The Real Cost of Kids' Stuff
Summer's over, school is back in full swing, and if you're like most parents, you're still recovering from the financial whiplash of September. Between back 2 school shopping, fall sports registration, new shoes (again), and the sudden realization that literally nothing from last year fits anymore.... AND your bank account is probably looking pretty rough right about now.
Yup.
Let's circle back to this topic since we're fresh into a new school year, and because honestly, the numbers haven't changed, but maybe your approach can. The average family drops between $16,000 and $36,000 annually per child on basic necessities, depending on where you live. And a huge chunk of that? It hits all at once between August and October.
It's not just expensive. It's exhausting.
The Back 2 School Breakdown
Here's the thing nobody warns you about: back 2 school isn't just about pencils and notebooks anymore. It's a full-blown financial assault that comes at you from every angle.
American families spent $38.8 billion on K-12 back 2 school shopping in 2024, with the average household dropping about $875. Let's break down where that money actually goes:
Electronics and computer supplies top the list at an average of $309 per household (ok our house isn't there yet), followed by clothing and accessories at $253, shoes at $170, and school supplies at $142.
And that's just the basics. We're not even talking about:
- Fall sports gear and registration fees (which average $582 per child for extracurricular activities)
- The "optional" but not-so-optional school fundraisers
- Winter coats because it's October and somehow you no longer own one that fits
- Halloween costumes that'll be worn exactly once (we can discuss this venture another time)
Oh, and remember all those summer items you bought just a few months ago? The swimsuits, the outdoor toys, the camping gear? Yeah, most of that's already outgrown or forgotten in the garage.
Why Everything Feels Like It Lasts Five Minutes
Here's the brutal truth about kids and stuff: they outgrow everything at a speed that defies logic.
Toddlers' feet grow about half a size every 2-3 months, meaning they can outgrow shoes 2-3 times per year. School-age kids? They need new shoes every 4-6 months on average. That $60 pair of sneakers you just bought? They'll be too small before you know it.
The Growth Reality:
Between ages 1-3, kids' feet grow about 1.5mm per month, nearly 3/4 of an inch per year. The rest of their body is growing just as fast, which is why those back 2 school clothes from September are already looking snug by December.
The Guilt Hits Different in Fall
Here's what really gets us this time of year: it's not just about the money (though, seriously, ouch). It's looking at all the summer stuff that barely got used. It's the bins of last year's school clothes that don't fit anymore. It's the sports equipment from activities they've already moved on from.
According to a 2023 LendingTree study, the cost of raising a child has climbed to $21,681 per year... a 19% increase from 2016. That's not a small jump. And prices for educational books and supplies rose 9.4% in just one year, while daycare and preschool costs increased 5.7%.
The guilt of waste feels especially heavy when you're simultaneously spending MORE on all the new stuff.
Parents today are caught in this impossible loop. We want our kids to have what they need for school and activities. We want them to feel confident and prepared. But we also can't ignore the growing pile of barely-used items taking over our homes or the dent in our savings accounts.
It's a lot.
But Here's What's Changing
The good news? You're not alone in feeling this way, and parents everywhere are figuring out a better path forward... especially during these expensive transition seasons.
Nearly 70% of back 2 school shoppers reported encountering higher prices in 2024, and a growing number are considering gently used items to save money. This isn't just a trend, it's parents collectively deciding there has to be a smarter way.
The resale economy is becoming the lifeline for families trying to survive back 2 school season without going broke. And it makes total sense when you think about it.
One family's outgrown fall wardrobe is another family's perfect back 2 school haul. Those soccer cleats your kid wore for exactly one season? They're gold to a parent whose kid just joined the team. That hardly-used winter coat? It's got at least two more seasons of life in it for someone else's child.
A Different Way Forward
Imagine this instead:
Your second grader needs new pants because apparently they grew six inches between June and September (how?!). Instead of dropping $200+ on a whole new wardrobe at the mall, you connect with parents whose kids just sized up. You score quality pieces for a fraction of the cost. They clear out their closets and recoup some cash. Everyone wins.
