BofA tips for parents in the Upstate navigating back-to-school spending

Ellie Perry
Bank of America Upstate South Carolina.

Back-to-school season is here, and the financial pressure on local families is real. From supply lists and school fees to new clothing and gear, the costs add up quickly, and budgets may be stretched.

Bank of America has timely, practical guidance from our Better Money Habits platform to help Upstate South Carolina families head into the new year with a clear plan, not financial stress.

Consider these actionable steps for helping manage back-to-school spending and building lasting money habits at home.

BofA Tips for Upstate Families: Making Back-to-School Spending Work

Take Stock Before You Shop: Before hitting the stores, do a sweep of what you already have. Last year’s backpack, unused notebooks, and outgrown-but-still-functional supplies can all reduce what you need to purchase. Cross-reference with your child’s official school supply list so you’re buying exactly what’s required, not what looks good in the aisle.

Build a Real Budget, by Category: Separate your back-to-school spending into clear buckets: required supplies, clothing and shoes, school fees, and optional extras. Prioritize the non-negotiables first, then allocate what’s left for discretionary items. Tracking spending by category, using BofA’s mobile app or a free budgeting tool, helps prevent the creep of small purchases that add up fast.

Pro Tip: Better Money Habits (bettermoneyhabits.bankofamerica.com) offers free, easy-to-follow guides on budgeting and spending. It’s a practical resource families can bookmark and return to throughout the year.

Spread Out Purchases Where You Can: Not everything has to be bought before the first bell rings. Fall and winter clothing, for example, can be purchased later in the season, often at better prices. Staggering non-essential purchases eases the immediate budget strain without leaving children underprepared on day one.

Make Shopping a Money Lesson: Understanding how money works is among the more important life lessons children can learn. Back-to-school shopping is a natural opportunity to bring kids into the process. Give them a defined budget for non-essential items like folders, a lunchbox, or a new backpack, and let them make the trade-offs. Talking through choices in a low-stakes setting builds the kind of financial awareness that sticks with children as they grow.

Plan for the Full School Year, Not Just Day One: Back-to-school costs don’t stop after August. Field trips, activity fees, school pictures, and daily lunch spending add up across a nine-month calendar. Build a rough estimate of annual school-year expenses and set a recurring monthly transfer into a dedicated savings account, so you’re not caught off guard when the next round of costs arrives.

Better Money Habits is a free financial education resource from Bank of America, offering practical, easy-to-understand tools and tips on budgeting, saving, credit, and more. Visit bettermoneyhabits.bankofamerica.com.

Ellie Perry is the Market Executive, Bank of America Upstate South Carolina.