Author: Eliza

• After two stressful, pandemic school years, parents looked forward to a normal year.
• But instead, they’re dealing with a different stress: inflation.
• Already squeezed by high food and fuel prices, parents now struggle with higher back-to-school costs.

Far fewer parents this year said they can afford their kids’ back-to-school shopping without any issues, likely a result of rising inflation and the end of the pandemic stimulus checks.

Just 36% of the 2,178 US parents surveyed said they can afford their kids’ back-to-school shopping, down from 52% last year, according to a recent Morning Consult surveywhich also found that more than 37% of parents this year are stressed about back-to-school shopping – up from 32% last year.

Last year, parents benefited from stimulus checks and advance child tax credit payments, which have lapsed, and savings amassed during the pandemic.

“Now, these savings are being depleted as the burden of inflation

Photo-Illustration: by The Strategist; Photos courtesy of the vendors

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