School Supplies Are in – How Much Will it Set You Back?

Hard to imagine that on the 9th day of July that we would be talking about school supplies. But that is the harsh reality. Last evening at Walmart the large display of back to school items was not masked or hidden, it was on the main aisle where everyone could see it.

Now kids of various ages were looking at it - some with a look like a cat seeing something new on the floor for the first time while yet others had a disgusted look. But the look that really caught my attention was the ones on the parents faces. They were looking at the lists provided by each school respectfully and the 'required' items for each grade.

One parent had 5 kids with her and she was picking up five of each item and placing them in to the shopping cart. Have to wonder what that will set them back.

After observing this for awhile the list and the display became like a magnet. Looking at it and calculating the cost up for just the things needed for the beginning of school was shocking yet not surprising.

Check out this, I got the list from the school for the 2013-14 school year. I was surprised to see all of the 'required' items for the younger children. Here is the breakdown on what it will cost a family for kids entering into Pre-K through 5th grade this year.

Pre- K - 16 items on the list totaling $46.35. Kindergarten - 20 items on the list totaling $52.51. 1st  grade - 18 items on list $50.74. 2nd grade - 20 items in list totaling $44.23. 3rd grade - 19 items on list totaling $31.31. 4th grade - 23 items on list totaling $36.96. 5th grade - 23 items on list totaling $50.00.

And that is not all, parents will receive a note, probably within a couple of days of school, asking for additional items to be bought. These are teacher specific and not on the list, again, more costs to parents.

Is this too much to ask parents to pay for then be given an additional list to purchase more 'needed' items?