of those loans are running across different apps at once.
The rest of the gap is filled with extra work, not extra credit. Twenty-two percent of parents plan to pick up overtime, and 18% plan to take on gig work or a second job. Fifteen percent will pull from savings or an emergency fund. And here’s a stat that should land for anyone who’s been budgeting a school year: 52% have already spent more than $250 on additional school costs that came up after the school year began. The list never ends — the printer needs a specific toner, the library book needs replacing, someone needs a new pair of glasses. That’s the real cost of the season, and it’s the part budgets usually miss.
Our plan: four moves to cover it without new debt
Set a spending cap by category before you shop. The NF national averages make a decent benchmark: $293 for electronics, $250 for clothing, $174 for shoes, and $146 for supplies, per student. A number on paper is easier to stick to at checkout than a vague sense of “not too much.” I write mine on a card and keep it in my wallet.
Buy the essentials first, and hold off on the rest. Forty-seven percent of parents already plan to purchase only what’s required at the start of the year and replenish supplies as the year goes on — which spreads the cost out instead of front-loading it onto one card. For anything on the list that isn’t required immediately, I pay with a debit card or cash. Credit gets reserved for purchases I already know I can pay off on the next statement.
Automate next year’s fund, even a small one. If you’re building next year’s budget now, open a dedicated savings account and automate a small transfer — even $20 or $30 a paycheck — so August 2027 draws from a fund instead of a credit line. Small, boring, and it works.
If you already charged it, treat it like real debt. Not an open-ended “I’ll get to it.” List the balance and the rate, automate an extra payment right after payday, and avoid opening another card or BNPL loan while this one is still open. Small, consistent payments can close a few hundred dollars in back-to-school charges faster than most people expect — especially if the balance gets attention now, instead of blending into a much larger one by December.
Questions I keep getting asked
How much are parents actually spending on back to school in 2026?
$863.86 per family with K-12 students, and a record $43.3 billion nationwide, according to the National Retail Federation.
Is it normal to go into debt for school shopping?
It’s common — 45% of parents plan to — and common doesn’t mean harmless, especially when 57% already carry a card balance before the season starts.
Does BNPL affect my credit?
It depends on the provider. Some only report missed or late payments, while others report every payment. Check your specific app’s policy before splitting a purchase across several loans.
The kitchen-table takeaway
Back-to-school debt is climbing because the season costs more than it used to, and because charging it feels easier than saying no in the moment. Neither of those things has to define how your family covers it next time. Set a real number before you shop, use a payment method you can actually pay off, and if a balance already exists, set a payoff date this week.
Start with one thing today: write down your per-student cap — electronics, clothing, shoes, supplies — and keep it in your wallet this week. That’s the whole first step, and it’s the one that keeps a single shopping season from turning into debt you’re still paying off at Thanksgiving.
This post is for general educational purposes and isn’t professional financial advice — your numbers and your situation are your own.