Rogelio Gonzalez, CRPC®, CSRIC™

Financial Planner

Prudential Advisors

 

Pacific Northwest Financial Group

1700 SE Mile Hill Drive, Suite 264

Port Orchard, WA 98366

 

Phone: 360-919-4271

 

Email: rogelio.gonzalez@prudential.com

Website: www.prudential.com/advisor/rogelio-gonzalez

 

 

July/August 2026

Back-To-School Shopping Tips

Smiling mother going through checklist while choosing school supplies for her daughter in supermarket.

Back-to-school shopping is an exciting but costly time for families. Households with K-12 students are expected to spend about $850–$900 on clothing, shoes, supplies, and electronics, according to the National Retail Federation. As costs increase, smart budgeting and saving strategies can help manage expenses without sacrificing quality.


Begin with a realistic budget and a prioritized list
Check your child's school supply list and take stock of what you already have at home—many notebooks, pens, or backpacks from last year might still be usable. Categorize needs into "musthaves" (essentials like binders and calculators) and "nice-to-haves" (new outfits or gadgets).


Shop sales and timing carefully
Back-to-school deals hit their peak in July and August—check weekly ads from stores like Target, Walmart, and Amazon. Take advantage of sales tax holidays in many states, and spread out your purchases to get the best discounts instead of buying everything at once.


Hunt for extra savings
Use coupons, cash-back apps, and credit card rewards. Buy gently used or refurbished clothing and tech from thrift stores, online marketplaces, or community groups. Think about buying in bulk for shared supplies like glue sticks or markers.


Involve the family
Establish spending limits together and promote reusing or repurposing items. These actions not only lower expenses but also help teach essential money-management skills.


With careful planning, you can outfit your student for success while staying financially comfortable.


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Rogelio Gonzalez is a Financial Planner with and offers securities and investment advisory services offered through LPL Enterprise (LPLE), a Registered Investment Advisor, Member FINRA/SIPC, and an affiliate of LPL Financial.
"Prudential Advisors" is a brand name for the propriety retail sales channgel of The Prudential Insurance Company of America ("PICA") and its insurance company and other affiliates (collectively "Prudential"). Prudential Advisors financial professionals are licensed insurance agents of Prudential.
Pursuant to a strategic relationship among Prudential, LPLE, and LPL Financial, Prudential Advisors financial professionals provide securities brokerage services and/or investment advice on securities solely as registered persons of LPLE, an affiliate of LPL Financial. These financial professionals are permitted to brand under "Prudential Advisors".
LPLE and LPL Financial are not affiliated with Prudential or Pacific Northwest Financial Group.
Prudential, Prudential Advisors, and the Pacific Northwest Financial Group are not registered as a broker-dealer or investment advisor.
Pacific Northwest Financial Group and LTM Marketing Solutions, LLC are unrelated companies. This publication was prepared for the publication’s provider by LTM Marketing Solutions, LLC, an unrelated third party. Articles are not written or produced by the named representative.

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