BILLINGS — With most students starting school this week in Billings, retail stores were busy with some last-minute school supply shoppers.
“We’re shopping for Cora. She’s going into sixth grade at Lewis and Clark,” said Taylor Bligh while shopping on Sunday. “So, this year we’re doing just composition notebooks, highlighters, a calculator, gym shoes, and a backpack.”
Bligh was just getting started shopping but anticipated spending over $100.
“Probably about $150 to $200,” Bligh said.
Holly Wallace has four students she was shopping for.
"I have four school-aged kids. They range in age from high school down to elementary school,” Wallace said.
Wallace planned to spend a "couple hundred dollars" on school supplies this weekend. But this isn't the only time she prepares for the school year.
“I shop all year and I look for clearance specials. We shop all year for clothes and if I see something that will be good for the back-to-school season, I usually grab it even if it’s not during the back-to-school shopping season,” Wallace said.
According to a survey done by the National Retail Federation, 2023 is anticipated to be the most expensive school shopping season.
"Families with children in elementary through high school plan to spend an average of $890.07 on back-to-school items this year, approximately $25 more than last year’s record of $864.35 and a new high," the NRF website said.
