It’s that time of year again. Just like that, summer has flown by, and the school preparations begin. Everytime you walk in a store, the reminder of back to school shopping hits you in the face. At the surface level, school supply shopping seems easy and quick, but junior Khloe Ringwood feels she has to be strategic about where and when she shops, all due to the cost.

“Typically, I do most of my shopping at Walmart or Target. To me, the brands I buy matters. Some are more expensive than others, and the extra cost isn’t always necessary,” she said. “My parents buy my stuff for me, but if I want something that’s not listed or that’s considered extra, my parents have me buy it with my own money.”

Even though students tend to buy less supplies each year, the items that become essential in high school, such as calculators, are costly.

“I try to keep shopping as cheap as possible, because it adds up really quickly,” Khloe said. “ There are some supplies that I’m willing to spend more on because of quality, but I usually leave it up to my parents and the budget they give me.”

Spending on school supplies doesn’t just mean buying off the list provided by the teachers though.

“Usually by the end of the year, my backpack isn’t in the best shape, so I try to get a new backpack every year,” Khloe said.

Senior Kaylynn Sharp buys a new one every year as well, but hates the cost. She spent nearly $200 on school supplies, even though it’s her last year of high school.

“My total was so expensive because of the backpack I bought,” Kaylynn said. “Target backpacks are kind of pricey.”

Compared to stores such as Walmrt or Sam’s, Target’s prices are high all-around. But due to variety and convenience, shopping doesn’t have to be painful.

“I love school supply shopping because it’s fun to pick out the color notebooks I want for my classes, but at the time, it’s another reminder that the notebooks will be full of work,” Khloe said. “Even though I usually buy my stuff just a couple days before school starts, I try to get most of my supplies from target.”

Reusing school supplies from previous years though is always a convenient way to save, and makes shopping less of a hassle.

“I feel like I don’t need as much as I did when I was younger,” sophomore Hailee Thompson said. “I think spending can be manageable if you’re smart about what you need versus what you want.”