Or picture this: Your family just wrapped up fall soccer season. Instead of storing those cleats and shin guards until they're too small anyway, you pass them along to a family gearing up for spring season. You get back some of your investment, they save money, and the gear gets used instead of sitting in your garage for months.
That's the power of parent-to-parent trading during transition seasons. It's not just practical—it actually makes these expensive times of year manageable.
The Trust Factor
Here's something we hear all the time from parents in the BUBS community: there's something different about buying from other parents versus random strangers on generic resale apps.
It's the trust factor.
When you're buying fall and winter gear for your kids, especially things like bike helmets, sports equipment, or warm coats... you want to know you're dealing with someone who cares about quality and safety as much as you do. Another parent gets it in a way that a random seller just doesn't.
Plus, let's be honest: connecting with other local families during the chaos of a new school year? That's actually pretty valuable. These are your people. They're dealing with the same back 2 school stress, the same activity schedule madness, the same "how did they outgrow everything again?!" moments.
Small Changes, Big Impact
You don't have to overhaul your entire approach overnight. Start small as we move through fall:
- Before you buy new winter gear, take 30 seconds to search BUBS and see what other local parents have listed.
- Do a weekend closet clean-out of summer clothes and last year's school stuff.
- list the good pieces while they're still relevant.
- Check the community before signing up for holiday shopping mode in a few weeks.
- Let go of the idea that "new" always means "better," especially for items they'll outgrow in months.
The Bottom Line
A new school year doesn't mean you need to buy everything brand new. Sometimes the smartest back 2 school strategy comes from rethinking how we approach the whole season.
Over 18 years, raising a child can cost anywhere from $290,000 to over $645,000 depending on your location... and a lot of that goes toward things that barely get used before being outgrown. The cost of raising kids isn't going down anytime soon. But the way we handle these expensive transition times? That can absolutely change.
So here's to getting through fall without breaking the bank, reducing waste one hand-me-down at a time, and connecting with other parents who are navigating this wild ride right alongside you.
What's been your biggest back 2 school expense this year? Drop a comment. We'd love to hear what's hitting your budget hardest.
P.S. We Just Refreshed the BUBS Website!
We've made it easier than ever to find exactly what you need from other parents in your community. We think you're going to love it.
Browse the marketplace, connect with local families, and discover a smarter way to handle the costs of raising kids.
Explore the New BUBS Marketplace →
Sources & References
Cost of Raising Children:
- SmartAsset (2024). "Cost of Raising a Child, by U.S. State" - smartasset.com
- LendingTree (2023). "The Cost of Raising a Child" - Estimates $21,681 annual cost, 19% increase from 2016
- ABC News (2025). "How much it costs to raise a child in the US" - abcnews.go.com
Back-to-School Spending:
- National Retail Federation (2024). "Back-to-School Season Begins Early" - Total spending $38.8 billion, average $875 per household
- Capital One Shopping (2025). "Back-to-School Shopping Statistics" - capitaloneshopping.com
- Deloitte (2024). "Back-to-School Survey" - Extracurricular activities average $582 per child
- Northwestern University Spiegel Research Center (2024). "What Retailers Need to Know about Back-to-School Spending"
Children's Growth Statistics:
- Fitted Family. "Why Kids Outgrow Shoes So Fast" - Children ages 0-2 outgrow shoes every 2 months, ages 2-4 every 3-4 months - fittedfamily.com
- Famous Footwear. "Kids Shoe Size Charts & Fit Guide" - Kids ages 1-3 outgrow shoes 2-3 times yearly - famousfootwear.com
- Journal of Foot and Ankle Research - Foot growth rates in children
Consumer Price Trends:
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (2025). "Consumer prices for back-to-school spending" - Educational supplies up 9.4%, childcare up 5.7% year-over-year - bls.gov
- Medill Spiegel Research Center (2024). "What Retailers Need to Know" - 70% of shoppers encountered higher prices - spiegel.medill.northwestern.edu
Building a community where parents support parents is what BUBS is all about. When we trade items our kids have outgrown, we're not just saving money, we're reducing waste, connecting with our neighbors, and creating a more sustainable way to raise our families. Together, we're proving there's a better way forward.
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